The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-02-20
SOME NAVY TROUBLES.

terprlSe, ana also IN the Squadron oil EVOLUTION,
as the latter was grandiloquently designated
| by its present commander, there are many in
tho ranks of the II told you sos" and the
chatter about the Navy Department and the
clubs is interesting to listen to.
1t is a singular coincidence that at the time
news reached here of the arbitrary acts of Com
mander McCala on the Enterprise toward his
subordinate officers on board that we should
hear at about the same time of the troubles
created by Acting Rear Admiral Walker with
his fancy squadron, for during the eight years
that Capt Walker (now COMMODORE ruled the
whole Navy with an iron hand-SeCretarie rs
we'll oicers-this Commander McCalla was
his right-hana man and faithful heuchman.
The story is as regards McCalla, who is COM
handing the Enterprise, 1.-THE ship that is bring
ing home the remains of ex-Minlster George
II. Pendleton from Germany, and which will
be due here about the LIST of next month"; has
distinguished himself more for severity OF dis
clpline than he has for seamanship. Recently
he sailed from Dartmouth, England, for home,
aud the weather becoming threatening thus
goes the story, lac put back for harbor until tho
approaching gale was over. / merely give the
story as l hear it; but it is dollars to nckels on
a wager that hundreds of officers in the Navy,
below rs well as in and above his own grade,
would have kept on his course or else weather.
ed out the gale. even at the risk of little dis
comfort, and kept away for a home port.
1t is said that he has two officers under close
arrest, which means confinement to the ward
room, threatened with court-martial when the
ship reaches homo port. One of these officers
is alleged TO have been asleep on watch, and
denied it. This officer is Ensign George w.
Kline, who is well known here, and / doubt
whether his denial is not as good as the charge.
The other officer is Chief Engineer James En-
twistle, resident here, who is charged with
talking back to Commander McCalla in q
general conversation. 1t is probable that Chief
Entwste advanced some opinion upon matters
connected with the steam engineering depart
ment of the ship, and being fatty contrOverted
by the commanding officer. endeavored TO
argue the matter; that would be talking
back" TO one who believes that staff
fellow has no right TO military rank anyhow;
that is probably the reason poor Entwistle is in
arrest.
When Walker and McCalla ran the Bureau
of Navigation as Chief and Assistant, they were
chiefly instrumental in bringing about the
Line Officers Organization that Senator
Chandler Is trying to get some official informa-
ton about, and were the ruling spirits in that
dainty coterie that was so fearful that pill
Founders, "greasers and "pursers might try
at some time TO spring actual rank upon them,
| by endeavoring 10 direct the operations of
Captains, Commanders aud Lieuienants who
might he juniors to them in relative grade or
actual date Of commission. That organi cation,
which has been in reality secret society, has
done more harm 10 the Navy during the past ten
years than any bad legislation has. aud the real
object has been to oppose every bill before Con.
gress that looked 10 the rights or recognition of
the officers of the staff corps, and to advance in
every way the interests of the officers of the
line.
1t was that organization that procured the
abolition ofthe historic grade Of" Midshipman"
in the Navy, and called them Ensigns; Junior
.rada and Il w~aA fha nj. oil nf
Master" TO let ambitious youngsters call
themselves Lieutenants Junior Gradel.
i haven't much to say about Commodore
Walkers troubles with his fancy squadron, eK-
cept TO say that when the Captain command
ing his flagship, the Chicago" who is a vet
eran of much sea service, acts he usually is in
the right. aud Walker, who is a veteran of but
very little sea service comparatively, jumps
on him. he may find il necessary to go back TO
the railway work he has spent 80 much time
in while in service
NEW APPoIHTEEs.
The following nominations were sent by the
President TO the Senate during the past week:
Herman II. Natwick, TO be Register Of the
Land Office at Chamberlain. s. D.; William 7.
Lafollette. Receiver of Public Moneys mt Cham
berlan, S. d.; Lieut.-Col. Joseph r. Smith.
Surgeon. TO be Colonel and Surgeon; Mai. Dallas
Bache Surgeon. 10 be Lieutenant-C Colonel aud
geon, TO be Major and Surgeon; First Lieut..
James j. Hickey, sth Cav. to be Captain;
Second Lieut.. VIM. +. Flynn, 9Th Cav, 70 be
First Lieutenant; Second Lieut. Chas. @. Nor
ton, 9th Inf, 20 be First Lieutenant.
CHAT ABOUT PEOPLE.
Secretary Proctor's invalid son is at last in d
fair way for recovery.
ARMY AND NAVY.
The contractors for the United States steamer
Vesuvius, which has been tied up at the Cramp
Brothers Yard for several weeks, have an-
nonnced that they are prepared 10 demonstrate
that the guns of that vessels are able To throw
shells containing 200 pounds of dynamite, or
other high explosives at least one mile. Boards
Of officers to witness and report upon the test
| of the guns, aud also upon the capacity OF the
| engines % develop the 3 200 horse power re-
/ quired by the contract, will shortly be APP
pointed. The company have loaded the shells
| with gun-cOttOn instead Of dynamite, and the
| Government has expressed willingness 10
| permit the experiment 10 proceed with the sub.
| stitute. IL has not yet been decided where the
| trial will take place. but it will probably come
| of somewhere in the Delaware River.
The following regimental Quartermasters
have been recently appointed:
First Lieut.. Ierah l.. Torrey, 9th Inf, by
Col. A, McD. McCook, 10 succeed First Lieut..
! Alexander NJ. Wetherill. This promotes Second
| Lieut. Charles q. Morton, 10 First Lieutenant
! First Lient. Marion Il. Sadold, 18th Inf, by
| Col. Montgomery Bryant, 10 succeed First
/ Lieut.. Benz. II. Gilman. This promotes Second
| Lieut.. VIM. y. Hughes, TO First Lieutenant.
First Lieut.. Henry ]. Raymond. Assistant
| Surgeon q. ;. Army, having completed FIVE
years Of service, has been promoted TO the rank
| of Captain.
First Lieut.. James Il. Hickey, 9th Cav, has
] been promoted 10 Captain of & Troop, and Sec
ond Lieut.. VIM. +. Flynn, to First Lieutenant
Of NJ, by the death Of Capt. Richard A. VIII
| lams.
! The Senate Committee on Naval Affairs and
| Senator Hawley, Of the Committee on Coast
! Deienses, paid official visit 10 the Washing
ton Navy Yard on Friday last, TO inspect tho
! Ordnance shops aud see the large guns in con-
! stTucti0n. The Senators were shown through
1 all the shops by the Superintendent, who ex-
| planned the different stages through which a
1 gun must pass before being ready To be placed
on board ship. A miniature l0.inch rife,
/ mounted on It's carriage, was tested for the
| benefit Of the committee, to show how such a
gun would be operated on shipboard during
action. The members Of the committee ex-
pressed themselves rs highly pleased with the
! progress made at the Yard.
AS means for the encouragement Of tho
| youth Of the country, and TO obtain high
state Of proficiency in military studies, Secre-
| taTy OF War Proctor has decided 10 publish
| annually IN the United States Army Register
| the names ofcadets standing at tue head of their
respective GLASSES Vi ali the State Colleges aud