New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-10
ARMY NOTES OF INTEREST.

The prospect for additional vacancies FOR the class
of West Pointers which is to be graduated next
month looks brighter every day. Notwithstanding
there are only eight actual vacancies In the line
at present to which graduates can be assigned
Under ordinary circumstances there would be only
about a dozen vacancies for the seventy-two gradu>
ates but Secretary Lamont's programme is to make
az many as possible For instance. there are nine
teen vacancies the limited retired list. and the
Secretary proposes to fill all OF these possible Then
the Department is confronted with the necessity or
providing additional officers for the Engineer Corps
IN case the Fortifcations bill and the River and
Harbor bill go through. But this increase cannot
be made except by special act OF Congress and inc
time is too short TO get such bill through at tnlS
session.
Another vacancy is in early prospect for some
one of the line eutenants to strive for 1t Is inti-
mated that Captain Charles II. ingalls,. OF the
duartermasters department. will be retired immedi-
atey after his promotion to majorship In June.
He was examined by medical board few days
ago. and found to be physically incapactated.
He was commissioned second lieutenant In the
Sixth Infantry from Maine. in February. 1876. and
was promoted TO a first lieutenancy seven years
later month after his promotion he was made
an assistant Quartermaster with the rank OF cap
tain. He is popular officer. both In the Army
and In social circles. and Is only about lorty-one
years old. The vacancy caused by his retirement
will be filled by selection from among the line ON.
GERS and this means another commission for one or
the additional second lieutenants,
Another vacancy is made by the resignation OF
Lieutenant Laurence d. Tyson. OF the Ninth In
fantry He was appointed a cadet at West Point
in 1879 from North Carolina. He married daugh-
ter Of Charles NJ. McGhee, the railroad magnate,
and his father-in-law has given him new house
in Knoxville. Tenn. which is one OF the handsomest
ard most attractive residences in the West End
there Lieutenant Tyson is TO take up the practice
of law. and is said to be well equipped Tor the
profession.
The soldiers OF the Department OF the Colorado
are in high gee because General Wheaton. their De-
partment commander has issued orders urging upon
every Department commander 10 stimulate athletic
rivalry among the enlisted men. Orders have been
issued setting apart day in each month as
field day. upon which sports, games and military or
athletic contests TO be encouraged Officers ana
men are to be permitted TO give prizes. with the
hope that they will increase interest In the manly
exercise. With view to uniformity in the contests
it Is proposed create the following grades: Ath-
| ete' and expert athlete" To become an athlete
the competitor must score twenty Poin's IN some
dash, standing broad jump running hgh Jump. mile
walk and putting the lpEunu so v
| points, additional points being allowed TOT every
fraction Of second and an nen N excess q ine e
also suggests the ACCESSIBILITY OF forming regmenta
athletic associations.
Colonel Daniel It. Caldwell OF the Medical De-
partment has been put the retired list on account
of physical disability incident to the service He
served with distinction in the 7ith Pennsylvania
Volunteers during the Civil War. and was commits
stoned in the regular service in February 1866 1t Is
expected that there will be several more vacancies In
the Medical Corps by the time the next examination
for candidates for commissions as assistant sur
geons takes place in November
The problem OF selecting the materials FOR the
new cap has been difficult 10 solve, but the
Quartermaster-General has mastered It. There were
any number of suggestions made and devices sub
mitted but many of them made the cap so heavy
| and bulky that they had to be put TO one side.
There is TO be no change in the shape or In the
the cap light, simple and durable. There VIII be no
interlnng in the crown Of the cap but wire ring
shape The sides Of the cap VIII be lined with we'll
shrunken upholsterers hatrcloth.
There is an interesting incident connected with
the appointment Of the Rev Herbert Shipman as
chaplain at the West Point Academy for four years.
| He was not an applicant for the place. but his APP
pointment was in which the Office sought the
man. 1t has been the practice Of clergymen 10 go
10 West Point on different Sundays to preach, and
Bishop Potter several Sundays ago requested Mr..
| Shipman to go there and preach Sunday lie
! did so. and the West Pointers were 30 pleased with
him and his address that petition was drawn mp
by the Academic Board asking the president to APP
point him to the vacant chaplaincy Colonel Ernst,
The superintendent of the academy, carried the petit
! ton to West Point in person, and the appointment
! was made. Mr. Shipman is twenty seven years old.
and born in Kentucky; he was a graduate of
to the General Theological Seminary. and two years
later was ordained. since which time he has been
assistant rector of Christ Church. Seventy first
| college and graduated with high honors. He was
| also an excellent athlete and won many prizes as
seconds.