Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-05
MILITARY AND NAVAL CADETS
Finding Places for the Youngsters Who
Graduate This Year.
West Pointers Are Provided for, but
Vacancies Must BE Made for
the Naval Cadets.

The graduation of cadets at the Military
and Naval Academies this week has drawn
attention to the chant es these young men
have of entering the service for which they
were educated. The soldier boys are much
better off in this respect than are their
brethren of the navy. So far as the mill
tary graduates are concerned, it is only a
question of short time, in some instances
weeks. in others months. when they will
all receive regular commissions in the army.
Those who cannot be Commissioned i'm
mediately are appointed additional second
lieutenants. and are given regular COM
missions soon vacancies occur. The
history OF the service indicates that they
will not have to wait long.
There are now only thirty-nne vacancies
in the list Of second lieutenants In the
army. while the class of graduates numbers
ifty-four The vacancies may be increased,
however. by retirements. There are at
least twelve officers on the active list
eligible for immediate retirement, and the
vacancies created by such action would
leave but three members of the graduating
class to be provided for on the temporary
roll of additional second lieutenants.
More Cadets Than Vacancies.
The prospects Of the naval cadets, how
ever are not nearly so bright. and the
chances are that several members of this
years graduating class will be relegated to
civil life. There Is no waiting list in the
navy such as there is in the army. and If
the naval graduates exceed the number of
vacancies In the service, the excess has TO
be summarily dismissed, with a years pay.
There are thirty-three graduates in this
years class at the Naval Academy net
counting the engineer graduates. OF this
number, three cadets, viz.s j. E. Mcdonald,
II. l.. Ferguson of the line and J. ID. Bueret
Of the engineer division, who are abroad
studying naval architecture. have been APP
pointed assistant naval constructors. So
the number for whom provision must DE
made has been reduced to that extent. For
the remaining thirty-one graduates of the
line there now exist but fifteen vacancies
In the lowest grade of the navy and six in
the marine corps. leaving ten graduates
subject to dismissal unless vacancies are
made for them before the LIST of July.
Each year. about June /, there is a gen.
eral overhauing of the naval list in search
Of officers who are physically disabled to
perform active duty in order that they
may be sent before retiring boards and that
vacancies may be created for the cadets
Officers who are in doubt as to their phys
ical condition are naturally uneasy until
after July, for fear that they may be
hauled before the board and placed on the
shelf
Officers Unfit for Duty.
This method of creating vacancies was
first put into practice by Rear Admiral
Ramsay, some years ago, and has worked
Il WoHuetlui 10 IL
has also served to clear the navy of OFF,
GERS who were unable to perform duty and
to promote men in the junior grades. The
method has been successful in the last
five years that every cadet who has full
filled the mental and physical requirements
at the academy has secured vacancy in
either the line, engineer or marine corps
Indications point to this years class be-
ing equally fortunate. Four members OF
the class have been rejected by the med
ical board, and unless the Secretary of the
Navy reverses this decision each of these
young men Will be honorably discharged
without the years sea pay given those who
pass both examinations, but are not provid-
ed with commissions.
To insure the additional six vacancies
necessary for the remaining graduates Ad-
miral Ramsay will probably order several
officers VIGOROUSLY unfit for further active
service for examination for retirement i'm
mediatey. Among the officers likely to be
affected by such action are Capt. James
O'kape. Capt. Henry b. Robson, Com
mander George r. Durand. Lieut.. Henry ii.
Barroll. Lieut.. Samuel Seabury and Ensign
Houston Eldredge. These officers are now
on the sick list. and are laid to be willing
to retire in the interest of the graduates.
Will Take "a Cruise.
Following the practice adopted by Sec
ietary Whitney. the newly commissioned
officers will be sent on sea going naval ships
for a three years cruise early this summer.
Formerly the department gave all young
officers duty on the coast survey steamers
where they acquired a thorough knowledge
or our own coasts and harbors. but Mr..
whitney believed that the experience of
regular warships, with their modern arma-
ment and equipment. was more necessary
to them than a cruise on smaller ships
where there Is little Of naval discipline and
exercises. Secretary Tracy followed this
policy, and II will be adhered to also by
Mr.. Herbert.