The sun., 1898-01-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Looking After Uncle Sans Big Gums An
Old Time Colored oenius-A Story
of Speaker Reed.
Especial Correspondence.l

of Speaker Reed.
Especial Correspondence
The generally unsatisfactory reports
received at army headquarters regard
ing the care bestowed by artillery gar
risons to maintain in perfect order tho
expensive modern emplacements which
are being rapidly completed on the At
lantic and Pacific coasts has caused Cen
eral Miles to issue an important general
order, which is expected radically to
improve the condition of those defenses
OH which the nation must rely in case
Of offensive operations, although until
congress authorizes the material in
crease Of the artillery, as urged by the
secretary Of war, a proper manning Of
the complicated modern forts is out Of
the question. The order says:
Care and Handling Of Big Guns.
At all artillery posts, forts and sta
tions tho care and preservation Of the
guns, carriages, magazines, ammunition
and other artillery material, parapets,
platforms and grounds surrounding
them will be divided among the batteries
thereof, and battery commanders will
be held to rigid accountability for
proper performance of these duties In
order that all artillery organizations
may be thoroughly instructed in the
care and manipulation Of all the kinds
and calibcrs of guns, carriages, etc,
changes will occasionally be made in
the assignment of these duties to the .
different artillery organizations
The ammunition service (trollcys and
lifts) will be operated at intervals of
not exceeding seven days, and the differ
cnt working parts (pulloys, journals,
etc. kept clean and fabricated.
Main Duty of the Artillery.
1t should be borne IN mind that the
main duty Of the artillery is to care for
these expensive, high power engines of
war, learn their capabilities and their
use under all circumstances, and the
proper manipulation Of range finders,
converter boards. etc. used by them
and also become thoroughly familiar
with the charts Of the harbors in which
they are serving. Vessel tracking with
the guns, III connection with the range
finder and converter beard, will be FREE,
quently practiccd
In order properly to carry out the
spirit CT this order weekly inspections
OF the various batteries will be held,
weather permitting, at the guns, for
the care OF which they are severally re.
sponslblo. Tho regular monthly inspec-
tlon of the post will include that Of the
guns, and thus the post or battalion
will be enabled to know
how well the battery commanders have
performed their duties and what prog
rcss has been made in famiiarizing the
troops with the duties which are re-
quired Of thcm.
A Colored Genius.
1t Is pretty well known to those who
have informed themselves ON the sub
lcct that Major l. L'Enfant, Il French en-
sincer, laid out the plan of Washington
and that Andrew Ellicott was EMPLOYED
10 complete the work, the big property
owners Of the day being combined
against l. Enfant for the reason tha.
some OF tho lines laid down by him ran
INTO their property, as they understood,
TO the injury tn rcOf and that EllicCtt
I'd finish it. 1t is not generally lnown
however, that Elicctts powerful! en-
elhecr assistant was Il colurod man.
EenJamln Eancker hy name. Banckcr ,
was born and rais' d at Elicott City,
Nd Ills remains Hrc in "a cemetery
[hcrr, unmarked and neglected, though
be was the first colOrcd man to distiu
'uish himself as a mathematician and
avn engineer il the history Of this
country. lie possessed Wonderful
genius 1or mathematics and the exact
'clcnces, and long before he had guined
prominence H3 Il civil engineer was the
author If ~ aln:..,t,c which RANKED an
standard ;:.'liCrity ,
Admired ~ Jefferson.
Amo"" 'thlrs "h0 were attracted Ey
t was lhoh"s .lo",.snn, who freely adj
hltted that the %'rh Of EanCkrr dc.
3oIvcdand conIn"4dld his praisc. Ban.
'ker was G0 years Of age when he ran \
me lines for the city of Washington. J
10 IS described as a fine looking succi,
neil uf "a man, very distinguished in -
appearance, having Il head and suit Of \
White hair not unlike in general appear :,
lnce those Of tho latoTredericIi Douglass. u
le wore ir"b coat Ct supcrnuc broad "i
10th and Quaker hat with Il broad &,
'rlm. 1t is not known exactly how much vi
vas PAD to BanckCr for his services i
1lllcott himself got only ":5 Der dav o.
ND expenses for his services, which, 60
he records show, jefferson thought too "a
''uch' III the letter to Major L'Enfan a,
cllevlns hlH OF the work President W
emerson states: "Ellicutt is to 20 On to a.