New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-02
SIGNAL SEPTICE G1NIZITTON

THE NLw Law stvEEfLY CRiTIc!SEn-THL
SEcoNp LGEUrHNANrs DEOwDED OFT
Washington. Jan ,speciah-Thc nominations Of
orcef 10 MI the places In the signal Corps created b.
a recent law have not vet been acted upon. and
probably viii not be until IL has been >atsia' t"ry
tscerfa,ned whether or not justice has been mctcd
| ont 10 those who not fjrinnate enough IN be
| M ned The law recognizing The signal service.
which passed last session. bciug severely criticised.
now that II is about 30 pat into execution. Under
IT,. provisions the existing corps Is - d" divided
,r.o two par'S ono L 81 BE- known n a." signal
Cosp- Il the Asmy. . purely militia institution
and thc other 10 be- known a, the Weather IHi"'u'
&. 70 &c. attached 80 Tho Department - Agriculture.
Inder the cai-fins organization the corp, T. differed
hv ono Lrr1dior general md fourteen second lieu.
tenant. lc-id~- four Officers = higher rank. Who af"
detailed from other branches 81 the Army MI ~ tho
fourteen -r,oud Lieutenant, vcrc promoted from ~"
rauIs - tho corp. and have served privai"s md
cor.mi. toned ~, Ger, rom cgA' o fifteen years Their
duties have been purely scientific. and IN lr" with
their profession 11lcro has been NJ drilling og mill
iarv discipline and chance has bc"u offered IN tho
officer, 20 make Them proficient 30 mil iary science.
Tho neu law prc-cbc- That there shall D." I'm the signal
corps 10 -Dcoid loutc ant. bat that there shall lc on"
major. four captain, aud fur first h'ut"nan'' who
.hal BE- mounted and entitled t. regulation allowance.
II further provide that first lieutenant shall be pr'
NOTED The rank 81 captain after fourteen wears ser
and viii De- olrr.i simply look after the telegraph
and telephone apparatus belonging b. the Army. ~rnd
III telegraph Dispatches. and have custody ~ books.
r,.,o rd- ard Instruments II viii Doe orcrou- IN.
dcrtahug IL i- clear for thi, corp, ~ attend to the
multi if,riou- du'ic, that viii devnvc upon b.
Not 80 much objection would BE- raised %, 10 the
merit - 'o bin II % had not been that several 81 IN"
.rc,nd Lieutenant, not retained IN the corps.
rnc, were by education ard long experience specially
,d lptcd the duties Incident 20 the service. I'm
s.ycral instances the board which recently examined
them reported m favor - their retention. IN onk
three c1,,~ ha- thi, recommendation been followed.
Tie rrnil ming eleven lieutenant, viii now into Nh"
luo - the Army with the rank ~ Second Lieutenant
holding Il i, true. the present date ~ their c0mmi,
.,n> bur totally untitled FOR the duties ot the new
profession forced upon them Under the promotion
law which also ~ ,,cd the lat Congress. these men
VIII br subjected e. 4 severe technical examination
the first tirc tl"y mp for promotion and II they
fail will De- retired Ib-olutnly However. They viii
NOT have an examination - confront them for ION"
lieutenant.
III. new law created uiuc new unccr~. Had the
regularly APPOINTED officers In the signal tOrDH been
,clcrtrd Ia IN these places. onl, five would aV" h"rn
| assigned 10 tn lin" ~ the Army. y ~ L. three
,,rt n. and thi"e nr, l"uteant~ ~ tlc Line ~ M"
Nr:Il have been nominated t. III the newly 'rrdtGd
nrre one Of these hr,t clt'iIaut- hl~ u'vrr u
| Ma, d. en- connected Nlth the signal corps. one ~
the displaced cu'nautS Is well iuuwn ;, an author
of merit aud j. also member OF various scientific
| -ocrtir, AT home and abroad. lie Is now 10 be "a
| second lieutenant ui Infantry.