New-York tribune., 1902-07-21
BROOKE RETIRES TODAY.
HE WILL BE SUCCEEDED BY GENERAL
CHAFFEE-GENERAL MACARTHUR
TO BE IN TEMPORARY
COMMAND.

Mia. commander of the Philippine Depart
ment. Until General Chaffee arrives at Gov
ernOr's Island the department will be COM
manded by Major General Arthur Macarthur.
of the Department of the Lakes General Brooke
has been stationed at Governors Island since
May 10 1900. when he succeeded General Wes-
ley Merritt, whose retirement Brooke became
the second officer in the United States Army. his
only senior being Major General Miles. He
came to the post ripe in experience, and con-
Quoted the affairs of the important command
in a manner which demonstrated his business
as we'll as his military ability. and he made
many friends. who regret to him go into
civil life.
General Brooke was born on the Brooke farm
near Pottsville. Penn, where the family had
lived nearly one hundred and fifty years When
the Civil War broke out young Brooke. who
was working at that time on his fathers farm.
raised a company of volunteers and went to the
front as a captain in the 4th Pennsylvania In
fantry. His conduct attracted attention. and
in November 1861. General Curtin appointed
him colonel of the sd Pennsylvania Volunteers
on May ~ 1864, he was made brigadier gem
eral for specific distinguished service. He was
brevetted major general of volunteers on Au-
gust /, 1864, for gallant and meritOrious services
in the battles of Tolopotomy and Cold Harbor.
COMMISSIONS IN THE REGULAR ARMY.
He has had these commissions in the regular
army: Lieutenant colonel, 3Ith Infantry, July
2S 1866: transferred to Sd Infantry, March 10,
1869; colonel. 18th Infantry, March ~ 1879;
transferred to Sd Infantry, June II. 1873; briga-
dier general, April 6. 1888 and major general.
May 22 1897 He was brevetted colonel on
March .. 1867. for gallant and meritoriOus ser
vices in the battle of Gettysburg, and brigadier
general for gallant and meritorious services in
the battle of SpOttsylvania Court House.
General Brookes duties in the regular army
carried him from the Western frontier 10 Cuoa-
He spent about thirteen years in Montana, De-
came commander of the Department of the
Platte then of the Department of Dakota. he
succeeded General Merritt as commander OF the
Department of the Missouri in 1891. When the
war with Spain broke out General Brooke went
from Chicago to Chickamauga 10 take command
Of the first provisional army corps, and was
transferred thence to Porto Rico. where he COM
manded the United States forces and, after serv-
ing ON the Porto Rican Commission, was named
Military Governor of the island by President
Mckinney His next post of duty was that or
Military Governor of cuba. While he was MILL
tary Governor Of Cuba General Chaffee, VINO
will take his place here. was his chief OF stan
In December. 1899. General Brooke was sue
ceeded in cuba by General Leonard Wood ana
Senator Hale. speaking of the change on the
right peace and order practically have been
restored on the island. and the people VIII be
ready at an early date to enter upon govern
rnent of their own. General Brooke is 10 be con-
graduated upon having accomplished vast
work IL is much greater than l had supposed
1 see the dawn of the time when the Cuoah
people will be able to set mp government OF
their own. General Brooke. having been dls-
placed will soon come North. and Wheh ne ar
riyes will receive our congratulations upon MS
When charles Emory Smith returned from a
tour of inspection of the Department of Posts III
Cuba he lauded the administration OF Generai
Brooke. and said: , 49,,
his associates have taken up the work OF al
ministratIon with great capacity and judgment
l have had considerable opportunity or seeing
what General Brooke has tnaugurated ana aC.
Complished. | believe that every American II
he could personally see and understand IL Wou'u
be deeply gratified with this work Generai
Brooke has been deliberate Cousiderate and Well
poised and. at ;he same time, he has been hrh
and decided He has carefully gathered the
best information from the most trustworthy
sources and has applied il to the present cOnCl-
tions with excellent Judgment lie mas caIleu
Cuban counSellOrs about him, but has Kept tne
determination of immediate questions IN ms
own hands and has labOred faithfully and sue
Cessfully TO carry out the spirit ana purpose ol
President MCKinleys instructions and policy
General Brooke is re-establishing the civil
machinery in Cuba just lines. and is care
fully providing for the equitable adjustment or
personal and property rights we'll as for pub
lie protection. He has just completed the
ganization of a Supreme Court, which becomes
the appellate tribunal, and under Whlch the law
will be justly administered
FAVORED ADMITTANCE OF VISITORS.
In his annual report for the year ended June
30 1901 General Brooke showed that he was
not afraid to advocate a measure if he thought
Il right even if his suDeriors We're not OF his
opinion He favored the admittanCe of visitors
to the fortitications. where they might see the
great guns and the machinery by Whlch they
are operated. He said:
TT has occurred to me that it would be we'll
to modify the refusal 10 the general community
of the privilege of visiting the new defenCeS.
OF course this does not mean exploration of the
whole of the batteries SO far II relates 10 the
classmates in which il is expected To store the
ammunition. electric light plants etc.
The Navy Department permits. at suitable
times people to visit its newest ships, and
this procedure has doubt increased the great
interest now manifested in the navy l can see
no good reason why these defenCes may not he
thrown open 10 the extent mentioned To the
public of course during such hours may be
best suited for the purpose. l strongly i'm
pressed with the idea that harm can result
from this departure from the present system
because il cannot we'll be denied that our system
of Notifications is well known TO foreign
powers ii is 10 ourselves. l refer particu-
larly TO the powers who have an interest in
certaining in detail what our system OF de
fences is.
held by the men who served under him was
exemplified last week when a delegation COM
posed of veterans of the old Second Corps of the
Amy of the Potomac called at Governors ISL
and to express their regret at the generals re-
trement One of the party said:
There are hundreds of survivors of the old
Second Corps. Army of the Potomac, in this
vicinity who knew Brooke from Fair Oaks to
ADpOmattOX as a recognized type among the
many iIlustriOus commanders In that corps. and
who have followed him since then in his singu-
larIv efficient career in the regular army with
abiding and affectiOnate pride"
AS his term of service drew To a close many
of General RrOoke's friends who knew that h.,
was we'll fitted for important duties despite his
sixty-fOur years hoped to nominate him for
~ Governor of PENNSYLVANIA and Z