New-York tribune., 1900-01-20

Anderson, to be retired the 21st instl But
rank Just now is not OF much Importance to
these officers as the date Of their retirement
from active service. In this regard they stand
in order thus:
Henry G. Merriam ....-..-.-.N Noyember q 19O
saynnsl Mel i r N Yor1 Ja5usrv @ 3 I Ias
lanes r . .APTn u 1sL
AFIhur MacArlhur-- June : IsOJ
Macarthur, the youngest brigadier on the ae-
tive list has more than nine years OF active
service before him. Ludlow nearly eight. Wade
something over seven, Young four years Otis
little over two, and Merriam a year and ten
months. If promotion by seniority IS followed
by. the President. setting aside any considera-
tion Of vacancies by death or resignation. future
changes in the rank OF these brigadiers BY re-
tirement and promotion will be as follows. As
previously stated. Otis will be promoted June 16
to major-general which rank he will hold until
the date of his retirement As the next retire
ment in the grade Of major general does not oc-
cur until March %. 1902. that OF Otis himself.
Brigadier-GeneraI Merriam Will never become
major-generaI in the Regular Army, because he
retires for age before General Otis's date. With
Otis thus out Of the way. General Wade becomes
the senior brigadier-g general. and in due course
will be promoted to major-general to I'LL the va
cancy to be caused by Major-GeneraI Otis's re-
tirement March % 1902 The next senior brig
adler, Young would succeed Brooke July q.
1902. less than four months later. and when
Major General Miles retires for age. on August
s. 1903 Macarthur will become a regular ma
jor-general. Ludlow, the junior brigadier-gen-
eral, Will succeed to the vacancy caused by the
retirement Of MajOr-GeneraI Young January g.
1904. Scanning these dates. it appears that
Merriam Is the only one the list OF brigadiers
who will not succeed before retirement TO ths
highest grade.
LIKELY TO COMMAND THE ARMY.
These data show that If the order OF seniority
is pursued by the President IN making future
promotions and assignments to command two
Of the present brigadiers. in the natural order
of events. must succeed TO the command Of the
Army. They Wade and Macarthur. When
Miles retres Wade will be the senior major
general. and if precedent is followed he viii be
assigned to the command OF the Army. Young
cannot succeed to the command because Wade
does not retire until more than three years
after Young goes upon the retired list. But as
Youngs date of retirement occurs only hvs
months after that of Miles 1t is possible. as
an act of compIaisance to so distinguished an
officer. that the President may assign him TO the
chief command for short interim. General
Wade waving his claims for half year. II
the Presidents prerOgative to assign whOmso-
ever he pleases to chief command. In such
contingency Wade would succeed TO the COM
mand upon Young's retirement January g.
1904. On that date then. the three majOr-gen-
erals in the order Of seniority, would be Wads.
Macarthur and Ludlow. Upon Wade's retire
ment. April IL 1907. Macarthur will become
Commanding General Of the Army by right Of
seniority unless the President Overslaughs him.
MacArthurs succession will forestaH LudlOw's
rise to the supreme command because he re-
tires more than a year and a half sooner than
Macarthur.
The reader must not cOnfOund the Regular and
volunteer services in considering the foregoing
data, which concern only the permanent estao-
Iishment The fact that Otis and MacATthur
are already major generals OF volunteers Is 70
the civilian somewhat misleading: il has moth
ing to do with their status in the Regular Army.
While Macarthur, for instance, has long had tho
rank nav and command Of volunteer major
general he has meanwhile held the rank OF
in the staff department Otis
likewise who commands In the Philippines as
a volunteer major-general. is but brtgaeier
In the Regular Army. and as sueh "Ould 20
ranked by the volunteer aior-Genefal Mac
Arthur. When the volunteers are discharged
these volunteer generals viii be mustered "ut
with them. and resume their places in the Kesu-
lar Army according TO their rank In otnsr
words their volunteer appointments 10 hiSheF
grades did not vacate their commissions III 'Ns
Rep-u,ar service. Ludlow also. was OF the sta"
department - -
Now. the highest rank to which an ol'1e
The stan can rise in his corps Is orisauis
eral An officer OF the stan cannot 0O',''-'---
troops. Hence IL was big jump for Nac-Af -
and Ludlow TO be promoted out OF 'ie So
brigadiers IN the line. not onAs :" -, -,
-, ~, moro Darticularly because II put them
,r,rosd,atelv IN line for advancement to the so-
.-o,,a command have seen
APPOINTMENTS MADE By THE PRESIDENT
since President Mckinley came into ONCE ne
-, Dar,ed sour major generals Of Regulars, w.
Frank Wheaton. James W. Forsyth. Zenas y
Rr,ss (vho died the other day. retired and JoAh
p brooke He win soon have the appointments
OF Merritt's successor. and as he Will tolio~
nreeedent and promote one OF the present orisa-
aisrs to that vacancy. it follows thai me FES~--