The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-17
UNCLE SANS ARMY.
The Great Season of Promotion
Has About Closed.
Adaptability of the American 0ficer-Leave
to Compete Net ar APpointrent-chap-
lains Commissioned.

The great season of promotion in the army
mas about drawn 10 close, and very few
retlrements for disability remain to be
made. There are fewer and fewer officers
ordered before the boards Of examination,
and the record presented since October is
not likely to be duplicated in the near fu-
ture. The artillery has had little of the
benefits enjoyed in the other two arms,
for during the period since the 1st OF De-
tober first lieutenants only have become
captains and - second lieutenants have be-
come first lieutenants. In the cavalry there
have been 50 second lieutenants promoted
and "a first lieutenaDts. In the infantry
the number has been even greater - 62
second lieutenants have gone to tho next
higher grade and 80 first lieutenantS have
become captains.
The application for transfers have been
greatly increased Of late. and there is now
disposition to curb these desires. Every
transfer made seems to excite ten applica-
lions.
Brigadler- General August V. Kauz as
sumed command of the Department of Co.
lumbla on the 18th ult.
Troop ID. Seventh Cavalry. has had no de-
sertlon from It's rank since June Is, 1890.
NATIVE ABILITY OF THE OFFICER.
Brigader General A. w. Greedy in his
orders announcing the separation of the
work of the Weather Bureau from the Sig
nal Corps said incidentally: 1t is, however,
matter of record that the meteorological
system devised by the officers of the United
States Army has proved to be the most sue
cess1ul service in the world, has served as
working model ana example for other
nations, while its unique exhibits have
ELECTED unparalleled commentator. The
records of officers who have participated in
the work Of this service for any prolonged
period show the native ability and special
adaptability of army officers ordered to
scientific duty for which they had not been
educated and which more than one accepted
with reluctance
Major General n. A. Miles became men,
Der OF George III, 1hoHas Post No. 8, 6. A.
R., on the oath ult. at Chicago. This post is
the largest in the United States. numbering
over 100 comrades.
PRACTICAL REMINDER.
Tie New York Times maintains that "the
reported failure Of fully one-halt of the
twenty-four candidates from civil life to
pass their examination Tor second lieuten-
antceS in the army Is a very practical re-
hinder that leave TO compete Is not equlya-
lent TO appointment, and also that the stand
ard for the lowest commissioned grade in
the army is higher than many fancy 1t TO be.
The same point is illustrated by the re-
ported failure of five out Of seventeen nom
commissioned officers who had already
passed their preliminary or department eX-
aminations, and had only to undergo their
finals at Fortress Monroe.
Additional Second Lieutenant George G.
Gately, now with the Fifth Artillery, has
been assigned to vacancy of Second Lieu
tenant of Battery |. Third Artillery, sta
toned at Fort McHenry, Nd.
Only twelve of the seventeen nOn-cOmnis-
stoned officers examined at Fort Monroe,
Va, passed muster the other five failing TO
q a uJraI
under the law.
For the month of June the Fort Robinson
canteen divided net profits of $500 among
the eight organizations OF the post, including
the band.
CHAPLAINS APPOINTED.
1T is said that two army chaplains have
been appointed on the recommendation of
Postmaster General WanamaAer. T. G.
Steward, who will have the chapaincy of
the Twenty ffth Infantry, is colored man
and is from the Methodist Episcopal
| Church. j. n Ritner, appointed Post
Chaplain. was from the Eleventh-street
Baptist Church of Philadelphia. Chaplain
Steward is the fourth chaplain now in the
army and the sixth cOlored man holding an
officers commission. Chaplain Rltner saw
active service during the waI, for which lie
enlisted in the Forty-ninth Pennsylvania,
afterward becoming Adiutant aud later
I COmmandant at Camp Curtin, and continu-
ing III service until November. 1868.
Seven denominations are now represented
in the chaplaius' corps of the army as fol-
lows: Episcopaltan, 10; Baptist, I; Pres
byterian and Catholic, 3 each; Christian, / :;
Lutheran and C0HgregRtionalist, each.
The Secretary Of War has refused to make
any exception to the rule that at least one
year must elapse before the Remittance into
the service of any soldier who purchases his
discharge or secures it on the ten-year ser
vice privilege.
Two vacancies will occur during the
month in tile list of acting Judge-Adv0cates
at department headquarters. and for the
places there are over 100 applicants.
DISCONTINUED POSTS.
The post Of Fort Abraham Lincoln, n.
Dak., was formally abandoned on July odd,
Company F. Twelfth Infantry having taken
| its departure by marching 10 Fort Yates, n.
OAK, while Major Powell, with Company
A, Twenty-s econd Infantry, under the com
mand Of Lieutenant Bruce. proceeded by
rail TO Fort Keogh, Mont Fort Shaw in
Montana will also be abandoned, ana Fort
Shaw in Colorado, on the 1st of October.
Under the recent distribution Of general
service clerks and messengers, the Depart
meDt of California has been given one clerk
ship OF $500, two OF Sll00 and nine of
$1,000, with four messengers. The number
provided by law for the army is now conf
plete. being 10, % and 90 for the three classes,
| with 45 messengers.
Captain Thomas II. Barry and Second
Lleutenants Frank o. Ferris and Sydney A
ClGman, First Infantry, detailed for duty at
Vancouver Barracks in connection with the
| rifle competition, have completed their work,
! but will delay ten days en- route before join
ing their station at Angel Island.
No more recruits are being assigned to the
Second. Sixth, Eleventh, Fifteenth and
Nineteenth Infantry to the Fifth Artil-
lery, for the reason that their maximums
have been reached.
Lieutenant Thomas Connolly is recruiting