Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS

I results of the recent tests. All commits
stoned officers of the navy. with some
few notable exceptions. were required To
walk or ride the prescribed distance be-
early in the Year We're permitted to make
a second and in some cases third at
tempt The Navy Department will de-
eide each case on its individual merits
and will consider the duties devolving on
each officer before determining whether
any physical defect reported requires mis-
transfer to the retired list. Most of tie
officers successfully met the physical re-
quirementS, but several are known to
have failed.
Opposition to a Naval Reserve.
Notwithstanding the attempt to unity
the workings of the Navy Department
and to pacify the various factions In the
service, the recommendations by the ci-
william heads of the department To Con
gress for the establishment of a naval re-
serve of 10000 men seems to have met
with acrid criticism by several naval
officers. From time immemorial a hos
tile opposition to any plan OF making tha
naval militia naval reserve has found
expression among the officers of the navy.
and not even the recommendation OF the
heads of the department has been suffi-
Gent to change their ideas.
The only kind of a naval reserve that
would receive the sanction OF naval Off
GERS would be one which would permit
only Seagoing men becoming members.
A reserve composed of men who know
little Of ships or OF the sea Differed by
their fellows equally without experience
and perhaps chosen because of social and
financial considerations. is regarded as
little better than useless. Such drills
these inexperienced men would get IA a
naval reserve is characterized by some
naval officers being no better than cav
airy training for duty aboard ship
To Succeed Surgeon General Rixey.
Surgeon Charles r. Stokes of the navy.
who commanded the hospital ship Relief
on its cruise with the Atlantic fleet from
san Francisco to Manila. probably will
become surgeon general of the navy and
chief Of the bureau of medicine and
surgery. February ) next. on the expira-
ton of the second four-year term of
Surgeon Gen. Z. NJ. RiXey. Surgeon
Stokes is now on duty at the Naval
Medical School Hospital in this city. As
surgeon general he will have the rank
and pay of rear admiral DIR. Rixey has
the regular grade of medical director
with the relative rank of captain. and
will not reach the retiring age until
July. 1914. He may retire voluntarily,
however, before that date.
Marine Inspection Divisions.
In order to improve the inspection
service in the Marine Corps of the navy,
Assistant Secretary Winthrop. who has
supervision of that branch OF the sery-
ice has decided to establish four field
divisions of inspection instead of carry
ing on the entire work from Washing
ton. One division will comprise the ma
rine posts along the north Atlantic
with headquarters either at New York
or Philadelphia Another will comprise
the south Atlantic posts, with head
quarters at Norfolk, Va. \ third divi-
sion. with headquarters at San Fran
cisco, and comprising posts the Pa
cific coast and Hawaii. has already been
established, as well as fourth division
in the Philippines.