New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-02-19
NEW WAR COLLEGE.
President to Lay the Cornerstone on
.Saf1vd0U.

Washington, Feb. IS (SpeciaD.-Elab borate
preparations are being made by the War De-
partment for the laying of the cornerstone Of
| the new War College, which is about to be
erected on the grounds of what has been known
as the Barracks Reservation in this city
point of land between the Potomac River and it's
eastern branch. President Roosevelt will lay
the cornerstone on February 81 that being the
day set for the celebration of Washington's
Rirthday Secretary Root Will participate in
the exercises and a delegation of the Daughters
of the Revolution which organization holds It's
annual convention in Washington beginning
on Monday, will attend.
The War College will consist of a number of
buildings the largest which will contain the
class rooms, to be 300 by 100 feet in size and
two stories and basement in height 1t will
he located close to the end of the immature
naninsuIa which forms the reservation Con-
a~oss t,a. annropriated 81 100000 for the i'm
oo,,e,t of the grounds and the erection or
tba buildings and it is anticipated that a con-
iaar.h1a sum in excess of this amount VIII
eventually be expended on the post IN auui-
+ior 70 the college building proper there are u
no erected quarters for the officers a cluprooil
for officers. quartermasters sto1es' VA iie>9'
and numerous other buildings :.
The actual beginning of the war oo"es
.a,,,.oa of great qualification to the officials
tIa
oo+ad such an institution as necessary 10 the
..,;. ont of the educational system OF the
There are already five special service
hoo,s in existence all of which are dong eA-
client work but the necessity of permanent
ipetitution which shall be charged Win 'h0
dutv of co-ordinating the work oil 'he Su'oi
dinate schools and furnishing an opPoitu'ii'
eo +be further development of those officers
who demonstrate special aptitude for the higher
military education has long existed
l At Fort Totten, N Y, there is the lorpeoo
School: at Fort Monroe, Va, the Artillery
school: at Fort Riley. Kan, the Cavalry and
Light Infantry School; at Fort LeaVenworth'
Kan the Staff and General Service School and
NJ Washington in the same grounds as the
War College the Engineers School For instruc-
tion in the War College will be assigned those
officers who have shown special appllcatioi
and proficiency at the minor schools haheu'
and instruction in the combined use OF artllerS'
cavalry and infantry will be given. Problems
for army rnaneuvres, employing every prahch
of the service will be propounded and carefully
worked out by the aspirants for military
bonors Moreover, the new college is to be
made the repository for the vast amount or
military data gathered by the military attaches
of United States embassies and legations, and
the instruction will embrace a review OF mill
tary conditions in foreign nations
The necessity for ample and thorough instruc-
ton for army officers becomes apparent when II
is remembered that of SIS lieutenants comms-
stoned since was declared against SPAIN
onlv 216 have been graduates of west POINT,
GIG having been appointed from the volunteer
service 414 promoted from the ranks and 5l-
having been drawl directly from civil life. The
military esta blshment of the United States IS
small. and it is desired to keep it so; but for
he O
ciency on the part of the officers is regarded as
most essential and the War College is generally
recognized as a lonS stride in the direction of
increa sing that efficiency The War College VIII
furnish a post graduate school for the officers
who have attended the special service schools,
and graduates of the former will have received
advantages unexcelled anywhere in the world
The sixty mine acres comprised in the Wash
ington barracks became a military post as far
back as 1903 and q regular depot for military
supplies located there was burned by the British
in 1914 Under the old United States Peniten-
tiary located there. were buried John Wilkes
Booth who assassinated Lincoln, and Mrs. Sur
raft and the consrirators with him. who were
hanged in the court of the penitentiary at the
same time When the penltentiary torn
down, however these bodies were removed to
esta ahlshed cemeteries.
Among the curiosties still preserved the
barracks grounds are an old Blakely gun which
bears the inscription Presented TO the Sever
eign state of South Carolina by one of her
citizens residing abroad. in Commemoration of
the 20th of December. 1SSV'. brass gun with
A ball in ts muZZle. where it lodged in the
ha tile of GettysburG several guns surrendered
hy the British in 111I. several French guns
taken at Mia CARA on July 20 1914 several guns
taken at the surrender of CORVALLIS. and some
nieces which date as far hack 1856. An in
teresting memento stored in The armorY. now on
the grounds is a flag which bears the inscrip-
ton From Tripoli to the Halls OF MontezuIna
by land and sea
When the many buildings which will com
prise the War College and the Engineers School
are completed il is expected that the Washing
ton Barracks viii constitute one OF the finest
and most extensive military establishments in
the United States and its location at the capital
OF the nation will be recognized particularly |
appropriate.