The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-09-24
THE
ARMY AND NAVY

NOW tndl the PRESIDENT mas returned 70
Washington the appointment Of the successor
of Col i. =. Nollum rs Chief Medical Purveyor
Of the Army will soon be made. IL is thought
that Lieut-Col. G. Il. Alexander, who in any
event viii receive promotion TO the rank of
Colonel, will be appointed 10 that Office. Under
the Interpretation of law by the Attorney Gen
eral the Office can only be filled 10y the transfer
Of a COlonelor the promotion Of the senior Lieu
cnaut-Colonel Of the Medical Department Of the
Army. A vacancy also exists rs Post Chaplain
lSl,jOOl, with the rank Of Captain which will
be filed by the appointment Of some clergy
man in civil life.
Brevet Col. Chas. W. Foster, QuarteFmaster,
with the rank Of Major will be placed ON the
Retired List to-day. This will place Two bits Of
army patronage at the disposal Of the Presi-
dent, which will be eagerly sought for. Cap
tain OF the Qurlermasters Department will be
promoted 10 be Major, and a Lieutenant of the
line, or a citizen, will be appointed Captain in
the QuaItermaster's Department.
The court martial cases Of Col. Charles J..
Compton, 9TH Cav; Of Lieut. Alfred g. Sharpe,
pod Inf, and Of Lieut.. Swift, are on the Presi-
dents desk awaiting his action.
The fourth set Of cavalry barracks at Fort
Meyer Va, Just over the river from Washing
ton, will Ice ready for occupancy in shout SIX
weeks Troops with war record are much
interested i'm the question Of an assignment 10
derstood that troop OF the bloody 9Th will
draw the prize. The matter will not be fully
determined until the return Of the Secretary
Of War 10 Washington.
As the term OF assignment OF Gen. George
j. Dandy, Depot Qnartermastor at Washington,
draws 10 close, his friends aud those who
have business at the depot are unanimous in
expression Of the hope that the Secretary Of
War may determine upon his retention here
FOR another tour of duty.
The death On the 18th inst. of Pay Director
q. L. Thornton, and the retirement on the Goth
Of Pay Director J. ID. Murray; Nov. IS Of Pay
Director G. w. Abbot. and Nov. %, OF Pay Di-
rector i. III. LOCKER. gives quite a start TO pro-
motion I'M the Navy Pay Corps, and opens up
the first vacancies in the grade Of Assistant
Paymaslcr since the cuTtailment law OF Aug. >,
ls-2. The officers subject to promotion are:
Pay Inspectors Edwin Stewart. A. J. Clark,
George Cochran, and J. A. Smith 10 Pay Di-
rect0Ts; Paymasters Geo. w. Beaman, Arthur
Buris, Edwin Putnam, and Worth Colds
borough 10 Pay Inspectors; Passed Assistant
Pavmasters John C. Sullivan, James T. Cam,
Otls G. Tiffany, and John \. Speel TO Pay
masters; and Assistant Paymasters James III.
Chapman, John : Carpenter, Livingston Hunt,
aud John A. Mudd 10 Passed Assistant Pay
masters; leaving two vacancies 10 be filled by
appointments from civil life.
The representatives Of the Army and Navy
Departments on the Government Board of
Management Of the Worlds Columbian Expo
sition are well ahead Of the representatives Of
other branches OF the Executive i'm the work Of
their respective departments. This is notably
so with the naval feature. The foundation Of
the battle ship is completed aud work com
meuced on the brick supcrstructure which is
10 form the base OF tie ship. Capt. Meade Is Of
the opinion that if the briclSwork can be COM
plcted before cold weather interleres, the entire
ship will be finished by next Spring but in
any event that b. will be ready for the exhibits
not later ihau September Of next year He Is
ia daily consultation with the Navy Depart
ment and lis bureaus, and is constantly sGg-
gcsting new aud novel features 10 increase
interest Ia the Navy. One Of his latest prOpO-
sIiiOus is 10 have the Naval Academy repre-
scented by the presence on the lake front OF tho
new steel practice vessel, differed and manned
by naval Cadets. The vessel will be ready for
her first Summer cruise in 1893 aud Capt.
Meade suggests that, instead Of making IL in
Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic she be sent
mp the - Lawrence and through the lakes 10
Chicago, where the Cadets may continue their
practice, much 10 their benefit aud the gTatil-
cation Of Worlds Fair visitors.
Besides being an attractive feature OF the
Exposition, the Cadets would derive much
valuable experience from the voyage up and
down the St. Lawrence. such as tightening, aud
possibly forthcoming the vessel. in order 10
pass shallow places ia tho river The vessel
VIII draw II feet Of water when fully equipped
but Capt Meade thinks u will be possible to
Tighten her 10 eight should occasion arise
Lieut. Taussig has recently visited Montreal
and other pOints along the 81 Lawrence to
ascertain the conditions on points Of naviga-
ton, and he too, regards the passage of the
practice vessel 10 and from Chicago as entirely
practicable The only obstacle i'm the way IS
the treaty with Great Britain, which prohibits
more than one armed vessel on the lakes. bat
there is little doubt that the State Department
can secure a dispcHsatioH for that purpose
The Army TcprcsCntafiyes-One from each
branch Of the service, with Mai. Clifton Comfy.
Of the Ordnance Corps, rs Prcsident-are not 50
far advanced with the place for their exhibit,
but viii meet the latter part Of this month 10
compare notes in relation 10 the articles and
features Of exhibit which each has formulated
since the last meeting. So much has been done
by each representative that there Is no danger
OF the Army not being well represented. To
the contrary, 10 Is feared that some Of the col
lectiOus may have 10 be curtaiIed 90 keep within
the space allotted, notwithstanding the fact
that the Exposition will double what was oripi-
nalIy expected. One Of the propositions 10 10
discussed al the meeting Of the representatives,
Of the Army is the detail Of the battalion Of
West Point Cadets FOR several weeks cncamp-
ment on tie Fair Grounds during the Summer
Of lsa3 This could well take the place Of the
annual Summer encampmeut at West Point.