The times., 1899-03-10
ARMY AND NAVY POSITIONS.
Many Times More Applicants Than
There Are Positions.

These are the days when both the Navy
and War Departments are busted over the
appointments to the two branches of the
service made necessary by the Army Reor-
ganization and Navy Personnel
There are 101 second lieutenants in
army to be appointed under the former.
and indefinite number of marine OIL
GERS paymasters. and other staff officers
to be appointed under the latter.
Yesterday Secretary Alger spent over
two hours in consultation with the Pres
dent over the matter of appointing the
lOl lieutenants. There are no less than
L., 900 applications for these posts. many
Of them from men bearing historic names
and from men who have did excellent
service in the late war. The appointments
have been apportioned among the states
according to population, and the seiec-
tions. it is announced, will be based wholly
ON merit and not on political influence.
First, however the right of way will be
given to the sons of officers in the present
service and preferably 10 the sons of those
who lost their lives in the war. All
appointees will be required to pass ex-
animation, which will not be mere form
by any means, but will yet not be any
thing like as severe as a competitive ex-
ANIMATION. Possibly IN some CdStS inc
wind may be tempered to the shorn lamb.
and some sons of distinguished sires may
slip through with little elfort.
With the navy the case is altogether
different. Secretary Long has prescribed
the most rigid competitive examinations
for all places under his control and guar
antees that the qualifications laid down
shall be lived up to. This is the custom
OF the navy in any case, and when the ex-
animation is modified, as 1t has been on
few rare occasions, to suit the know
ledge of the applicant, that fact is scrup-
ulously stated in the records for anyone TO
see.
The orders for the Marine Corps were is
sued yesterday. There are just 400 appli-
cants for the ninety vacancies, and il is
expected that the examinations will re-
duCe them TO the required number. A cir
cular was issued yesterday giving the re-
qIirements for the candidates. 1t says
that no person shall be examined unless
upon authorization by letter from the Sec
retary of the Navy. The candidate must
present his diploma, if he has graduated
from any educational institutions giving
military instruction. If member of the
National Guard he must present recon-
mendations from his superior officers. The
physical examination will be severe. and
the standard is that held up for recruits to
the years of twenty and thirty, be citizens
of the United States, and not addicted TO
the use Of intoxicating liquors.
Mentally. the candidate must be sound
in English grammar; in mathematics up to
and including logarithms, Algebra. trig
onometry. geometry. and surveying. He
must also be well up in history, geography
the Constitution. and the organization OF
government. The relative weights given
to the subjects of examination are as fol-
lows Arithmetic, algebra, etc. 4; aDti-
tude and probable efficiency, 4 grammar
and history. each 3; geography and cOnsti-
tutional law, each >.
There Will be twentY-one paymasters to
be appointed in the navy and they will he
selected by competitive examination. The
value of successful examination in this
1 branch is shown By the fact that out of
seventeen appointments last year sixteen
were of the highest on the list of eligibIes
prepared by a similar examination. The
examining boards are directed to report
the candidates in the order of their stand
ing. indicating that the men are to rely
entirely upon their merits for appoint
ments. The examining board viii consist
OF five commissioned officers. including TWO
medical officers. to be appointed by the
Secretary OF the Navy.
| Meanwhile the Attorney General yester-
! day rendered an opinion on the retirement
/ feature OF the Naval Personnel act He
| holds that the compulsory retirement fea-
, ture OF the act goes into effect at once, and
| that the required vacancies for the next
| fiscal year must be created by June 81
next.