No. 144.

ADJUTANT GENERAL'S Office,

Washington, November 7, 1901.

By direction of the Acting Secretary of War, paragraphs 100 and 110 of the Regulations of 1901 are amended to read as follows:

100. The post noncommissioned staff consists of ordnance, post commissary, post quartermaster, and electrician sergeants. They are appointed by the Secretary of War, after due examination, as follows: Ordnance sergeants from sergeants of the line who have served at least eight years in the Army, including four years as noncommissioned officers, and who are less than 45 years of age; post commissary sergeants from sergeants of the line who have served five years in the Army, including three years as noncommissioned officers; post quartermaster sergeants from sergeants of the line who have served four years in the Army; electrician sergeants from the Army or civil life and must be at the time of appointinent unmarried, under 30 years of age, and of good character.

110. The men selected for appointment as electrician sergeants must not only have the requisite technical ability, but should, as a rule, be trained soldiers of good habits, and have some knowlege of property responsibility. Applications of enlisted men for appointment as electrician sergeants will be forwarded through military channels to the commanding officer of the School of Submarine Defense, Fort Totten, New York. An applicant will not be recommended by his commanding officer unless he has at least one year to serve, or has signified his intention to reenlist, and has sought for a year or more to become practically familiar with one or more classes of electrical machinery, or with some portion of elementary literature on electricity, and satisfies his immediate commander that he possesses sufficient capacity to successfully pursue a practical course of instruction in electricity. On the receipt of his application, if duly approved, the commanding officer of the school will have a set of examination papers sent the commanding officer of the station at which the applicant may be, which after their completion will be returned direct.

These questions shall be prepared under the

direction of the school board and shall be of such scope as to develop the applicant's probable fitness to undergo that preliminary training necessary to qualify him for appointment as electrician sergeant. Should the applicant successfully pass this preliminary examination he will be ordered to the school to follow the prescribed course of instruction in the next class for not to exceed six months, at the expiration of which he will be examined, when he must demonstrate his proficiency in the care and use of the various electrical apparatus and appurtenances used in seacoast fortifications. On the recommendation of the officer in charge of instruction of enlisted men at the school the applicant shall receive a certificate of proficiency from the commandant, who will report his name to the Adjutant General of the Army for appointment as electrician sergeant. Applicants who fail to qualify at the expiration of six months will be returned to their stations and shall not be permitted to undergo a second preliminary examination until after the expiration of six months unless recommended by the commandant of the school.

Applicants from civil life shall apply to the commanding officer of the School of Submarine Defense for examination. Should they successfully pass the preliminary examination they may be enlisted as privates of the Artillery Corps, and shall be subject to the same requirements as applicants from the Army, except that should they not successfully pass the final examination they will have the option of being immediately honorably discharged from the service or of continuing their enlistments.

Electrician sergeants now in service shall be required to take the course of instruction at the School of Submarine Defense and if they fail to pass the examination shall be reexamined within six months, if they so desire, and upon final failure shall not be eligible to reenlistment in the grade of electrician sergeant; but if their character and previous service are deemed specially meritorious they may be transferred to the line or to the corps from which they were appointed or discharged the service, as the Secretary of War may direct.

BY COMMAND OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL MILES:

THOMAS WARD, Acting Adjutant General.

No. 145.

ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE.

Washington, November 8, 1901.

The following regulations governing the School of Submarine Defense, Fort Totten, New York, are published for the information and guidance of all concerned:

1. The School of Submarine Defense will embrace a course of instruction for officers and enlisted men, and shall consist of a commandant, an adjutant, and such instructors, officers, noncommissioned officers, and troops as may be assigned to it for duty by orders from Headquarters of the Army.

2. The general administration of the school and courses of instruction shall be intrusted to a school board, which shall consist of the commandant as president and the instructors as members, and shall meet at least once a week during school sessions, and at such other times as the commandant may deem advisable. The school board will arrange the program of instruction as to subjects and allotment of time, and will prescribe the character and scope of the examinations for proficiency of students, provided that no action of the board which affects the regulations of the school, or a course of instruction, shall be final until approved by the Commanding General of the Army.

3. There will be courses of instruction for officers and for enlisted men, including electrician sergeants and candidates for that position. The head of each department of instruction shall conduct the work of his own course.

Instructors and student officers shall be exempt from all ordinary garrison routine, including courts-martial, boards of survey, and such drills as are not included in the courses of instruction. Enlisted men assigned for instruction at the school shall be excused from routine garrison duties.

4. The adjutant of the school shall be ex officio secretary of the school board and as such shall keep a detailed record of its proceedings.

5. The commandant and instructors shall constitute a board to be known as the Torpedo Board, to which may be referred

from time to time all subjects pertaining to submarine mining, and coast defense in general, upon which the Commanding General of the Army may desire its opinions and recommendations. The adjutant of the school will act as recorder of the Torpedo Board and will keep separate records of its proceedings.

6. The method of procedure followed by military boards shall govern in the meetings of the school and torpedo boards and a majority of either board shall constitute a quorum.

7. No action affecting a department of instruction shall be taken by the school board unless the head of the department affected shall have an opportunity to present his views in regard thereto either in person or in writing.

8. Instructors will be respected and obeyed as such whether junior or senior to the officers under instruction.

9. The course of instruction for officers shall be for a period of one year and will be made to the greatest extent possible a thoroughly practical one. Student officers will report to the commandant on the 15th day of October of each year, and the course of study for officers will commence on the 1st day of November, or as soon thereafter as practicable.

10. The course of instruction for officers will be divided into departments as follows:

(a) Electricity, mines, and mechanism.

(b) Chemistry and explosives.

(c) Such special subjects as may be recommended by the school board and approved by the Command. ing General of the Army.

11. The method of instruction of officers in the several departments will be by a course of reading, by lectures, and by practical demonstrations in the use of machines, instruments, and apparatus.

12. Officers under instruction may be required to prepare papers on stated subjects and to demonstrate at any time their knowledge of the course passed over, and their ability to care for, operate, handle, and use any of the machines and electrical appurtenances of seacoast fortifications.

13. A stated number of hours for investigation in reading, the practical manipulation of machines, instruments, and apparatus will be prescribed for each department by the school board, and a certificate from an officer that he has actually