New-York tribune., 1910-07-31
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES
Army Officers Awaiting General
Woods's Physical Test Order.
IFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]
Washington. J

w
puvc1CAI. TESTS IN THE ARMY
The Anal revision of the order regarding
nhvsical tests will be published to the army
In a few days by General Leonard "oou'
chief of staff Army officers everywhere
are awaiting with deep interest ana III
some cases great anxiety, the terms OF the
order
Secretary Dickinson. who rides horseback,
has decided ideas concerning the require
ments which should be imposed upon army
officers He believes they should, r1oe al
least six miles a day or walk an equivalent
three miles a day for six days a week.
making UP the time lost on account of in
clement weather or any other deterrlns
reasons. The draft of an order prepared
under Secretary Dickinson was tried out
at some of the army posts, and the reports
received were varied in their character
Much opposition was manifested to any
dsiIv ride in the way of maintaining physt-
cal exercise, and General Wood In his final
revision of the order has arranged 1t SO
that the post commanders shall be re-
snonsible for the maintenance of physical
fitness on the part OF officers of their
commands. No attempt Is made TO specify
what sort of exercise shall be taken or
when il shall be carried out. The fnStruc-
tions in this respect will be general the
most commanders are to require officers to
maintain a physical fitness so that they
may take the field under war conditions at
all times This arrangement is a salts
factory one and removes the objections
which have been entertained against any
increase in the requirements for physical
exercise.
There will be an annual demonstration,
consisting of riding or walking. Depart
ment commanders will personally conduct
at least one riding test in their depart
ments but they being general officers, Will
be excused from the test and from the &C
conlpanying physical examination. Certain
field officers of the bureaus in Washington
will be permitted the option Of taking the
test or not. The annual rides Will take
place at the posts where officers are sta
toned. instead of requiring officers to as
semble at distant places. BY this means
there will be material saving in mileage,
and officers may ride their own mounts.
General Woods experience in Cuba and
the Philippines enabled him to appreciate
the appeals which have come from officers
on duty in the tropics that there be
modification of the test in behalf of such
officers. 1t has been decided, therefore.
that the tests in the tropics shall be two
thirds that Of the test as conducted at
home. Some apprehension has been enter
tanned that the physical test order was in
tended for elimination General Wood has
reassured the officers that the purpose of
the test is to maintain individual physical
fitness which, in some instances, is lacking
in younger officers quite as much as in
those of senior grades.
TO INSPECT NORTH ATLANTIC FOR
TIF1CATIONS.-Gener Arthur Murray,
chief of artillery. will leave Washington on
Monday on the new mine planter the Cen
eral Frank, for an inspection Of the fortifi-
complete his personal inspection of prac-
tically every coast fortfication under the
American flag. as last year he visited the
Philippines and Hawaii on a tour of in
spection. taking in at the same time all the
forts on the Pacific Coast. and since May L
of this year mas made tour Of the forti
fications on the Atlantic Coast. south of
the Chesapeake Bay. After an inspection
of the Delaware forts about August s, Gen
Portland Me. He is scheduled to arrive
there about August IS. He will visit the
Portland artillery district about August %;
Boston, August %; New Bedford, Septem-
Der 3; Narragansett Bay, September 10;
New London. September II. and New York,
September "a. Special attention will be
given during the trip to the location of fire
control installation.