The sun., 1896-10-18
TROOPS ON THE MOVE.
Exchanges :of station-Praetice Marches
GYmnaetic Exerctaea.

Rymnaettc Exercises.
WAsHINoToS. Oct. 1.-THE changes Of sta
tion under the orders issued about month
ago are progressing, and. rs usual, thore arc
drawbacks to Offset advantages In the trans
fers. 1t is obvious that, since there is q differ
enco In the desirnbility Of posts, those who got
tho pleasanter ones may congratulate them
selves on the transfer, whereas the vacating
tenants are not so fortunate. The Interchange,
apart from any strategic reasons, barred Oh the
need OF strengthening certain posts and the
abandonment of others, lie usually justified onthe
ground of tho dividing good and bad stations
fairly, and on giving variety OF scene and
experience and hence of.milltary efficiency. But
1t Is sometimes q hardship and expense to move,
especially for those officers who have families.
Still, the amounts available for transporta-
tion are go small that the number OF changes
can rarely be called excessive.
In the Department OF Columbia tho Six
teenth Infantry, which has relieved the Fourth,
the latter having gone TO Fort Sheridan, has
Its headquarters and Companies c, ID. +, Il, and
IL, at Fort Sherman, with at. Bcise Bar
racks, and B and L at Spokane From Fort
Candy, In tho same department, Battery Ii,
Filth Artillery, had been transferred by way
of Astoria and San Francisco to Fort Hamil-
ton in New York harbor. Batteries A, b, G,
L, l. X, l., and NJ are also coming East. Tho
Third. Artillery, transferred from the Atlantic
coast u the Pacific, has It's headquarters and
seven batteries, A, G, +, g, II. 1, and X, ut
the Preside, two batteries on Alcatraz Isl
and. and one at Fort Mason. At the Presidio
there also the headquarters and four COM
panies of the First Infantry, whch:gves Col.
Shafter. in virtue of his rank. the command
of the post. When the Fittn Artillery arrives
from the Pacific. batteries +. X and viii be
ht Fort Wadsworth headquarters, and ~, II.
and at Fort Hamilton, and Is, Z, and. NJ at
Fort Socum.
III addition to the changes Of stations there
have recently been movements for autumn
man9urres and field exercises. The athletic
compeutions at Denver, arranged under zen.
Nheatons direction, proved very successful,
there being torty-cight competitors, represent
ing four cavalry and four infantry regiments.
The gold and silver medals tor winners OF first
and second places in each individual event
were attached to the coats of the winners by
Gen. Wheaton congratulated each man as he
received his prize. Black smith Ross Ninth
cavalry. had gold mead"I as winner of the
OF California, Col. Shaiter. reviewing the re-
ports OF athletic exercises. invites the atten-
tion TO the novelty of men swi mining in light
marching order, including,rtes, this feat being
employed in august by three men;
toned at Fort Myer, have derived much bcne-
tit from n practice march with camping and
evolut!ons in the Shenandoah Valley: Out
post duty, scouting, CosSack posts, and so on
helped to MI mp the programme OF the six
weeks. In Missouri the Third Cavalry has lad u
son Barracks and Springfield A part CT the
country wa. rough and wooded. and the cross
ing OF the Merrmac River was in quite deep
water. I. oops [, L, and G, THIRD Cavalry,
at Fort Ethan Allen have also had a practice
march. Battery a. Second Artillery. from
Fort Riley. attended the militia encaInpment
at Topeks
The interest In athletic exercises increases
in the army. Gen Merritt has ordered a
course of company gymnastics for enlisted MEL
ut all the rosts OF the Department OF Mis-
souri,, beginning Dec. /. They are to lie held
three days In each week. and to last at least
forty minutes. Men over 40 years old or ex-
ampted by physical disabilities will be excused.
The usual exercises and trainings are pre-
scribed. but It is noticeable that running
equip ped and escaladinx are added.
The September recruiting statistics for the |
line show tor the general service 351 men en-
listed TO 2.s4I rejected. the proportion being
about one to eight. This is the return from
cities. but at stations and posts. as usual the |
enlistments outnumbered the reflections. the |
being 4U3 and 3l2. In the special |
recruiting service the enlistments nun bered !
5I. and The reflections 2v1.