Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-02

no applications have been received
made for examinations in that section
1t is probable that there will be no
other examination of candidates for
the medical department until the sum-
mer Of 1905. Should there be more
than eleven candidates who are found
, qualified in the subsequent course of
instruction at the Army Medical school
the surplus "eligibles" will not be car
RED on a waiting list. but such candi.
dates may come up at the next exam-
ination.
Inc War Department is in receipt OF
report from the army engineers In
charge of the government coal mines
on Batan Island. P. l. Arrangements
are being made for the construction OF
a wharf near the property and the IA
cilities for handling the material are
being improved. The product of the
mines has been issued to army vessels
Tor trial and as a result of test of
| the coal In comparison with Japan coal
1t is reported from the army transport
Omaha that Batan coal leaves only
small amount of ashes and burns out
much better than Japan coal, not need
| ing as much working of the fires. 1t is
proposed to put the Batan coal out In
| the open air for month before using 1t
| In further tests and to ask the navy to
make trial of it in order to ascertain
| II it would be suitable for it's use.
Preparations are being made to COM
memOrate at the Worlds Fair at st.
Louis the fall of Manila by a great
celebration which will be held on
August Is. the anniversary of that
event. This day has been designated
as Manila day. A pavilion, known as
the Eighth army corps pavilion. has
been erected at the fair from sub
scriptiOns received mostly from menu
bers of the Society of the Army Of the
Philippines, and 1t is here that most OF
the exercises of the day will be held.
Secretary Taft, Lieutenant General
Chaffee and Colonel c. A. Edwards,
chief of the bureau of insular affairs.
War department. will be present and
Generals Merritt, Otis and Macarthur,
former governors of the Philippines,
and their StaffS, and Admiral Dewey |
and his staff have been invited to at
tend. 1t is also desired that all officers !
who have served in the Philippine !
campaigns either in the regulars or /
volunteers, shall attend the celebration,
and General Chaffee has expressed the |
wish that they wear either white or
khaki uniforms. The events of the
day will include parade, review of ma
tive tribes at the fair, addresses, recep-
ton, etc.
The revision of the system Of pur-
chasing discharges from the army is
Still with the general staff of the army.
1t is likely to remain there pending the
decision on certain important para
graphs of the army regulations, also in
course of change. The order relating
TO discharge by purchase is defective
IN number of important particulars
and it is proposed to amend the text
ana Its provisions so as to make it less
ambiguous. 1t ought to be one of the
principles guiding the preparation Of a
general order that it shall have the
clearness of Statute-or of good STAT
ute-and that it not stand in need of
interpreting clauses following it's pub
LEGATION. In the new discharge nv mr..
chase order. the reference to the sue.
cesslve terms of enlistment will be
omitted. The years of continuous ser.
wee will be mentioned without regard
to the number of enlistments and this
will serve as, the basis of cost. The
rates of purchase will remain about the
same There will probably be refer
ence to the illegality of discharge by
favor" despite the fact that that re-
cent discovery is destined to be ig-
nored on occasion, as it always has
been whenever the authorities wanted
to discharge a soldier for good and
sufficient reasons. without considera-
ton of purchase or disability.