The sun., 1891-06-17
THE ARMY YACANCIE&
Now They win he Filled - Changes In
Tweusy-nye Years.

Now They win he Filled - Changes In
Twenty-Five Years.
WASHINGTON. June 16-There are now ninety
vacancies in the grade OF Second Lieutenant
In the line Of the army. which IL number un-
preoedented for many rear. To nll them
there are available sixty-slx cadets Just Rradu-
ated at West Point, and seventeen non-com-
missioned officers who have passed their pre-
limnary or department examinations, and will
probably be as successful In the final examine
tions at Fort Monroe. This makes total Of
eighty.three candidates, and then there are
nine graduates Of last year not yet specifically
assigned. 30 that at flrst it might seem that
the recent vista OF promotions from civil life
had been pretty nearly closed, and that can
dldatos Of that sort might be. for time at
But q iittle e1ami alton viii show that this
Of 1890 still awaiting. places nre already as
and nys In the artillery. so that they will pre-
eumably continue to await yacanctee thore.
s.ss %rs a hs:I 81
oth.9s s nSf se. fhs s
still iurther Increased. That the war Depart.
% ment Is probSbis Gen. scbotield has as made ma his
liking for the artillery arm very manifest. and.
Indeed. its imp9rtance in view OF the neses:
be an additional argument for tho revival next
winter OF the Artillery increase bill which 80
sasaH enoash S2ss @ ss sssona Sisas
e g.ars n sssu ID the
would 10 &c GOOD many plssss II The caSsIrS
cavalry, which s are Only T 5 IN mum IN bss. @
" w ss he .kSh sv.pss s ns n4oSsSy 4. I'd 70 s
Infantry. Tren there are the further chances
% ;, tn: ss d%ns I'm the
TSe Se B B0srd ard ySish @ ha. been appointed to e1:
ihs Grade q Major. Jndss XdSaes.. e. ;: b
RsP ssf !S;s :ss
Hdjutant. densrai Arthur Macarthur. IT,. Was
an officer OF the Wisconsin Infantry during the
President for coolness and coptplcuoue brav-
cry at Missionary Ridge. After the war he was
ssd tho o Of sH .ssufT
s,n SHn5er was io5 few moptbs in n: Mishi
lar artillery. This Board ls cortaln,y ade.
ouatey constituted for its duties
lans TO the line suggests the cha ranges that have
gone ON 10 the composition OF our army dur
luG tuo lhbt quarter OF q c0ntufy. In January,
1867. out OF a total OF 1881 commissioned oill-
ccrs on the active list l.a49 were technically
from civil life GAS from West Point. and the
remainder from the ranks OF the army. The
latter were, therefore. about one-half as many
as the West Pointers and these again about
one ons-third bird a. many as as the eiyilianS II was
the ciyilians tied on the active list and at that
ni n aSat as nss
after the close OF the war.
.bc%s Ths S,; Rsw Ss Rs fhs os MsrIh 1sa
Si6 from civil lie. and l6s from tho army.
be about LILO from West Point. $40 from civil
life. and 1856 from the army. II We remsmher
that all the medical officers. now l79 In num-
Der. and also all the chanlains are from civil
life, the preponderance OF academy graduates
In the line and In the remainder Of the stan
will be still moro apparent. Yet. what is most
noticeable. is tho long time that was required
to bring about this preponderance.
A great change Ia denoted by the fact that
the officers who were appointed from civil life
and from the ranks at the earlier period
spoken OF. were nearly all war veterans. while
now the case is so different that even some OF
those anpointed from tho army have seen no
Indian fighting. but Of less than 2.lOO officers
war service. That they are. nevertheless.
Likely enough to make skilful and efficient
officers. should another Rreat war nrise. ia, OF
course. evident: yet it 10 suggestive to note
the change In this respect that q quarter OF
century has brought about