New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-17
dPUY NOTES or INTEREST.

Tho Hrst-class men at the Military Academy Will
not relish the information given out by the War De-
partment authorities that there Is prospect that
the vacancies in the second lieuenant's grade next
lime will not be equal to the number of graduates
There are only two vacancies in the line in sight be-
tween now and next June and unless there are vol
untary retirements of officers under the Iensth o
commissions for graduates will be few and the sur
plus graduates will have TO be assigned 10 resi-
ments as additional heutenants.
Not only are vacancies needed for West Point
eraduates-about seventy in number-but there are
fourteen vacancies needed for the enlisted men who
have qualified themselves under the law for commits
sions as second leutenants. Ii has been suggested
that vacancies occurring up 10 a certain date IN
the winter be filled by those enlisted men VINO nave
date Imit be filled by the West Point
eTs arse number of young men who
fried for Appointments as cadets at the Military
academy and We're unsuccessful nave ehns,ru
petinc for commissions the proper time. and the
class in waiting Is almost as large as the ciass
to Ice graduated at West Point IN June
Two of the score or more Of aspirants for places
,n the Medical Corps have received their commits
sons as assistant surgeons. and they now have life
positions unless discharged for misconduct They
will also have permission wear the uniform OF
first lieutenant with whom they rank draw
salary of $500 year until they are promoted ana
practise upon the sick and wounded In IeNas' Noi-
orado New-Moxico or any other place 10 which they
who have received these honors are Thomas H.
kirkpatrick Of Pennsylvania ana Da; Sol also
passed examination and have received their GER
tincates and they will receive commissions as soon
as there are three officers of the Medical Corps VINO
are soon TO be retired The young doctors wno
Of New-Hampshire Howell c Faunteroy, Of T r
ginia. and James s Wilson, of Marysaih1I. NV! ,no
school of instruction, which was established wv
years ago for the Army Medical CORPS, VIZ arn Nc
opened November lS and surgeon ncfs FRA s at
Iocf NJ hay
tend it,
Commanding General Miles and General Bliss '"e
latter in command OF the Department of Texas are
considering the ACCESSIBILITY Of making hhpoi '"
changes in that Department The war Deplr' i"eii'
favors the concentration of all the cavalry troops IN
Texas at Fort Sam Houston but General Bliss IS Oh
the opinion that 1t would be premature to take ms
step at present lie recommends mat al pi9s NJ
1ntosh Rnggold and Brown. as well as az or san an
Houston. The general opinion seems TO pe thai iie
and have troops stationed at Mcintosh and Bliss
only when the latter fort is in condition to accom-
MEDIATE them
There has been considerable attention given to the
OF coast defences Of late. with the intention
OF bringing the matter The attention of Congress
soon after it 1t will be laid before Congress
that the Watervlie Arsenal is in condition to cast
coast-defence guns that will rank with the best in
the world. The appliances are there for casting
the same bore as the famous swamp Angei," but
with charge and a prOJecte heavier than thdt
used reno the bulwarks OF the Confederate
stronghold Charleston The effective distance
which these guns will be able TO send proectie
will be about ten miles. and each gun would cost
about $4,000.
The reports published in some Of the Western
newspapers that officers Fort SheRian have
lawfully detailed privates duty servants. and
excused them from duty soldiers. and that the
practice prevails at some OF the other stations. has
caused more less Indignation in the Army. 1t is
not denied that privates detailed at times do
work for the officers. but ii is denied that II has
been done under the protest of the soldiers them
selves. that the soldiers have been excused from
their regular duties. Where the soldiers have been
thus employed Il has been done voluntarily. and
with the allowance Of extra for them. 1t is per-
Missile for officers 10 call men for personal service
when the men of duty and they are paid for IT,
The charges characterized sensational and
untrue.
The report OF Secretary Lamont TO Congress is
awaited by both officers and men in the Army, and
in the mean while the Secretarys with regard
10 the reports OF heads OF departments is strongly
criticised IL has been noticed that only parts OF
the reports OF the departments have been made pub
lie. while 1t is known that they have contained
concentrations as TO what Is needed for the improve
OF the service II Is stated that the Secretary
has purposely withheld the suggestions ana hai he
will himself select those which he decides le is
qulHd 20 make to Congress for the Improvement Of
the rank and file and the material OF the service.