The Washington herald., 1917-07-22
Army and Navy News
COL. CHARLES MIX sALTzMAN.
Best Service Column In City.

NOLs thAHLES VIA SALILhAN.
Assistant to Chief signal officer.
Born in Iowa, October IS. 1871. and
appointed TO the Military Academy
from that State in 1892. Upon his
graduation in 1856 was appointed sec
ond lieutenant and assigned to the
Fifth Cavalry and served on the staff
OF Gen. Merriam, commander of the
Department Of Colorado. He was an
honor graduate from the Signal
School in 1906.
Maj. Gen. William C. Gorgas, Sur
geon General L. S. A. authorizes the
statement that in spite of the numer-
Gus responses to the call for surgeons
the Army Medical Corps has many
vacancies, both in the Reserve Corps
and in the regular service. Gen. Cor
gas urges upon the profession the
countrys need to fill these vacancies
in time to secure ample training in
the duties of the military surgeon and
sanitarian. Those entering the Re-
serve Corps serve for the war, while
those who go into the regular service
form n more permanent connection
with the army. Examinations for ad-
mission to the regular service are held
on the first Monday OF every month.
Applicants for commissions should ap-
Ply directly to the Surgeon General,
who will notify them of the conditions
and designate the places for conduct
ing examinations. Those who wish to
enter the Medical Officers Reserve
Corps should apply to the nearest ex-
amining board.
It is expected that the War Depart
ment will be ready to announce during
the coming week the names of the
candidates, about 600 in number. who
took the April examination for ap-
pOintment as provisional second
lieutenant of the army. 1t has not
yet been decided whether these Off
GERS. when they shall have been COM
missiOned. will be sent to Fort Leav-
enworth for a period of instruction
as in the case of those who have
qualified in previous examinations. 1t
is possible that 1t will be the first
of September before these candidates
have accepted their commissions, and
it may be considered desirable to
send them directly to organizations in
stead of to Fort Leavenworth, where
the second lieutenants who qualified
in the January examination have be-
gun the course of instruction. The
examination which begins on July 25
will include about 2,2OO candidates, and
in addition there will be about 900
candidates to be examined for phys
ical fitness and adaptability at the
training camps for reserve officers.
This will provide a list Of 4,7CO cam
didates to fill about 1000 vacancies
which will exist in the grade Of Sec
ond lieutenant after the commission
ing of the 500 candidates who took
the April examination. 1t is not ex-
pected, from present indications and
departmental intentions. to hold an
other competitive examination for ap-
pointment to the position of second
lieutenant in the army. 1t is proba
BILE that such vacancies as may exist
hereafter in the regular establishment
will be filled from the reservists who
qualify and by the promotion of en-
listed men.
The naval officials are completing the
designs for the next type of battle
snlps 10 he constructed Thee will
oe OF 10000 tons displacement, with
IOisepo"ST OF 0c,UUO. The armament
VIII consist of 16-inch guns, and the
engines will produce a speed of q
Knots. Special provision will be made
Tor protection against submarine at
tack. The decision of the naval au-
thorities in favor OF the enlarged
vessel Is founded on combined chara-
cteristic of increased hitting power and
increased resistance against any form
OF attack. There will be not only
protection by means of added armor.
but by virtue of internal construction.
There has been, of course, the usual
and natural difference of expert opin
ion as to the relative effectiveness Of a
battery composed Of 14-inch guns and
one consisting of the larger caliber
which has been adopted, the argu-
ment proceeding along familiar lines
with opportunities for interminable dis
cussion. 1t Is one of those questions
which are not likely to be finally
settled short of an actual ccrision
with the enemy at sea. There is
about an equal range of claims to
be made on both sides of the con-
troversy over the caliber of arma-
ment, but the conclusion of the Navy
Department in favor Of the l6-inch
gun Is regarded as wisely coming at
hast to the powerful battery afioat that
is essential for success in battle.
Ak