The sun., 1891-01-21
GEN. BENErs RETIREMENT.
A Career Tn tho Ordnance Department
Which Has Lasted More than Forty Years. |


Which Has Lasted More than Forty Yenrs.
On the 22d OF January Brig. Gen. stephen v.
Benet reaches the age of64 and goes upon tho
retired list OF the army. His entire military
service from his graduation at West Point in
1s49 to the present time has been in the Ord.
nance Department. except for brief detail as
intructor At the Military Academy. In this re-
spect he has had an exceptional experience No
officer now in the Adjutant- G General's Depart-
mont had been assigned to 1t earlier than 1861 |:
tho senior officer in the Inspector Generals
Department was not appointed to 1t until 1881 I;
the year 1862 marks tho earliest entrance OF
any officer Of the Judge Advocates Department
upon the duties pertaining to It; no offlcer OF
the Quartermnstcr's Department dates his SER
vice there prior to the beginning OF the civil
war. and the same is true Of the Subsistence
Department. Even in the Medical Department
the Oldest surgeon began his army service sew
eral years later than Gen. Ben6t. and 30 It Is
with the Engineer Corps and Pay Corps.
Naturally. therefore. tho service OF the pres
ent Chief OF Ordnance covers a period that has
witnessed great changes in the branch OF tho
military art to which he has devoted himself
When he beEnn his career the round cannon
ball was used in place OF the elongated projcc.
tile. and the infantry arms were smooth bores
These were succeeded by rifles, and then muz-
Ele-loaders by brcech leaders. while Just ms
Gen. Bel6t goes out OF office preparations are
On I seh S4s %
step in advance will not be brought, within Gen.
Bsnets own term of office at the head Of the
Ordnance Department is due to his cquserva
tive temrerGment, which has caused him to
q mind has often caused him to be criticised
6y 1hS Snxous to hoys the G%w
n 81 m
troll Of ths Ordnance Department. believing
that no rossi bic successor WOULD at any rate
manufacture OF weapons and ammunition and
to imnroysmen,s .riginating 10 III his ,o, own corps
IN snd " rrTaSs
report. which had something OF ihs tone Of u
away 10 their more Soushini and active success.
sors;" and this is 8: "riy The eXperieneo which
Yet i would be IL Ito supross that Gen
Benet's caution an 0seryatism In settling
n.s sSss Ct Sesn sf w to Ss
Is nSss!t!s to sssss ron saens 'hs SSs, ssS s;s
quite a,lIeTsas from ihst :, S5ss!iins ss 'sx ~
iustifed more eisuro IN wsitns f9r the best
country has been ablo 10 avoid the costly c1-
periments OF some European countries. under
which systems. OF re-arniament have hal to te
suspended while actually going on. because
better ones had been found. To Gen. Benets
period rs head OF the department must be
ascribed the establishment OF the great gun
tacto!y at Watervliet. the turning out OF
breech-loading steel field pieces. and the
manufacture OF S-inch and l0-inch high power
guns for forts. with that Of many modern ad-
juncts IN ordnance work. including disap-
pearing carriages.
While change in the head OF this depart
ment for the first time IN more than sixteen
years becomes a matter of great public inter.
est. up to this time there has been no decided
indication as to who will he selected as Gen.
Benat's successor The prevailing Impression
Is that the choice will be made from the three
% Gsnce tha' al three we're W ', Ave Years IN the Mil.
years Col. James N. WhittemoIe: M, i've Of
MasSachuSetts. graduating IN 1890, and Co!.
Adelbert H. huntington of Virginia and Col.
Daniel W. FlaGor OF New York in 1851, But
Col. Whtt.emore served a short time In the ar
tillery. 80 that NIL three entered the Ordnance
Department n 1861. in The order already
named. Col. Wh!temore and Col. Buf,ingt on
received the hrayet OF Major at the close OF the
war. while Col. FlaGler had the brevets OF Cap
tain ana Major for gallant and meitorious ser
vices nt Newbern and Fort Macon. and that OF
Lieutenant Colonel for field and department
service. Capable officers are also 20 be found
In the grade below these. With the re.nrma.
ment OF the regulars and militia In prospect.
and the great work OF coast defence to be car
ried on. the importance attached to the filling
Of Gen Beuet's vacancy Is manifest