New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-25
ARMY NOTES or INTEREST


The report Of committee Of the General Assembly
OF the rsby terrain Church. referred TO In this column
weeks ago. in which there WIS vigorous arragn-
ment OF the Army pcrsonnel-characterizing the SER
vice school for gambling, drunkenness. etc. las
aroused vigorous protest among the officers and
men, and especially from the chapalns. Chaplain
Robinson, of the two Presbyterian clergymen on
the active lit OF the Army. writes to "The Army and
Navy Register his opinions OF such gratuit)us con-
domination OF the Army. and says that his experience
OF sixteen years In the Army enables him to affirm that
the soldiers are not becoming greater drunkards and
greater gamblers and greater Slbbathbreakers' but,
he AYERS, there has been n decided advance In the
Army in these years In favor Of higher and better
morals. He asks II the "same thing can be truhfully
said Of the communities wherein are the churches
mlnsicrcd 10 by these brethren who adopted TINS re-
port tn that Sn bee has on met bushes ,hs m
IN civil life taken excursions with them. and that he
ocfr Of h Army than among men Of he
social rank In civil He
As to the liquor store attached to the post exchange.
he declares that every welwlsher of the Army would
Ike 70 see II abolished every military reservation
bur II this were done, he asserts, the spectators In
civil life would out their threats and insist upon
furnishing to the soldiers noxicants in surrepttious
way, and stuff much more harmful than the beer now
sold NJ the post exchange. II Is perhaps unfortunate
that people in civil hfc outside OF the Army are not
more intimate with the post exchange. 1t Is an
institution In the nature of social club for the en-
listed men, II has an amusement rom, win bliIaM
tables. small tables for social games and the papers
and p'odicnh Of tn" day Gambling Is not aiowco
and other articles required by the soldiers and beer
hut no alcoholic bevsrages-ot trihe above the
wholesale cost. The profits Of the post exchange are
returned 10 the companies al the post and 90 10 the
Improvement OF the messes SIN many OF inc oiec r,
nd the un linking soldier into the habit Of drinking,
which he might not otherwise acquire.
The plan OF reorganization OF the Department COM
mands. which General schoicld has had under
sidcration for some time. will probably be put into
errc, soon. II contcmplacs the rc-cstabishment Of
NJ least two OF the three division commands abolished
before the Department rule began under Secretary
Proctor: II calls for Division OF the East, with
MajorGcncral o. o. Howard in command. and
Division Of the West. commanded by Malor-Generi
Nelson Miles The geographical lines will be changed
In such way To bring three departments each
Go%aaed by "a 1 nnaSr the c The
headquarters Of the division commanders will continue
% o at viii nnd be the acf S Sy
the additional Jurisdiction given over the SIX military
departments The carrying out OF this plan VIII DE-
pend upon secretary Lamonts approval
General Schoneld has ISSUED the orders necessary
for the cavalry competitions provided for in the
" Small Arms Firing Regulations" PIT the De
parimcnt OF the Columbia md Dakota, competitions
will begin at Fort Keogh Mont on August II;
H. on scptcmbcr 4; for the Department of Arizona
and Texas at Fort wingate. y. ~. on August
iiatr. and California at bellevue Rifle Range. Ne
braska August IA.
The contests for Army prizes provided for In
the regulations will TAKE place at Fort Sheridan
H. beginning september Is. The teams will he
selected from the qualified rihcmen and be known
as Army Distinguished Marksmens Teams For the
competition In which the Army rifle Is used vii.
be selected from the Department OF the East, one
from the Department OF Dakota, two from the De-
Missouri. one from the Department OF Texas. two
from the Department OF the Columbia and California
and on from The Department, OF Arizona on For the
will be selected at the cavalry competition 10 be held
Fort Fort k"g o' n G f"Hns lie n' 10
bc held at Fort Wingnte and two at the cavalry COM
petition to be held at Bellevue Rife Range.
The new Navy regulations recently issued contain
u few sections which prohibit officers from acting
correspondents for newspapers, and from giving de-
partmcnta Information and crcising affairs OF the
service. and this prohibition has stung more deeply
ard annoyed them more than would the whole popu-
laton OF mosquitoes Of NewJersey, even II they
should attack them at and the time. The
Army officers have had to be warned. but, with
superior officers OF the laws OF Congress do
Il nom-dc-p!ume depending upon the hope that their
names. mot sent for publication. but evidence
Of good faith Will he rcld and forgotten at once by the
editor. Lieutenant Powhaan II. Clarke has Just
been warned by the War Department that he must
refrain writing further criticisms OF his superior
officers for publication In the public press. But his
recent letter Is not 1.-THE OF the reflection which
some or anonymous letters contained against the
Department and its officers.
The Court OF Claims has given an important de- /
c.sion holding that the act allowing Increase OF pay
to enlisted men OF the Army, based upon certificates
of merit IS retroactive The test brought
by Private Thomas McNamara OF the Sd Cavalry, who
claimed increase OF pay under certificate OF merit
ss,ied TO him In 1880 from the time he performed the
gallant service for which the certificate was issued In
stead Of from the date OF Issue. He thus recovered
back pay amounting TO $3.50. This decision Is I'm
Dortant in view Of the large number OF belatcd
iItcacs OF Uerit which have been issued In the last
few years.
PEOPLE AT BRENTWOOD
Among the visitors ut the Austral, brentwood, !
Mac mi