New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-02

struction and other officers at the yard Is the
possible abandonment OF the project OF trlal OF
the elliptical turret plates intended for the iowa
Illinois and other heavy Satte-ships., me eH-
pense or taking a section OF forwari turret 10
the Indian Head proving grounds and subJectng
1t to a balllstc test In which the thrteeh-ihch
peacemaker" would be called into pay woun
hardly be made up for by the possible results
Plans for a new turret are now being made by
Naval Constructor Stahl. and the present sys-
TEN or lifting armor plates to SHIPS VIII prooaoy
not be departed from.
1t is expected now that the Raleigh and At
lanta will be present at the opening OF the Har-
lem Ship Canal. and possibly take part IN the
procession through tn" new waterway -
The Navy Department returns from the militia
battalions Of the several States nave Just been
made public. and show that the total strength
o. the sea militia is 1892 officers ana men, WIN
the Massachusetts corps in the lead with ~ or
hcers and 400 men. and New York second with "a
officers and 3S1 men. California IL mira on 'he
list with % officers and BIB men, followed d!
North Carolina with q officers and 2o4 men. New
Jersey with officers and PIG men: Illinois. Il
officers. 2l1 men, Michigan. ID officers. h' men
Maryland. Il officers, ia men; PENNSYLVANIA "a
officers 1G7 men: South Carolina. u officers. loo
men: Rhode Island. officers. 100 men, Connect
cut. officers. Il men. and Georgia oiiCers' io-
men. No arrangements have yet Deen mace as 10
the distribution of the ships OF the Northern
squadron among the several States for militia
purposes but 1t is probable that as many az
can be spared will be devoted 10 that du'E WIFI
in a short time.
The question Of the availability Of the Baltic
canal brings up the plan now under considera-
tion by Russia for the construction OF canal 10
connect Baltic ports with thos' Of the Crimea.
The cost is estimated at about i2O.0OO0oo. and the
canal would begin at Riga. follow the Dwha
and further the Beresna end the Dni"p"r en-
tering the Black Sea at Cherson The canal would
be about 900 miles long with depth OF tnirty
feet a width of 230 feet. and AT speed OF SIX
knots a vessel would make the passage IN about
six DAYS II is proposed to Hight the canal with
electricity and TO connect the towns In lis nelSn-
borhood by smaller canals This big dtch. II II
Is dug will ho Of as much importance 10 North
ern Europe as the KEEL Canal the strength Of
which as a factor In poss,hl" naval campaign
in Northern Europe with a Russian-French-) Dan
ish alliance opposed by an Engllsh-Gernan-Swc-
dish alliance was brought out In paper ny COM
mandcr Flaoh, Of the Swedish Navy before the
War College at Newport during It's last session
The case Of Rear-Admiral Meade Is stu aus
ing considerable comment. and the suggestion
made in The Tribune last Sunday relative 20 the
possible action Of Congressman Boutene in the
matter has brought out an interesting precedent.
where on change cf Administration a r"buke
administered to an officer was reversed ana me
sentence Of the court-martial set aside. The case
was that of Second Assistant Engineer George
F. Sawyer. who In october. 1867. was lounu
guilty by a general court-martal at Portsmouth
of using language disrespectful TO the President
of the United states In that on September II.
1867 on board the United states steamship EHer-
aid then at Portsmouth, sawyer. in IN" presence
Of officers of the Navy and others. declared 'nat
the President had violated his pledges 10 the
peOplc and ought to be impeached. ii" was sen
fenced 10 be suspended from rank and duty for
one year on waiting orders pay, and 10 be pun
licly reprimandcd. which sentence secretary
Gideon Wcles approved ana indorssu WIN " re-
buke The sentence was enforced by lreslu'ht
Johnson General Grant was inaugura'"d on
March l. 1863 and on March IL his Secretary OF
the Navy A. r T.. BOric. issued the Following
general order: The sentence Of naval court
martial I'm the case Of Second Assistant Engineer
George f. Sawyer of tho United states Navy
who was convicted October D lSo'. etc Is her"pS
revoked. there being insufficient evidence on rec
ord TO sustain the finding Of the court. So much
Of the pay rs has been stopped against second
Assistant Engince- sawyer by the above SEN
tence will be restored 10 him IL may De tnd'
history Will repeat itself
Among the orders issued last week were Inc lol-
lowing: Rear-Admral Pierce Crosby (retired', per
mission granted 10 go abroad. Lieutenant \ /.
Nihlack recently flag Lieutenant TO Rear-AH-
mral Meade on the New-York. has been ordered
to duty in connection with the Once OF Assistant
Secretary McAdOo. in charge OF naval HhIi"a
matters relieving Lieutenant w. II. Schu"tH'.
Passed Assistant EngineerH T. Cleaver ORDERED 10
the Alert. and sailed on steamer leaIinR :N""-
York May 81. Medical Directors g. = f"a'd'l'E
BENJAMIN H. Kidder and W *. Reypen ordered
before a board 20 examine medical officers Tor
promotion Medical Director y. L. Bates Mc"'-
cal Inspector J. NJ. Flint and Passed Assistant
Surgeon j. d. Gatewood detailed as board !"
revise the book Of instruction for medical o'icFrs
Lieutenant Commander W. T. Swinburn. Lieu
tenant j. A. Norris. Lieutenant -. w. cofiman
Ensign r. II. Durrell Passed Assistant Ehgih'"'
f. W bartlett and Assistant Engineer II. -,
Stickney. detached from the Naval Acau''',, ~
croft. $3.50, .,o,
The Secretary Of the Navy having decided tha'
the recent act OF Congress authorizing the aP-
pointment 10 the Engineer Corps of graduates 81
the Naval Academy for whom there "er" 10
places in the line. the Engineer Corps ana me
Marine Corps Is permanent not temporary IN
effect provision Will be made Tor al oi me
graduates who this year complete tn" SIX years
course This will be welcome news - nuinb"r
Of the cadets for whom the prospects SNORT
time ago looked gloomy. II is rather carry 10 say
how many vacancies there Will be in any "i 'h'
corps but II is said at the Navy Department
that the number Of vacancies In the line may De
increased by the retirement OF captains - Name
and Robson and Commander leyerman
Preparations will begin this month for me en-
,s,rncnt OF the additional number Of men Tor inc
Navy authorized by the last Congress. All OF
the | 900 will not be enlisted at Once" bu' the
number REQUIRED to man several SHIPS no" "l-
nroaching completion will be enlisted The crews
Tor the Maine and Texas are likely to be the hrst
secured. - ,
After active and honorable service. In war ana
mace covering a period OF thirty min" Years
Medical Director Richard C. Dean. OF the Navy
was placed on the retired list on Monday asst
Ills retirement will promote Medical inspector
Thonas G. Walton, Surgeon VI. G. brennan and
passed Assistant Surgeon ID. NJ. Guiteras