New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-13
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.
TO ENCOURAGE EXCELLENCE IN GUNNERf-
PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN THE ARMY

ccneraI schoae,a nrenared a scheme OF competition |
among the heavy artillery Of the Army for tne Gu
couragement OF excellence In gunnery ana IN .ho
preliminary instruction Of individuals and batteries
There were 10 be three grades. The first Dauefy
competition related solely to the enlisted men OF each
battery the object being TO obtain their classification
as gunners. Any regiment from fourffths OF whose
batteries gun attachments OF fourteen men coun DO
selected was entitled to representation IN the secohu
the regimental, competition This grade was 10 nave
several stages OF competition, including the operation
OF sea coast armament ard other mechanical ma |
noeuvres. The winning battery detachments IN the |
respective regimental competitions were to enter tho
third, the general artillery competition, wmch was W
be similar in general respects TO the regmcnta cop
titbon The victors in each competition were 10 ~
celve suitable prizes The result Of this SCHEME .ne
first Of the kind in the history Of the artillery arm,
was awaited with interest. The incentive which haa
been given target practice by The annual departments
and division contests suggested some such plan ior
heavy artillery General schofeld has received the
report of the first contest held according TO MS project
and the order Of November 10, 1870 IL Is maue W
Colonel Langdon, Of the 1st Artillery, ana gives
tabuated statement Of the result OF the paOtery COM
petition IN Batteries A. and ], at Fort Haimitoh'
New.York Harbor; b, ii and NJ at Fort Columbus
New.York; c. and L, at Fort Wadsworth New orK'
II Is interesting TO observe that only two Datteres'
and l. are found to attain sufficiently hlgh aver
age figure Of merit TO admit them TO the second grsde
81
gun detachment OF the requisite strength from iour
nfths of the batteries the regiment will not hold the
second competition until tine stipulated emciehcy Is
attained. Colonel LangdOn announces the results III
orders and commends the " constant and unremituhg
efforts Of the officers OF Batteries and 10 ohelr
brother officers. In Battery there were hve nrst
GLASS ten secondclass and four thirdclass gunners
IN Battery there were five lrstclass, ten eecon"-
class and six third-class gunners.
II has already been announced In these dispatches
that the War Department proposes TO make the phys
teal condition OF applicants for commission and enlist
ment more OF an object than heretofore The boards
engaged In examining officers foc promotion nave Dee
directed to pay special attention to the phy eap"ci
ties Of subjects, and the same vigilance Is !" 10 Ca
tended in all directions The surgeon1eherai 10 po
narnr plan OF examination to be adopted al inc
Military Academy, at posts and recruiting statlohS' a"u
Il is likely that in the future there will be no such
Wholesale reticemens for incGpacity for duty as during
the last six months. DR.. &. X. Greeneaf, ol ule
Army in a lecture before the American AsSociaVion
for the Advancement OF Physical Education IN Boston
the other day, gave the present AdjutantGenerl hei
ton credit for starting the movement In iaVS ot pny
ical education In tho Army while stationed al "est
Point I'm 1883 The system grew in importance untn
Iieutenant Keton was sent abroad to study torttgh
svstems Of training The time has evidently come lor
q revision OF the Army SYSTEM ana "ehe VI 'iin's
idea OF gymnastics for enlisted men at posts anu !"
the field is likely TO be made part OF tie enseon
erals plan The use already made of gymnasiums ~
nosts has proven beneficial but its complete success
hindered by the fact that scientific system Is In
uniform practice At present the system OF measure
nent is defective, and the authorities ma no oppoi
unity for deduction in the varied data al manu.
proposed to obtain authentic physica ecoru VI
| . ufatIme from the Army. The cadet upon entering
the Academy will be examined upon PERMANENT runs
| ~ measurement and then reexamned annually during
|
| ,ro IN antbropmetrcsl science and would produce
tae physcal history of 10000 men attainable IN no
! other way
| ntu,,orv md Naval Officers are considerably In
,erssed in the annually proposed and as often deferred
Joint nanoeuvres. Those for this year nave hot Oeei
officially considered yet, pending the caicula'oh
the amounts necessary for expenditure during te neAC
| fiscal year Last season General schoheh ana Au-
mral walker gave up the project after several con-
ferences during which the proposition OF lana ana "ar
| movements at Newport was Thoroughly discussed
Tho valne OF these navalmilitary manouevres Is ap
| rrecjated by the War Department people and the
| Secretary Of the Navy, Mr.. Tracy, takes PERSONA
interest in the matter 1t Is thought that the
| Of Evolution and the vessels on the North Atahuc
Station wond furnish excellent material for tne NaVa
seotrra while tle Troops in and about New-iork haroor
would form an adequate complement from the ARMY
Some wonderful results have been obtained with
|
| broerh.loadpg rifles by the Naval Ordnance Bureau
The latest test shows decided improvement In the
novdcr which had previously been submitted 70
| numerous tests before lot OF 10000 pounds was
accented as partial allowance for tho Baltimore ana
Gr ihai there Was no dculty in obtaining with
the 8S-calibre gun a muzzle velocity Of 2,loo 1901
T ast week from the Dupont Works the source
Of powder for Naval PURPOSES sh2~ed s 81 tons
pScnra This result is better than has heTetoioSe
been made in this country or In Europe, so r as 'u'
records show, with Brown powder
II apnears to be generally settled that the Navy
Department will readvese for bids Tor torpedo 5Us
for q the enc preparation Of plans BY the Depart
ment something that done when te DIo 1890 49,
we're asked as they Will be this time. TO submit Their
own drawings. The Bureau OF constructor au h i've .
ot Which demands great dcllcacy Of workmanship IN
the compact lnticaoy of its construction q prseen
for the eNeIency of torpedo-boat Is controlled by
the machinery, the facility of manoeuVFlhs anu i'
ton.
The boards Of officers for the examination OF non
commissioned officers for commissions as iost wee,
tenant h the Army are being detailed; ana laSt weSS
two such boards at Vancouver Barracks Naslilst0
and Fort Sam Houston Texas respecVe Tete fSo
llshed The prospects for places for cshulu;eS rn
the ranks never were better. There are now sevelS
one vacancies in the line of the Army OF wnicn u tS
ca i BY june the thirty vacancies the lted
will have increased to thirty Ior
number OF vacancies in the line to 100 Inns va 81.
graduating class contains sixty five members anu a,e
they are provided for there will remain iOry seconu
Neutcnants' commissions at the disposal OF the seSrs
tary Of War. 1t Is estimated that not n1v , so,u
twenty commissions will be filed by pronO'lon dVh
the ranks leaving twenty-five vacancies to De nneu
RON among the civilian applicants.
The question of transferring the Naval training
station from Newport r. l. to New Lonu III, H0n hne
aran revived in quarters likely TO be pecunlaTy pehe
flied by the change Of base The subject mas NOT pe ~
considered by the Bureau of Navigation ana shou IL
be taken mp there Is every propsolily Oh hes"'''
decision.
; The Army Medical Board, now In session In New
Yorl, CITY Is convened for q dual purpose. In au'
dtiOn TO the usual function Of an annual board ior ne
, examination OF candidates for appointment as as
sstant surgeons the Roard considering how the
Medical Corps can be improved. The recent Indian