The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-06-09
WASHINGTON LETTER
rsnecial corresnondence.l


costly in not making appropriation at
this session Of congress for rearming
the naval service with the new Spring
field rifle for firing the pointed ammu-
milton, such as has been furnished to
the army and militia. The Krag-Jor-
gensen rifle is now used by both the
navy and marine corps This weapon
was long since discarded and the new
Springfield rifle adopted by the militia
ry service, and the first of these rifles
have lately been supplanted by the
same rife with improvements designed
to adapt it for use with the pointed
bullet which was adopted last summer.
Need of Similarity Of Rifles.
The advisability of having all the
fighting services of the country armed
with small arms and machine guns
capable of firing the same ammunition
arises from the fact that when they
serve together in the field it is Of OBJ
yious advantage for it to be posi-
BILE for one to draw upon the other
for ammunition. Embarrassment was
caused in at least one case during hos
tilities in the Philippines in 1898 be-
cause the army and marine corps used
different arms and ammunition.
Army Medical Corps.
There are now sixty-one vacancies
in the grade of first lieutenant in the
medical corps of the army. Ten con-
tract surgeons who have passed the
preliminary examination for appoint
ment to the permanent corps are now
under instruction at the army medical
school in this city preparatory to I'M
dergoing the final examinations. If
they all qualify, there will be fifty-one
vacancies for candidates who may
have passed the preliminary examina-
tons recently completed and for those
who pass in the preliminary examina-
tons to be held in August.
For the examinations recently COM
pleted seventy-two candidates were
authorized to appear, of whom sixteen
failed to present themselves eighteen
were found physically disqualified, and
thirty weight finished the examination.
women naval NURSES
Many applications are being received
at the navy department from women
nurses for appointment as superintend
ent of the corps of women nurses for
the navy which will soon be organized.
The law provides that the superintend
ent be a graduate of hospital train
ing school having course of instruc-
lions of not less than two years and
that the corps shall consist of as many
chief nurses, nurses and reserve nurses
as may be needed.
John Paul Jones Statue.
Secretary Metca1f and Representa-
tive Mccall of Massachusetts, consti-
tuting a committee of the congression-
al commissions charged with the duty
of erecting statues of John Paul Jones
and John Barry on public reservations
in this city, have just completed per-
sonal inspection of the various avail
able sites and have practically con-
cluded to report in favor of placing the
John Paul Jones statue on the naval
grounds on Massachusetts
avenue and the statue of Commodore
Barry in Franklin square. 1t is under
stood that the Irish patriotic associa-
lions interested in the matter favor
the Franklin park site for the Barry
statue.
New Picture of Washington.
A new picture of George Washington
recently has been hung in the banquet
hall at Mount Vernon. 1t is seven
feet high and four and a half feet
wide and represents young and hand
some man with a daredevil eye and
splendid carriage wearing the uniform
of the British army.
The picture was painted while Wash
ington was major on the staff of the
British provincial governor of Virginia,
Robert Dinwiddie, and only recently
was found. While the American con-
sui to Glasgow, r. w. Austin, was at
tending a lecture delivered by Thomas
Layton his attention was attracted by
the reference to picture supposedly
that of Washington which had been
brought to Scotland from the Dinwid-
Gle residence in Virginia.
A Historical Relic.
According to tradition, the picture of
Washington was painted at the order
of the Virginia governor and was hung
in his house. When Washington joined
the Revolutionary forces the picture
was removed and sold. 1t was ship
ped to the Peoples palace in Glasgow,
where it hung for some time under the
name of'"The Unknown" Mr.. Austin,
on learning of the probable identity of
the picture, communicated with the
state department authorities. The up
shot of the matter was that the curator
of the Peoples palace offered to lend
the picture to the association taking
care of Washington's home. This was
agreed to. and the women of the Mount
Vernon association paid the expenses
Of shipping.
The picture is work Of art as well
as historical relic. The painting
shows Washington in full length, stand
ing apparently on a drill field. The
background is heavy in its tone, and
the figure stands out in bold relief. The
figure is life size.
Millions For Cotton Duck.
The cotton mills of the country
which manufacture the grade of cotton
duck used in the army and navy are
interested in the provision contained in
the augmentation bills This wear for the