The morning call., 1891-10-19
UNCLE SANS ARMY.
Officers Will Have to Take Up
the Lyceum System.
Detection Of Deserters and Frauds by Cards.
Intoxication on the Decrease-Ath-
letics Recommended.

The recently promulgated scheme OF eX-
aminatiOns of army officers for promotion is
not designed to accelerate promotion by ere
ating occasions for the retirement of Off
GERS. Its whole purpose is by means Of the
lyceum system to stimulate officers in the
prosecution of profe ssional studies and to
afford an incentive to intellectual applica-
ton. The requirement that they should
pass examinations for promotion will do
what is good for all of them, and what is
necessary for few of them, furnish them
with sufficient reason for keeping their
minds at work. II there were no other OBJ
lection to the textbook system the great
difference in the ages of officers holding the
grades in which instruction must be given
would prove its impracticability, and as 1t
is impossible to prescribe textbook work
for a Lieutenant of 80, recourse must be had
to some system in which progressive in
struction can be carried on, and which Is
susceptible of adaptation to existing condi-
tions and limitations due to age and apti-
tude
In the application OF the lyceum system
all the line officers on duty at post will be
required to meet once each week. At each
meeting an officer will read paper on a
military subject, and the paper will be dis
cussed. The topics will be assigned by the
Post Commander, with due regard to the
preferences, capacities and special lnforma-
ton OF the officers. These papers will be
filed with the Iegimental records, will be
submitted to the examining boards when
the authors come up for promotion, aud any
paper of notable merit will go 10 Washing
ton and bring the writer to the attention OF
the departmental authorities.
The system of examination will 60 into
o. of n
date will be passed who shall not obtain an
average of 60 per cent in all the written
questions prOpounded and an average of 10
i'll parade and oral examinations considered
collectively. The officers lyceum will go
into effect on the 1st proX. and the annual
lyceum season shall consist of not less
than six months, not necessarily consecu-
tive.
IDENTIFICATION CARDS.
The Identification cards. which are being
operated by the Medical Department for the
detection OF deSerteTs, are proving their use
tulness to such an extent that the system is
likely to be extended to include all the en-
listed men now in the service. The Surgeon
General makes such a recommendation in
his annual report and the results OF the
practice support his urgency OF 1t. For in
stance, during 1889 the cards resulted in the
detection of IL dOserlers and Z ex-coDvicts,
and during 1890 OF 20 deselters, % ex-con-
victs and 20 other frauds, or total OF 80.
The minor defects in the system are being
remedied on appearance.
The eleven new app0intees from civil life
will be sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kans.,
for instruction. Quarters not being avail
able, they will be given communication and re-
side in the city during their three months
term of instruction.
Headquarters and four companies of the
Eleventh Infantry left Madison Barracks
on the 9th for the Department OF Arizona.
DRUNKENNESS ON THE DECREASE.
Drunkenness is decreasing among the
among the white soldiers there has been a
decrease of Une-third in the number of
cases in the past twelve years. The I'M
provement is attributed mainly to the
canteen system. At posts with canteens
the rate of admission to the hospital for al
cOhOlism, per thousand, has fallen from
4. So in 1889 TO 1882 in 1891, while in posts
without canteens it has risen from %. IS to
60.60 in the same period, with .O4 for 1890.
A general order was to have been issued
during the week from headquarters Of the
army, publishing the latest changes in the
service, enabling officers to correct their OIL
cal registers to date.
Fort Leavenworth, Kans., is no small
post, for its population on the I'd ult. was
1892 and on the 9th 1112.
RECRUITS AT COLUMBUS.
During the quarter ending on the 30th a
total of thirty-siX enliStments was made at
Columbus Barracks and twenty-five men
were rejected for various causes. the princ-
pal one being their inability to furnish sat
isfactory recommendations from reliable
persons. No man is accepted at the post
without producing references to the satis-
faction of the recruiting officer. During the
month of September 100 recruits We're re-
ceived from various rendezvous. 156 were
forwarded to regiments and sixteen dis
charged fer different causes. The total
number of enlisted men at the post on the
30th was 5S4, of which number fOrty-two
were sick in the hospital.
A general order has been issued to the
army that military commanders in directing
payments must not require the paymaSter
to be absent from his station on the last day
of the month, except for special reasons.
which will be reported to the Adjutant-
General.
Post Chaplain G. c. Bateman has been re-
lieved from duty at Vancouver Barracks.
Washington. and ordered to proceed to Fort
AsSlnibOine. Mont
Captain Horace Neide, Fourth Infantry,
is the officer assigned TO recruiting duty in
this city.
ATHLETICS RECOMMENDED.
Among the recommendations in Surgeon
General SutherIand's report is the one that
there be established at each post system
attic course of athletic exercises to improve
the physique of the men. Military drills
have little influence in perfecting the ply
sique, and after time they become monot-
onous, and, being looked UPON as a task, fail
to interest the men,
BY an order from the War Depart
ment, the garrison of one company of in
fantry has been ordered Withdrawn and or
dered to Fort Yates, the cavalry troop to
Fort Meade and the post OF Fort Bennett
S. D., abandoned. The changes will be
effected "as soon as can be done with due
regard for economy"
Hospital Steward William Lany has been
from Angel Island to Fort Gas
ton, California, for duty. Upon arrival
there Hospital Steward Frank AueZaune
was to proceed to the island.
There are eleven vacancies in the Medical
Department, and one approved candidate,
who has not yet accepted appointment.
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