The San Francisco call., 1896-02-24
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.
Arrival of Armor Plate to
Finish the Battle.Ship
Oregon.
FUNERAL OF MAJOR LORD.
Regulations Do Not Require Artillery
Salutes on Washington's
Birthday.
FUNERAL OF MAJOR LORD.

There were no salutes or military exer.
clses at the Presidio Saturday last in
honor OF Washington's birthday. In fact
the revised army regulations do not re-
| qulre salute to be fired on that day. The
Nations birthday, July 4, is the only day
OF the year recog nized by the regulations
as entitled to an artillery salute. 1t was
the custom in the "old army" TO fire sa-
lutte on February %, but some time during
the war or Immediately thereafter the
paragraph relating to this ceremony was
dreDped out of the regulations. For some
time thereafter General Graham observed
the old form, but at length the powder
used IN the saluting was charged to his
personal account.
The anniversary was observed at the
Presidio as a holiday in the fullest sense of
the term. General Graham excused the
soldiers from all duty, except the neces-
say guard and police duty. There was no
dress parade, as the band was excused tor
the day. The Fifth Artillery band does
not get many opportunities to earn money
In private and as musicians are in
great demand on holidays, the General
permitted the band to make engagements
in the City.
The work of thinning out the under
brush and lower growth of the trees on the
reservation Is progressing under the direc-
ton OF the post commander. Already
much OF The ground space hitherto OBJ
been brought under the influence of the
sum S rays.
According to reports received at head
quarters the quail and other birds that
live in the groves and thickets of the res
ervatlon are constantly increasing. The
quail are now pairing and are not seen
III coveys, as they viii be later on. There
is talk OF introducing Chinese pheasants,
as these birds DO remarkably we'll in Ore
gon and Northern California. General
Graham is sure that they would grow and
multiply on the reservation, but their ad-
vent, he fears, would tempt amateur
| sportsmen and their dogs to invade the
now to keep the City hunters away from
| the quail. Larger birds OF more beautiful
| plumage might present an attraction too
| great for the hunters TO resist.
The funeral, with military honors, of
Major John Henry Lord, U. S. A. IRE
tired), took place at the Preside yesterday.
| Services were conducted at the Presido
chapel. The interment took place in the
National Cemetery at the Presldio. Many
officers OF the army and companions of
tue Military Order of the Loyal Legion at
tended.
Leave of absence granted to Lieutep ant
Wilmot E. Ellis, Fifth Artillery, has been
extended.
Captain Marion P. Maus, First Infantry,
has been ordered to proceed to Fort
| Leavenworth and report for duty as a
member of the board OF officers ordered
to convene at that point for the purpose
I OF preparing rules for the small arms fir
! iEg Tor this season. Captain Maus is
therefore relieved from duty as q mem Der
OF the general court martial
| Private William Y. Kim ball, Light Bat
terry +, Fifth Artillery, having been tried
by court-martial and found guilty OF
selling clothing in violation OF the seven
teenth article OF war, was sentenced 'to be
confined at hard labor at the place waere
his battery may be serving for one month u
acknowledgements James w. Car
lin, u. S. N, has returned from visit to
Illinois and been ordered to duty on the
receiving ship Independence at Mare
Island.
All doubts as to the early completion of
the hattle-ship Oregon have been dispelled.
The last installment of iron arrived from
the East last Tuesday. The material
needed to finish the vessel was the armor-
/ plate covering for the after turret, and it
came along in fair time.
AS soon as the turret is completed Sec
ton will be lifted out and the two 13-inch
rifed guns put in. The 13-inch turret for
ward is finished and the big guns are in
position The unmounted guns for the
turrets aft rest on the pier alongside of the
battle-ship, and when the time comes to
put them aboard they will be picked up by
the S0-ton shesrs and swung gracefully
into proper place.
In case OF emergency the Oregon could
be put in fighting trim within thirty days,
but at the rate the work is now going on it
will be about eighty days before the ship
IS brought out for trial trip in the Santa
Barbara Channel.