Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-07
ARMY AND NAVY CHANGES
There Will Be Many During the Present
Year.
Five Drigadier Generals Will De Re-
Work TO Secure the Vacancies.

Thee will be a great many important
changes in the army during the present
year, although the prospects for promotion
are not quite so good as they were at the
opening of the last calendar year. during
which there were more retirementS and
promotions in the higher grades than dur
ing any other year since the war of the
rebellion. Five brigadier generals will be
transferred to the retired list on account
of age during the next ten months. or
John j. Coppinger and Gen. VIM. H. Ora
ham-each in command of a military de-
partment. who retire October II and Sep
tcmber %. respectively. The other three
general officers who will reInquish active
service are Gen. VIM. II. Bell commissary
general of subsistence, who only reached
his present rank a few weeks ago. He will
letire January IS, and will be followed in
turn by Quariermaster General George Fl.
Weeks, who retires February 3, and Ad-
jutant General Samuel Brock who will re-
tire February %.
There will be the usual scramble for ap-
pointments to these prospective vacancies
and the friends of the numerous candidates
are already making preliminary arrange
lhents to bring about their prefcrment 1.
Is practically settled that Col. H. c. Cor
Din. the senior colonel in the adjutant gen.
erals department, will succeed General
Bre@k at the head OF that department.
There is considerable uncertainty, however
III regard to the other vacancies.
Other Retircmcnts.
In addition to the generals sixteen other
officers of the army-two colonels three
lieutenant colonies, Jour majors and seven
oaptains-wiG sever their active connection
oil the captains are now nearing their six
ty-fourth birthday, q state OF affairs that
Is sa1d TO be unparalleled in the history of
any foreign army. 1t is considered remark
able that gray-haired men, who are grand
iathers In several instances. should after
tmrty or forty years of service still be ex-
erc1sing no higher command than that of
company of forty or fifty men. But such
Is the fact
Retirements I'm the Navy.
Many prominent officers of the navy
Will also be relegated to the retired list
on account of age during the present cal
endar year. Rear Admiral L. A. Beardslee
Who recently commanded the Pacific sta
tlon and who is now on duty in this city
as president of the naval examining and
retiring boards, will retire on the 1st prox.
, mo ana Commodore G. 8: Norton will
become rear admiral. Six days later
rear Admiral T. o. Selfridge, jr., COM
mand1ng the European squadron, will be
placed on the retired list, thus presenting
the unprecedented spectacle of two officers
OF the same name-father and son-being
on the retired list in the highest possible
grade at the same time. Rear Admiral
T. y. Selfridge ST., retired, is q resident of
this city. He is over ninety years of age
and Is in good health for his years.
other line officers who will be taken from
the active list during the year. named
in the order of their retirement. are Com
mander S. BelIen. Rear Admiral W. A.
kirkland, the senior officer of the navy
commandment of the Mare Island navy
yard; Rear Admiral NJ. Sicard, command
ing the North Atlantic squadron; Rear
Admiral f. o. Matthews, chief of the bu-
reau of yards and Cocks: Rear Admiral j.
N. Miller, commanding the Pacific station
at Honolulu, and Commodore j. N Bunce,
commandment of the New York navy yard
The last named officer will have reached
the grade of rear admiral before the date
of his retirement.
Staff officers who will retire during the
year are Medical Directors b. H. Kidder
T.. 5. Bogert, ID. McMurtrie and c. H.
Cooke, Pay Director A. J. Pritchard, Pay
Inspector w. w. Woodruff, Chief Engi-
r.eers F.. A. Wilson, f. Farmer, p. Inch,
a. Adamson, j. II. Chasmar and ]. W.
Stivers. Prof. j. +. Eastman, Naval Con-
structor j. b. Hoover and Civil Engineer
A. q. MenOcal. Capt. +. Il. Rose will be
retired April 10.