The San Francisco call., 1897-08-28

ances, and he viii serve six months at hard
la Dor on AlcatraZ Island.
Preparations are being made for the gunner's
exam nation in heavy artillery 10 commence
next October. Upon these examinations, made
by board OF three officers and which are part
practical and part theoretical, the standing of
tbs men is determined, and they are ciassif ID
by virtue OF the number OF credits they obtain.
There has been great deal of talk recently
about the promotion from the ranks of men TO
the position Of second lieutenant In CONVEX
sat1on with some OF. the enlisted men the ques.
tlon was asked if there was any difference in
the conduct of such officers toward the enlisted
men different from that of officers who
grad dua ted from West Point.
The answer OF one that of all spoken to
on the subject. 1t was: at would be sup
posed that the men having risen from the
ranks would have kindlier feeling for the
men with whom they were for a length of
time associated than men Who never per-
formed the practical work of the private SOL
dier. but such is not the case. The moment
they are promoted they get an attack OF big
head and they do not have as much consid-
Grafton Tor the men as have the West Point
graduates"
Private Raines of Battery E. Third Artillery,
the military champion of the Department of
California in the 100 and 220 yard dashes,
was discharged from the service last Friday
upon the expiration of his term Of enlis ment
and he did not desire to re-enllSt. He was q
great favorite at Fort Mason, where he was
stationed.
The fie day at Fort Mason last Wednesday
was success and there were a number of
events Private Miller won the 1OOyard race
in i seconds; Springmeyer won the running
broad jump with record OF 16 feet 1112
inches; Roberts won putting the heavy shot
"a feet 4 inches: 220-yard run, Mil
Ter, 25 seconds; standing broad jump,
high high jump. Roberts, Hiees' fees qndies inches.
The men OF the battery stationed at this post
are very anxious to make record and they
will put forth theiI best efforts on the 9th of
September during the military tournament at
the Presidio.
The board OF officers who will have charge
OF the tournament. to be held on Admission
day, in aid of the Lincoln monument fund,
are actively engaged arranging the details. A
novel feature of the tournament will be a
shoe race.
The shoes of the contestants, each of which
Will be marked with the name of the owner,
will be placed fifty yards from scratch; upon
signal each man will run for Mis- shoes. and he
who returns frs t TO scratch Will be declared
the winner. In the effort to secure his own
shoes man may Ike the shoes of any other
man and throw them in any direction he
pie ases, and as far as he can.
Brigadier-General Shafter has recovered
from the recent attack of illness, which con-
fined him to his home at Fort Mason for sew
eral days.
The brigadier general is the possessor of five
two-year-olds which he proposes to have put
to speed shortly, and il they develop the speed
he expects they will lie put on the track next
season.
In General Orders 49, headquarters of the
army, is published the act of Congress making
appropriations Tor the fiscal year ending June
80, 1898. There is included for the Santa
Monica Soldiers Home, 1913 500; for the Pre-
sidio National Cemetery, $4,000; for the Be-
nicia arsenal, S400.
Second Lieutenant Charles T. Boyd, Troop I,
Fourth Cavalry, with the troop at Santa Cruz
has been ordered to report a. the Presidio t.,
enter upon duties assigned him.