The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-05
The Existing Staff Arrangements Are Prac-
tlca|g RsvoIu!IonIzsd.
GRADE OF LIEUT.. GENERAL REVIVED.
ARTILLERY R'gimsnaI Organization TO Be Changed 10
Corps Of Two Branches, Consisting Of I26
Coast and 18 Field Batteries.

Washington, May 5.-Yesterday's ses-
sion of the Senate was rendered espe-
cially notable by the passage, after a
debate lasting only three hours, OF the
Army Reorganization bill. In military
circles the measure is regarded as one
OF the most important of the present
session. 1t practically revolutionizes
the present staff arrangements OF the
army. 1t proposes to change the present
system OF permanent appointments in
certain staff corps 10 one OF detail by
gradual process, as the officers now in
dnoSe corps go out OF active service. AS
vacancies occur In the department. OF
the adJutant general, the inspector
general, quartermaster general and
commissary general, they are to be nil
ed by details from the line. the details
TO be temporary and not to exceed four
years.
The new system is not applied to the
corps of engineers. medical department,
pay department or Judge advocate gen.
erals department. The bill discontinues
the regimental organization of the ar
tillery and establishes an artillery corps
of two branches, viz: 126 batteries OF
coast artillery and Is batteries OF field
artillery, with a total of 1I.44s men. IL
provides for an Increase OF 100 I'm the
corps of cadets at West Point, two at
large from each state, and 10 more 10
the present number of 20 from the
United States at large. The rank OF the
commanding general OF the army is
raised TO that of lieutenant general.
and that of the adjutant general TO
major general, the latter being during
the incumbency OF the present adjutant
general, Gen. Corbin.
The president Is empowered TO place
on the retired list any officer who has
been suspended from duty by sentence
of court-martial or by executive order
in mitigation of such sentence for
period extending TO or within one year
of the time OF his compulsory retire
ment for age. This Is we'll understood
10 apply to Commissary General Eagan.
An amendment creating a veterinary
corps for the army consisting of a
colonel and ,35 other commissioned offi-
GERS was attached ITO the bill after
spirited debate, the amendment being
adopted by a vote OF 25 TO %.
The Forthcations Appropriation bill
carrying about 81. 500 900 was passed
The House made FAIR progress witN
the sundry civil appropriation bill, COM
pleting 73 OF the 1872 pages of the bill.
Much of the time was consumed In an
effort OF the members OF the naval COM
mittee TO cripple the Coast and Geodet,
&c Survey in retaliation for the refusal
of the House to agree to their recon-
mendation when the Naval bill was be-
fore the House to place the survey or
the waters of our insular possessions in
the hands OF the navy. They tried 10
strike out the item i'm the Dill authoriz-
ing the coast survey to survey the
coasts in the Jurisdiction Of the United
States. but were defeated.
They made a point OF order hold
against a new vessel for the survey
and against an appropriation OF sls2,145
for enlisted men on survey vessels, but
1he latter appropriation went back in
the bill in another form.