Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-25
ARMY AND Navy.
Gen. Chaffee Soon To Go
on the Retired List.
Long List Of Applicants Who
Seek Positions Vacated.
The Physical Condition Of New Men in the
Navy Not Satisfactory.

Washington, November 24.-The an
nouncement of the intention of Cen
er;il y. II. Chaffee to go on the retired
list several months before he would
ordinarily retire, has produced the
usual crop of candidates who wish to
avail themselves of the privilege of ad-
vanccment to higher grade. Nearly
every colonel Of the line and staff has
filed his papers for consideration of the
Individual claim for promotion 10 the
grade of briGadier general In those
cases where the officer would under
the usual circumstances go on the re-
tired list with the next higher grade on
account Of service in the Civil War
the President will not make the ap-
pOintment. Ii is also announced at
the department that only one more
high ranking officer will be made a
major general and that is General A.
w. Greedy. the chief signal officer. He
is likely to be advanced in December
or January, as soon as General
Chaffee goes on the retired list. Dur
ing the coming year there will be two
rctirements from the grade of lieu
tenant general. 1t is for these pros
rcctivc places that the candidates for
promotion 10 the grade of general
officer are now laying their plans.
There is much speculation in regard to
he result of the campaigning which is
being conducted. Nothing so preju-
ticeS an officers claims to executive
consideration us the employment di
rcctly of political influence.
There continues to be observations
from the navy surgeons and othe:
officers Of the unsatisfactory physical
development Of a large per cent. Of
the crews now being added to the
navy. Surgeon |. ". Kite in his an
nual report 10 the surgeon general
says: "Whatever may be responsible
for such 4 condition of affairs, it is nm
Geniablc that III point of general phTai-
al development ana Nigor an average
crew Of the present day would compare
unfavurably with one of a few years
ago" 1T is stated that this is IS
Iorially noticeable in regard to the IN
Sineer force. the mt nlbers of which. of
course, Should be men Of good physique
and powers of endurance.
The increased cost in the constTur-
ton of army buildings is n feature of
the report Of General Humphrey quar-
tcrmaSter general of the army. lie
SAYS that contracts awarded for The
construction for the current fiscal year
show Hi increase over the fiscal year of
1919 of about l. PER cent. This is du"
to the increased cost OF building ma
terils and the increase i'll the cost of
labor. He suggests the consideration
of measures looking to the adoption Of
concrete and iron construction III large,
permanent buildings, which would be
more costly at first, but on account OF
their durability would compensate for
the additional outlay. There are many
posts established and built thirty or
forty years ago which have outliV"d
their Use fulnCsS and, OH account Of
their dilaridated condition, repuir"
large annual sums TO keep them in re-
pair.
The general recommends that some
Of the old posts should be abandoned,
or be rebuilt in whole or part. The
construction of quarters i'll the Philip
pines has progressed satisfactorily.
There was RENTED to the Philippine
Islands by the 4uartCrmaStcr's dep2rt-
mcrt during the fiscal year $3.4l3,I5S.
The construction of II ilitary post OK
changes has progressed in line with
other work. the total appropriated for
amounting to 81 ,SSS,500.