New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-24
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRlBrxpl

rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBrxpi
Washington Sept. 23.-Presdent Cleveland will
AEON be called upon to make number of appoint
nsnts in the upper grades of the Army. AS result
:, nominations in all but case vacancies in the
,,usr grades will occur and further increase the
,,opage Of the President The first Office to be
AVID that of the head Of the Commissary Depart
,nsni now held by Brigadler-General John p Haw
rn. General Hawkins will reach the retiring
age sxty-four years. on September % His
uccessor is believed to be General Michael
D Morgan the second senior officer of his
corns who at the time OF General Hawkins's APP
Monument in 1892 was the second choice of Presi-
dent Harrison. General Morgan has creditabe
war record. and his subsequent service has been
characterized by marked ability.
The retirement Of Major General Howard, No
vemher s. under the age restriction and the choice
~ his successor is. of for unusual in
terest The grade of Major-General is the highest
in the army. and is the goal of every military Of
fcers ambition. The custom has been TO select
Generals for the position and at present.
the six officers of that rank are candidates. The
names of the aspirants. in the order of seniority.
are Generals Ruger Merritt Brooke. McCook.
wheaton and Otis Their respective dates Of retire
men; are Ruger. 1897; Merritt, 1900 Brooke. 1902;
NcCook 1896; Wheaton. 1891 and Otis. 1902 General
Ruger's selection would work hardship In the case
Of General McCook. oNicer who has an excellent
record on account of the earlier retirement of the
latter General Ruger's management Of affairs in
the Department of California during the recent
labor disorders has caused much favorable COM
msnt and Is likely to operate to his advantage in
the present contest.
The promotion of an officer to the office Of Chief
Commissary will create a vacancy in the grade Of
captain in that corps. Lieutenant David L. Brain
ard of the "a Cavalry. whose conspicuous services
as A member of the Greedy Arctic expedition will
be recalled Is prominent candidate for the place.
There is now vacancy in the office of captain and
Observation-Disclosures. II is said at the War De-
nar,ment that there 200 applicants for the posi-
tion Lieutenant J. ID. c. Hoskins, Of the artillery
who was appointed a cadet at West Point from
Naw-York in 1854 while serving as a boy with the
troops in the field, is named the probable selec-
ton. go
The proving grounds at Indian Head will in a
few DAYS be the of number OF important
trials of naval ordnance material. The most IN
terestns OF the experiments will be tests OF armor
plates and armor-piercing projectiles The hrs'
plate 10 be fired at represents group OF arHoi IN
tended for Sinch gun barbeties of the Iowa ana
Brooklyn. 1t manufactured by the carnegie
Company ard Is Of the Harveyzed ncKIe-s'eeI
variety It's surface is curved, and the thickness
varies. The extreme thickness is inches; In places
II is only 1 inches The acceptance or rejection OF
200 Of for the Iowa. and 40 tons Tor tne
Brooklyn OF a total value of about Sl0v"' depends
upon the result. Projecties from 6-incA gun VIII
attack the plates. Each shot will have a muzzle
energy OF 30O0-foot tons. TWO rounds vii! be hred'
and the plate must keep out the shells. and not
show serious through cracks. or others running
from the point o.. impact to an edge ton9wing WI
come the trials OF representative pSee 81 ,b S and
was also manufactured by the Carnegie company.
rronp Of 800 tons Of armor which will cost the Gov
eminent $4,000. a Pinch gun. firing prGjec,iies s
OF 100 feet per second, and strike with an energy
of % 9O-foo ions, will be employed in the test As
the plate must resist penetration and not snow
serious cracks TO be accepted ,.-.,,.. -.
which the Navy will require large quantity: me
tests viii be ana nd shells wbaS pr
duce projectiles will be tried. The results VIII DC
ali kinds however manufactured. and whether
forged or cast, may compete The only requtemmetht
of standard weight and the cavity for the bursting
charge sufficient TO hold $50 pounds Of powder C cap
nance. SAYS in relation to the that the object
Of to get he Ses 90 p4ods PT Of
manufacture Other conditions being equal the
meet the requirements viii be accepted The , trst
consideration is. OF course, the destructive qualities
the th.ckest and hardest plates without sustaining
INJURY themselves previously to bringing about de-
in bis forthcoming annual report Chief copsiruseor
Hichborn. Of the Navy VII recommend ne a G0
eminent much time and expense in naval construc-
cu G in such work Commodore Hichborn will
propose that what is known in Europe as an ex-
detrimental tank be constructed az the New-lork or
Norfolk Navy Yard. in which 10 test modes Of al
vesse.s after their pans have been determines
upor and before the work Of building is actually
btgun. The proposition has in view tank about
900 feet long and 80 feet wide, and OF equa. and
suitable depth at all points 10 accommodate a
large model After Congress has authorized the
construction Of vesses models thereof are 10 be
sea.e, with the ship as il vii be when So finished
tsnances greatly reduced in size are to be in al
respects the same as in completed vessel The
model viii be a dminut!ve batt.e-ship cruiser or
torpedo-boa. the building of which is to be under
the tank steam got up and tried under varying
conditions to determine its stability, speed. battery