New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-30
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.

! Washington June 29An order will be issued from
the War Department modifying existing orders
which apply To the exa mn1ton OF Officers Tor pro-
motion. The principal change in the orders now In
force Will be in the manner of examining officers.
At present officers have TO write out the questions
given them and the answers thereto This entails
considerable labor. and lcngt hens the proceedings
| OF the Examining Board. Sometimes candidates are
before boards from ten TO fifteen days. The new
order will provide that a considerable part Of the
examinations shall be conducted orally The cX-
ccption tc the rule will be- when ii becomes appar-
ent that an officer being examined for promotion
cannot will not satisfactorily answer the ques
tions put 10 him. Then the examination will be in
writing in order that full record Of the Boards
proceedings may be laid before the Secretary Of
War Several subjects nave been eliminated from
the cx rsninatlons, and considerable change has
been made in the arrangement of the remainder
with view TO making the examination progressive
"Cramming" is discouraged. and practical appllca-
ton Of knowledge insisted upon.
The examination Of officers of the Quartermasters
and Subsistence departments and the Signal Corps
are provided for in special paragraphs These Off
GERS have heretofore been quite In the dark as 10
what was expected Of them. There arc many orders
and circulars now In existence relating to examna-
tons and IL will be great Improvement 10 have
one order covering the whole subject.
4 number OF measures have been introduced in
the Senate and House in the course of the last few
days which are OF interest 10 the Army and Navy
Following Is a summary of the measures:
\ bill TO establish council Of ordnance. TO con-
sst of seven members appointed 10y the President
and confirmed 10y the Senate. Two members of the
council are be- taken from the Corps OF Engineers
and Ordnance Department OF III" Army two are to
be naval officers and three are to bc civilians. All
members h" selected solely with reference to
their character, experience ana knowledge OF me-
chanics metallurgy and chemistry as applicable to
ordnance and gunncry. The military and naval cx-
pcrts are no, be charged with other duties. The
bin provides that the duty Of the council shall be
the conduct. In a judicial manner. OF an cXaInna,
ton into all matters relating to the fabrication and
use OF ordnance. projectcs and explosives. and TO
inventions and experiments relating thereto which
from time to time may bc referred to II by act of
congress or direction of the Secretaries of War
and the Navy The council Is To make reports of It's
proceedincs with definite recommendations and
reasons as TO action proposed. The recommended
lions OF the council not, however to abridgc In
any manner the authority vested by law In the
heads of the war and Navy departments. The bill
sboshcs the present Board OF ordnance ana Forth
cations and transfers its duties to the council.
Army members OF the council are 10 receive
EXTRA ua, Naval members VIII receive sea pay
and civilian members each To get 5000
A bIll introduced In the Senate 10y Mr. Penrose
makes an appiN Iriatioh Of t9nWC toward the con-
structlon at the League Island Navy Yard of
drydock large enough To receive the biggest battle
ships AT mean low water. The limit OF cost OF the
dock L. fixed at $l,20Orn.
\ bill offered by Senator Smith provides for the
reimbursement Of officers Of the Yantic for loss
OF private property caused ~ damage which the
vessel sustained IN May. is|. Ia heavy gals
at