New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-25
IN THE ARMY AND NAVY.
TRAVELLING RECRUITING PARTIES TO BE
FORMED.
THE TRANSFER OF LIEUTENANT KNAPr-iN'
TERFST N THE NAMING OF CRUISER no. j.
THE REVENUE MA1INE SERVICE B.i'''
rpr TELEGRAPH TO THE TKIBrNE-I

,olief ~ Iieutonont J. H. Sears who is e. proceed !"
Washington for the purpose Of preparing IN ac'"''
Of the late civil I'm Chill. In explanation VI '''
tenant Knapp's orders friends Of that officer expires.
the fear that his active opposition In the 'hp"''
secretary of the Organization OF Line officers Oh ''
Navy to the passage Of the bill to transfer the Revenue
Marine service from the Treasury 10 the NAVY ~
pariment was the immediate cause OF his r''''>''
from Washington and his assignment TO uuN y"
distant station.
Inquiry ut the Navy Department failed to cIclt any
information the subject, but 1t IS believed by h"N'
officers generally that Secretary Tracy was not III
Gucnccd in the matter by the fact that Lieutenant
Knapp had been particularly active In opposing INC
passage Of the bill referred TO- as II Is wei h'o"'
that the Secretary has consistently maintained 'h''
officer OF the Navy did not lose his indNu"ah'S
or his constitutional rights to petition Congress o'
the acceptance Of commission from the Government
II may be that the friends of the Revenue Marine
Transfer bill have msrcprscncd exaggerated Lieu
tenant KnappS actions relations In connection win
that bin TO his removal from Washington ana
II such Is the case and the fact Is brought 10 tue
attention OF Secretary Tracy. whose sense 81 justice
is peculiarly and sincere In all OF his trnsac
lions with officers It Is safe to say that. whatever
wrong may have been done. Lieutenant Knapp VIII
be promptly aud fully righcd regardless Of persons
or effect.
In connection with the Revenue Marine Service
Transfer bill, II Is alleged by line officers Of IN" Navy
that the bill Is supported by powerful lobby com
posed " men prominent In political life, when Is l"
receive upon the passage OF the bill the difference be
tween the pay OF revcnwe marine officers In thcir
present situation and that which they will receive as
regular naval officers the amount being about Sll0.
600 Previous 10 his appointment aS senator, Mr. Hun
ton was prominent attorney before Congress for the
Revenue Marine officers Line officers further allegc
that combination for offensive aud dcfensiv" pnr-
pose, has been formed by officers Of the Engineer
Corps Of the Navy. and officers OF the Revenue. Ma
ne service that these two organizations are engaged
In an effort TO weaken the authority and lessen the
privileges or rights Of line officers and that the line
officers are fully justified I'm protecting their Interests
by the use OF all honorable means In aud ont OF c"h
grcss.
II Is understood that the selection Of the name
Columbia for cruiser No IL. which vessel - I" oe
launched at Philadelphia Oh Tuesday. was suggested
by Wee President Norton whose great interest In th"
rccon,t rctlon Of the Navy is well known. AS with
all vessels the selection Of name for the new cruiser
was most carefully considered by secretary Ia'S .
and there little rivalry between th" cities :"
Pttsburg, Trenton and Washington for the honor OF
furnishing a name for this model modern commerce
destroyer: each Of the cities named having urgd
through #, representative, various practical and sen
tmcntal arguments 10 induce Secretary Tracy 10 s."
cct IFS name for the cruiser. II t. not improbable
therefore, that the name Columbia was determined
upon as "a compromise. the propncty Of Us adoption
being unquc~iionahl" in view ~ TIL, year being me
4OOth anniversary 81 Columbuss discovery OF America
II must be admitted that the law governing the
names 10 be assigned to vessels does not authorize That
~ Counlia for the law on this subject provides that
vessels Of the United states Navy shall Dee named ~
follows: Those Of first class after States ~ III"
Union those OF second class after rivers ana primer
pal cities Of the country, and those Of td class -
the President may direct. Being above 5000 tons
ELECTROMAGNETIC will dspace 1890 tons Of water 10
E.fD ,,I.u pud.r fle r.
department would be graded rs vessel OF "a" hrst
class and under the law she should have been named
after a state. However, the law referred 10 wa
passed I'm l-j7 when vessel Of such dimensions aid
power "a the Columbia was not dreamed o. and 1t /,
probable that the Navy Department regards rs pro
visions a, a dead letter. wholly defective for present
circumstances and conditions. and has acted IN &C
cordancc with the practicable we'll as sentimental
requirements Of the day
The subject Of the quantity and quality OF tho men
enlisted has been for many years one Of great I'm
porlancc and value to III" army. and every proper
practicable effort has been mad" by War DIniin"
officials 10 devise ways and means 10 secure
sufficient number Of desirable men for the service, II
being regarded ly experienced officers rs the most
serious question presented for their considerations II
appearing that existing method, OF disseminating In
formation concerning the duties and obligations, rs
well us privileges and prospects Of soldiers, are I'm
perfect or Intellectual. and that ID" services Of many
respectable young men Of the country imbu"d with
the military spirit are not obtained for the army.
Secretary Elkns has directed the formation of tray
.ling recruiting parties whose duty It will BE-. under
the guidance Of commanding officers of regiments. to
visit rural districts which cannot b" canvhS7'h N
stationary recruiting officers The War Department
believes that the system Of travelling recruiting
parties has many advantages over the present fixed
system. ana Is VIII calculated 10 produc" excellent
results particularly with reference TO the anrcdrnis
character aud ags Of men obtained. secretary Elhins
has therefor" ordered that the present method n reg
mental recruiting be- made TO Include within certain
territorial limits, travelling recruiting parties !" w
composed an officer and party of eight ar ten
Times, for the purpose OF "nl,ilng men for the army
The Navy Department il engaged In consideration
Of knotty question Of the law relating To nomlna
~ an officer for promotion which seniority ana
the existence Of a vacancy would entitlc him 10 n
ceivc. The law does not specifically provide that ~,
President shall nominate officer 'Or promotion. NJ
though several provisions 81 the statutes impichK
direct that ,mth action shall h" taken upon the occr
Of vacancy In higher grade The ease IN POM
/. that ~ Captain W. X. Brown ~ the Marin" corps
whose record in the naval scryice has been unfortunate
indced from standard 0f good morals. ana embrace
two trinls bv court martial, serious charges. II"
question is whether In the absence Of law requiring
officer, ~ Marine Corps TO undergo examinations rs -
their moral mental anf PLY steal qualifications pIlor
10 promotion. the Department would be Justified ~
falling 10 send IN" senate the nomination Of Captain
Erowr 10 IL, a major. Tho decision Of the Department
f. anXonsly awaited 10y naval officers. f"r upon II de-
pend. action In other similar cases. Ily law a com
mission I'm officer cannot be vacated in time Of peace
rxccnt I'm pursuance Of n sentence Of general court
martial and while that which IN officer has cannot De
snmmarily taken away from him. II Is believed that
additional rank for him can be- withheld when tho con
duct Of an officer has not been Of nature 10 merit
such reward
TIE GREATEST OF MILITARY SCHOOLS
THAT IS WHAT THE BOARD or VISITORS SAYS OF
WEST POINT.