Evening star., 1896-07-27
MERELY ANNOUNCED
Only a Brief Notice Of the Quarter
master Generals Retirement.
REASONS FOR THIS new DEPARTURE
Gossip About General BatcheIder's
Probable Successor.
O F F 1 G E RS IN LIN E

A special order was posted on the bulle-
saying:
by direction Of the President the re-
tirement from active service this date, by
operation Of law, of Brigadier General
Richard N. Batchelder. quartermaster gen.
eral Of the army, under the provisions of
the act of Congress approved June 30. 1885,.
is announced. General Batchelder will re-
pair to his home. The travel enjoined is
necessary for the public service"
Flanking this simple announcement, so
unlike many Of Its predecessors In similar
cases. were two memoranda in explanation
of the charge in form and practice.
One Of these statements was as follows:
, IA. R. I'll says:
"' Orders eulogizing the conduct
of living officers will not be issued except
in cases Of gallantry in action or perform
ance of specially hazardous services.
THE Secretary Of War decides that under
this regulation the practice of announcing
the retirement in general orders of general
officers and chiefs of War Department bu-
reaus be discontinued, and that hereafter
retirement Of such officers shall be an
nounced in special orders. as was the prac-
tice prior to 1892"
The other memorandum contained the
following extract from the annual report Of
the Secretary of War for 1896:
The operations OF the Quartermaster's
department during the year, as well as for
the whole period of the present quarter
master generals incumbency, about to
Close have been conducted with marked
economy and efficiency"
Great interest Is taken in military circles
in the question as to the successor of Gen
Batcheleder at the head of the quartermas-
ters department. The office is a most i'm
portant one, controlling the disbursement of
several million dollars annually and there
are business reasons why II should not be
allowed to remain vacant for any length Of
time. The impression prevails at the War
Department that the appointment will be
made before the close of the present week.
1t Is vested in the President who is re-
stricted in his selection however to the
quartermaster's department of the army,
any member of which is eligible for the
place, regardless of his rank. There are
excellent reasons for the belief however
that the President will make his selection
from the list of officers in the grade next
below that in which the vacancy exists.
Col. SnwteIe's Chances.
There are but four officers in this list,
who rank in the order OF seniority as fol-
lows: Col. Charles G. Sawtele, stationed
at New York; Col NJ. 1. Ludington. sta
toned at Chicago; Col. James NJ. Moore,
stationed at New York. and Col. George H.
Weeks, stationed at Washington, DC. The
chances apparently favor he appointment
Of Col Sawtelle, who, being next in line Of
promotion, might be regarded as the most
logical successor.
In the event of the promotion Of one of
the four colonies, of which there is not
doubt, other promotions will occur in the
quartermaster' department as follows:
Lieut.. Col. VIM. u. Hughes, to be colonel;
Maj. John V. Furey, to be lieutenant col
onel, and Capt. Charles A. Booth, to be
major, leaving vacancy in the grade Of
captain to be filled by transfer from the
line.