Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-07
ARMY GOSSIP IN WASHINGTON.
Current Events Cleaned from the
Army and Navy Register.

The quartermaSter general OF the army
has advised the officers of his depart
| ment that under the new regulations
bidders have the option of furnishing
a certified check instead of written
! guaranty. This is a new practice in
the quartermaster's department.. bid
ders for material in that branch of the
army heretofore being required to fur
nish written guarantees. The certified
check has not been recognized. A cir
cular has been issued containing in
structions to quartermasters concerned
in making of contracts.
| General Francis Moore, u. S. A., be-
lieves the rifle competition in it's va
ried form is something Of a distraction
In his report as head of the school OF
application at Fort Riley he recOm-
| mendS that these annual competitions
be not held at any post where there Is
a school of application and that troops
while at such school be not required
to attend such competitions He states
that during his tenure of command at
Fort Riley on account of such inter-
| ruptiOnS less time was given to practi-
cal application and instruction than at
|
stationed. He has reference in the re-
port to the annual department. division,
| army and national rifle competitions
which took place on this reservation.
| In all save the last the troops of the
post were compelled to furnish laborers
and markers on the range. During the
last event a battalion of the Twenty
| fourth infantry from Fort Robinson.
Neb.. was on duty on the range. He
| also recommends the issue of ball am
| mun1tion to the cavalry during battle
| exercises. He states that the eXer-
| cises at AldershOt and in the French
| ana German armies, where such prac-
tice obtains. have proven of undOubt-
| ed benefit. The construction of anoth-
| er riding hall is recommended as the
| strength of the garrison fOrbids any
| one organization having sufficient drill
! in it; about an hour a week is the best
| that can be accomplished as matters
| now stand. He also recommends that
a bridge be built over the Kansas river
to replace the one washed away by the
great flood of last year. as the great
| drill ground on the other side of the
| river is now useless to the garrison.
| Aeolendnt General Chaffee has ap-
proved the text of the general order re-
lating to army uniforms. This is an
amendment Of the order issued some
time ago which is now to be reprinted
IN It's amended form. The changes
nave been described from time to time
IN these columns and are not material.
Inc text of the order will not be for
malIy given out at the War department
| until proof from the printer has been
revised and when it is known there are
10 De no further amendments It ia
likely that this will be the final word
on the subject of army uniforms. Gem
eral Chaffee is of the opinion that the
SUBJECT has been sufficiently agitated
. ana That it is time the existing provi.
slons should remain in force withou,
| inoiestatlon. especially when the
cnange can only be for the sake of tn,
| change.
! overtures have been made by the State
department. on behalf Of the War depart
| ment. to the governments of Janan and
RUSSIA Tor the purpose of securing permits
SION for the detail of medical officers of
' "'r army as military attaches in the field
| win the armies of those countries. If is
desired that opportunity be offered for
experienced medical efforts to observe tho
medical equipment of the two armies
| Our military observers in the field have
aIreduy reported many interesting fact.
concerning the medical equipment of the
oel1 5 armies. and 1t is now consid-
| De made by medical officers Upon the
| Recommendation of the surgeon general Of
s .nt s army Colonel Yalery Hazard, assist
| aIt surgeon general. now on duty as chief
surgeon Of the Department of the Fast
ana captain Charles Lynch assistant sur
SeOn. now on duty as member of the
general Staf have been selected to be
] requisite permission is obtained. Colonel
Havard will go with the Russian armies
ana captain Lynch with the japanese
| Recruiting for the marine corps is now
conducted with excellent results through
main offices and substations, located in
| the most pOpulOus districts between the
Atlantic coast and the Mississippi river
| Al the present time the corps is but little
| short Of the maximum strength allowed
recruiting offices and through activity
manifested by officers and nopcOmmis-
| stoned officers on recruiting duty the
command Will shortly be recruited to its
iuli strength. territory which has not
| hthcrto been covered by marine recruit
| ing parties will be canva ssed frcm a re-
cruiting station about to be established in
| Texas. The present style of recruiting
poster is considered too small and il is
hoped that generous appropriation can
be secured from congress for the purpose
OF having large and attractive poster
, lithographed Designs for this are now
under consideration. 1t has also been
suggested that fences. billboards and the
like be used for signs for the purpose of
attracting the attention of recruits the
! proposition including the employment of
one of the agencies which please CONNER
clal advertisements all over the country
This ma tier is now under consideration at
the headquarters of the marine corps and
inquiries are being made with vow of
asceItaining the probable cost
Foreign erevities.
London has high school which makes
| specially of teaching the students to
use the two hands indiscriminately. 1t
has over 200 pupils.
In the whole Russian Empire there are