New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-04
ARMY NOTES OF INTEREST.

An Army officer OF high rank said only month ago
that President Cleveland would find 1t difficult TO get
Army officers accept details as Indian agents tnat
no valuable officer in the Army would choose such
detail II the matter left TO his choice, as IL
would take him away from his proper field for which
he had been educated, isolate him from his comrades
in the Army. put his family in undesirable places
and bring him in contact with uncongenia and oi'en
loathsome characters. both white and red sscre,asy
Lamont recently determined to na 0s nov his order
several commandants OF posts acs tew suitable
for service Indian agents. The wInnehess a
officers to take such details was inquired INTO, ana:
nry,cs ,se general sentiment Of officers
ported to be against It, unless the whole business VI
Inc indian Bureau should be transferred to the War
Department.
officers OF the Army assume that To be de'ahed
into the service OF the Indian Bureau Of the Interior
Deparm is a different thing from performing army
duty under the direction OF higher Army au'hon'y'
They also argue that II the President mas II
TO select honest and capable men from the o,ooo'o"
or more who voted for him for such du'y' anu H. 4"
that or any other reason Army officers should Dc pre-
ferred. the country ought to give them extra COM
pensa,ion for their efficiency, II dde the omcer
who Is detailed as engineer commissioner al "hsn'"s
ton They believe. however tnat me 'r hold NOT
ne malh'amru Tim. ~ ponce n civil agency: and
that should be kept ont OF poi'ical anu unrssst
that Secretary Lamont scrutlnxe The roll OF 40, re-
tired officers OF the Army and de'ail mos %y as
nhv sicaiy and mentally qualified for such at,y as
indian agents giving them the full pay OF the a.'v.
list or the addition of the difference between ~
and active duty pay. This would De caSnr NJ
considerable amount OF money TO the G9ysrh ,
now paid Ia Indian agents rom c"n nie "H"' "f
ing the retired list unemployed
The proposed competitive trials OF rapd-firins guns
for the Army will not take place until fau' prop
ohv tho latter part OF October and then at sandy
Hook Major Clifton Comfy. president oil tue oru.
ronce Roard I'm this city, has submitted to the chiet
Of the Bureau, at Washington, "A scheme ior the
trials II IS certain that the Driggsschroeaer' uns
Uocblss and the Seabury guns Will be entered III the
trials and the probability is that the Spon,el gun
wil also be in The competition. The trials were to
take place month ago. but postponemeht Wy
because several 81 the weapons 70 be tested
we're sent TO the Chicago Exhibition with the exhibit
of the Government, Inc t.sts are 10 ,u - - TrsS
at each OF the various ranges up TO 5000 Yards:
Rapdliy cf firing as well as accuracy VIII De an
Important part of the test
First.Iieutenant John b. Benger. OF the 5th Cav.
oIry. who has been in charge OF the subdepot ana
recruiting rendezvous at No. II Abingdon Square for
a short while has been detached from that duty,
and ordered TO Join his regiment ut Fort Reno Ills
successor Is Captain Jerauld \. olmsci OF tne YIN
cavalry, who has been OH recruiting duty ~
Newark
The recent death OF Colonel David c. Houston, In
this city, has brought fortunate promotions In the
Engineer Corps. TO LieuenantColcne o. H. Elliot.
now duty at Washington; Major Amos stickneys
Captain Thomas Turtle, flrst-Leutenaht IL. r. hoose1
and second Leutenants ". V. Judson and c. S. Bron-
we'll IL the new cadets at the Military Academy
think 1t worth while trying TO get into the En-.
neer Corps they would better ask some OF the cass.
are captains only in the artillery. Major Turtle has
classmates who are half-hu9dred down on the list
OF captains In the cavalry, and Captain Hodges has
some classmates who over 200 down the LIST
Of lieutenants OF infantry.
Army officers have taken an unusual interest IN
the proceedings OF the Presbyterian General Assembly
at Washington, and more especially in the report
advising members Of the Church not to become eithe9
officers soldiers. II charged that gambling Is un
checked by either law regulation the post exchange
canteens provocative OF drunkenness, and the
present mode OF barrack architecture In which large
number Of soldiers occupy one room. Is exceedingly
unfortunate for moral and Christian soldiers who
surrounded by all sorts OF vices ndccencies and dega.
dati0ns." The allegations made declared nv ON.
to be absolutely untrue and bellOus, and they
rcgre. that any determination should take steps 10
discourage worthy yonne men from entering the Army
because each soldier is not provided with private
sleeping room