New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-24
OUR Big SISTER CITY.
AeEAIPs IN BROOKLYN.
Completing the Republican organzationWor of the Naval R
serve-Arrangements for Iennis NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Items of General Interest

Is OF importance officers OF the Marine Corps, ana
will probably be gratefully received by them. II pro-
vides that officers Of this corps, the same as naval
officers shall be examined to their physical, moral
and mental qualifications before they can be promoted
The examinations VIII be carried on BY boards
composed of officers OF the medical corps Of the Navy
and OF the Marine Corps, and will apply to all officers
below the grade Of commandant. BY the provisions
of this bill an officer who Is found 10 be physically in
capacitatcd for his duties when this ncapacty has
originated in the line Of duty, can be placed upon
the retired list with the rank OF the grade to which
he Is entitled to be promoted By virtue Of his Seniority
At the present time officers Of this corps are not
Obliged pass examinations after their entrance,
like any other corps of either the naval or the mill
tary service secretary Tracy believes that there
IS a public necessity for law requiring officers VI
the Marine Corps 10 be examined before they are
promoted.
The bill which provides the termination Of the re-
duction Of the number Of officers in the Engineer
CORPS Of the Navy has practically passed the House.
but the time allotted TO the Committee # Naval
Affairs expired during the roll call. The pa sage VI
this bill Will give satisfaction to ohcers OF this corps
one Of the questions That iAsted Itself upon the
Navy Department Immediately after tile authorization
OF the appointment Of Assistant secretary Of the Nayy
by Congress was what should b. the dsLnzushing
nag. A. there been such ONCE since tine
that Gustavus V. Fox he'd 1t under secretary Gideon
Nelies there no provision IA tie Regulations Il
the Navy Of 1876 the flag Og the salute for such
an OihCe. The salute question WIS SON settled. ana
the OF llS MDlfh >Nill u" NlSpHNtl been
! approved by secretary Iiacy ana humber VI them
be manufactured ships aud Navy Yards.
me nag adopted has a white sI9uLd VIVA o.ae
between each end, and blue tar near each corner
secretary OF the Navy, except that the inter IS
blue ground with white stars and white foul hog.
Instance have brought about an Interesting condition
OF things. For Instance, three years ago Assistant
Secretary Of the Navy James r. aoe! wa Pr
fessOr O mathematics In the Navy. with the relative
rank Of commander. II WAS therefore his duty upoa
the approach Of RearAdmra Bancroft Gherartl. the
and Admiral Ghcrardi would be entitled TO battery
salute Of thit~,n guns, providing IT was bis first
duty Of Admiral GheTardi. upon meeting Assistant
secretary soley. TO give the first official recognition
and then saute him with seventeen guns and run
the Assistant >ecretsys flag up the main. at tho
| same time hauling HIS own down. But these are
military official CourteSies only and Admiral
Gheraris place IN the Navy IS one for life. STILL the
flag Is pretty one.
1t was a surprise to most OF the officers doubt,
yesterday when they learned that the Naval Appro.
priaiOn bill contains provision prohibiting the re-
pairing Of wooden vessels Of the Navy Whenever Il Is
found that the cost II such repair, will exceed 10
per cent OF the original cost Of such vessels. For
re Of sentiment the ships Hartford and
kearSarg. are exempted from the bill. although 10 is
prp able that the majority u fcers feel A. they haya
tx pressed Themselves frequently that the might
and should be perpetuat"d by naming ~; the
cruisers after these ships. as IS the custom Of other
The Kearsarge IS now the vessels Of the North
Atlantic squadron. and the Hartford + wing IN
ordinary" at the Mare Island Navy Yard. Her tofors
The repairs 10 the wooden vessel, have been limited
10 20 per cent u their original cost. The wooden
steam vessel, Of the Navy have been disappearing al
a pretty good rate the last few years-some being
lost Ike the Trent n, N samoa some being con.
demned having been Sold others utl zed Gl Il
Ing and receiving ships. and others laid up fl ordinary.
There now only fifteen of th" wooden steam yes
sells left. and only six Of the od.n sailing vessels.
The Lancaster and Pensacola are second rates the
former IN the ASaiic and the latter In the Pacific
squadron The Lancaster was 20 have been converted
into u cunnery ship a ago but the demands Of tho
service required her 10 receive new bers aud gen
era Overhaung, and she then sent 10 China. >Hs
will probably be- able n finish the three years cruise.
and then she will be sold TO the highest bidder The
condition OF the TenSacola may justify her being re-
taincl for anriher year In active service. Of tho
third wooden vessels. there are the kerslrgc IN
the North Al antic the E>,eS and laniic I'm The south
Atlantic: the ADAMS and Mohl,an. in the Pacific the
Marion. n Oh" A-liic: The Nip>c. ~ the new haNaI
station in Puget sound the Theft. special duty in
Alaskan waters and the Enterprise, Omaha. Hartora
and The Alliance laid mp. None Of these vessels are
I'm condition Zoo rnue I'm service more than Two years
longer NJ the most.