The Washington times., 1901-12-14
MAC0MB SLATED
FOR ORDNANCE BOARD.
TO BE ASSIGNED TO SANDY HOOK.
Artillery Officer 10 he Appointed to
Position Left vacant by Promo
tion of General CrOzier as
Chief of bureau.

Acting upon the recommendation of
General Crozier. Chief of the Bureau of
Ordnance, Secretary Root will soon issue
an order detailing Major NJ. NJ. Macomb,
of the artillery. to duty with the Ordnance
Board at Sandy Hook. General Crozier
was a member of this beard before his
appointment as chief of ordnance. and
this has left vacancy which has not
been filled.
Recommended Artillery officer.
Several days ago he explained to Secre-
tary Root that as much OF the ammuni
tion and ordnance equipment tested by
the Ordnance Board at Sandy Hook was
for the use OF the artillery, he thought 1t
advisable that an artillery officer be de-
tailed as member OF the board to fill the
vacancy caused by his promotion. While
this is a radical departure from the fer
mer policy of the Ordnance Bureau to
conduct its tests exclusively by ordnance
officers. Secretary Root was impressed
with General Crozier's argument, and
agreed to approve the recommendation
when It came before him in writing.
The selection of the officer to be de-
tailed from the artillery he lcf to Cen
eral Crozier and General Randolph. Chief
OF the Artillery Corps. They agreed upon
Major Macomb, who is now in the Philip
pines, as a member OF the board appoint
ed to prepare system Of defence for Ma
nila.
General Crozier has flied with Secretary
Root q written recommendation that
Major Macomb be ordered to duty at
Sandy Hook with the Ordnance Board to
take effect when the board Of which he is
now a member completes its report. Sec
retary Root decided yesterday to approve
this recommendation. and an order TO
that effect will be issued soon. Major Va
comb is a graduate Of the Artillery School.
lie entered West Point from Michigan in
1870 and was made second lieutenant of
the Fourth Artillery four years later. He
was promoted to first lieutenant Septem-
bcr C. 1875. to captain prior to the Span
ish war and to major about year ago.
DimcuIty in Filling Vacancies.
The Secretary Of War is experiencing
difficulty in securing officers for detail to
the Ordnance Corps OF the army. Several
months ago there were fifteen vacancies
i'm the corps and IL was decided to notify
the officers of the army stationed in the
United States. the Philippines, Cuba, and
Porto Rico that examinations would be
held to I'll the vacancies. NotWithstand-
ing this general notification to the entire
military service, and particularly to the
line officers. but one applicant presented
himself for detail to the Ordnance Corps.
I-pon examination he failed to pass. Since
then two more vacancies have occurred.
and now there are seventeen vacancies 10
be filled. with nc applicants.
REORGANIZATION BiII Rcsponsible.
This condition was brought about by the
rassage OF the last reorganization bill.
which provided FOR detail from the line
TO the Ordnance Corps. Before the pas
sage Of this act officers entering the ord
nance Corps did so permanently and were
entitled TO extra pay. At that time Off
GERS OF the line exerted themselves to Sc
cure berths in the stan departments, but
since .he adoption Of the detail system
they prefer to take their chances with
their regiments to coming to Washington
or entering the staff bureaus.