The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-11-09
LATE ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.

Col John NJ Wilson, Superintendent of the
West Point Military Academy, has submitted
to the War Department his annual report. He
says that there were 294 cadets at the Academy
September i, 1889. Since that date the loss has
been eight bv reQuisiton, TWENTY-FIVE by dis
charge, two by death, and fifty-four by gradua-
ton. The gain has been eighty-one, admitted
as new cadets making a total of $50, four of
whom were admitted September l, 1890 The
number includes one cadet from Switzerland and
one from Central America. Col Wilson
makes q point of the disadvantage
under which The candidates who enter
in September are placed from the
lack of drill and instruction which their more
fortunate classmates have acquired during the
summer encampment. He earnestly urges that
except under extraordinary circumstances no
further September appointments be made
and that the June candidates be
of reporting 10 permit them to prepare
for the examinations. He also suggests that
candidates report for physical examination to
the nearest medical officer of the Army imme-
diately upon appointment, so that in the event
of physical disqualification their appointments
could be at once revoked and they be thus spared
furtherexpense and modification. The condition
of the corps OF cadets, as regards drill disci-
cipline, and instruction, has been excellent. In
view of the limited period allowed for
field artillery drill, it is urgently
recommended that another battery Of
new 2-l0 inch field guns be supplied to the
ACauenly. me sea-COaSJ ana siege DatJerleS
are also reported to be in bad condition, and
three guns burst during the year, fortunately
without serious results. Those supplied in
their place are old guns used during the Re-
bellon, and the superintendent says it would
be criminal on his part to endanger the lives of
the cadets by practicing with these obsolete
pieces, and he recommends that new 5-nch
breech-loading steel guns be furnished. He
says also that the battery instruction should be
placed at once upon an independent footing
horses
should be furnished. The light at present sup
piled to the Academy is said to be of inferior
quality, and the Superintendent submits esti-
mates for complete electric light plant, to cost
$4,000.
An engineer board, consisting of Col. Henry
l.. Abbot, c. B. Comstock, David G. Houston,
and Surgeons Charles T. Alexander and j. f.
Middleton, has been ordered to meet at New
York at the call of the senior officer to examine
for promotion such engineer officers as may be
ordered before it. A similar board, consisting
of Coils. George H. Mendall, Lieut.. Col. William
Benyaurd, Maj. w. II. Heuer, and Surgeons
Basil Norris and G. M. Sternberg, has been Or
dered to meet at San Francisco. Capts. John
c.. Malery and G. B. Sears, First Lieuts. G.. j.
Frebeger, G. NJ. Carter, and G. w. Toethals,
and Second Lieuts. f. r. Skunk and E. w.
Lucas and j. C. Mayler, Engineer Corps, have
been ordered to appear before the boards for
examination.
The Secretary of the Navy has modified the
with q recent act of Congress so as to permit
and prescribe the manner Of wearing on occa-
sions of ceremony of badges adopted by mill
tary societies of men who served in the Revolu-
tion, the War of 1912, the Mexican War; and the
War of the Rebellion.
The new gunboat Concord having been re-
ported ready for trial, the trial board, of which
Capt Slas Casey is president, has been ordered
to meet at Chester, Pa, tomorrow to examine
the vessel and prepare for the trial trip, which
will probably take place about the middle ofneXt
week.
= Maj John A. Kress, Ordnance Department,
S been relieved from duty at Rock Island
Arsenal, ann ordered to the st. Louis powder
depot, relieving Maj. John q. Butler, who is
ordered to command the Augusta (Ga.) arsenal
The President has appointed Philip r. Alger
to be professor of mathematics in the Navy,
with relative rank of lieutenant from November
l. 1890, and Edward X. Rawson to be same
October 2S, 1890.
Professor W. w. Hendrickson has been de-
tached from special duty in the Nautical
Almanac Office.
The order relieving Capt. j. C. Clifford from
duty at the Springfield (Mass.) armory has
been revoked.