New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-08
ARMY AND NAVY Ne WIS.
TO CONCENTRATE AT COVER,
NOR'S ISLAND.
PLANS FOR THE NEW BATTLESfIPs AND TOR
pEDo BoArs-sOME DEPARTURES FROM
FORMER DEsIGNs-A NEW SMOKE

| tBy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiBuNE.l
| Washington April Undressing gossip relating
to certain posts and officers under coihhahu Oh ten
! eral Miles is heard in inner military circles mere
The talk is to the effect that TWO GarrisohS near
! Network CITY are to be augmented and made
stratcgically more important. ana mat" against HIS
wishes. two members of General Miess personal
staff will DO relieved and sent II their regiments
! The proposed changes respecting the posts are
thought by Army officers TO be advisable Tor many
reasons. and il is expected that they VIII shortly
| be directed. Relative changes in General Miess
staff officers speak with noticeable hesitation ana
II Is apparent that Secretary Lamont and the com
mander o: the Department Of the East DO not agree
on the subject According 10 the story Governors
Island. the present headquarters OF the department
of the East. to become large infantry garrison
and the artillery force Davids Island Is 20 be In
creased by two batteries Governors Island now
has infantry detachment, comprising Companies
b. ID and + of the 18th Regiment The troops are
Quartered in Fort Columbus, and small sub-post
Wood under command OF Leutenant-Colone
Dangerfeld Parker. Fort Niagara is regimen'a
headquarters. and three companies of the regiment
are on duty there Two other companies are at
Fort Porter. The gossip is that headquarters OF the
regiment. with Colonel \. T. Smith. staff and band
Will be moved to Fort Columbus. also two or three
companies. one report has 1t ina all OF the "Ght
companies will go TO Governors Island and that
attachments Of other regiments Will be sent TO
garrison Niagara and Porter. II is said that the
object OF the change is to have near New-Nork
larger body Of infantry. which can be drawn upon
in of strikes other disorders in which Ma
tonal interests at stake. Foot troops 1t is
said by Army officers. the most useful on such
service, they in Of war. If the pro
gralnue as talked Of carried about 800 in
fan;rymen viii be in position from which
they can be thrown into any quarter of New-York
in hour two.
Involved in the proposition Is the transfer to
New-York Of the headquarters Of the Department
of the East. Presumably General Niles and His
staff would have their offices the Army Building
in the city. There seems to be fixed plan re
spectng increase Of the garrison at Davds
Island. officers WHO spoke OF the proposed changes
to-day said that the important step 20 be taken now
to arrange for big infantry force on Gov
ernor's Island. aud 10 transfer department head
quarters 10 the city, and that afterward Davds
Island could be given attention The two officers
on General Miess staff concerning whom there Is
gossip are Captains HucSins and Mans. They have
been absent from their regiments FOR several years
and under Secretary Lannon'S rule that officers
shall not be detached for more than four years
they should rejon their companies. Captains Hug
gins and Mans particularly intelligent and
Jealous officers. and owing to thor excellent quail
fcatons General Miles wishes 20 retain their ser
vices. II reports trustworthy Secretary Lamont
has already directed tho two officers rejoin their
regiments and General Miles is seeking TO have the
order revoked 1t is said that there is 10 lite Of
fetal friction in the case. No one seems 10 know
what the outcome will be.
Satisfactory progr SIS is being MADE toward
definite conclusions respecting the general features
Of the newly authorized battcships. gunboats and
torpedo boats Special attention IS being given TO
the plans Of the bat;esh.ps and Secretary Herbert
Is In frequent consultation with his expert advisers
In connection with designs which have been pre-
pared by the Bureau OF Construction. The latest
plans submitted 70 the Secretary. which VIII prob
ably be adopted without material changes. differ
In number OF essentials from those heretofore
described II has been SAID that the coming battle
ships will resemble the Indiana class. This is true
In general way only FOR IN The latest designs
there are a number Of Important departures pro-
posed. The new vessels viii be much longer AMI
broader and have "A greater displacement than tho
Indiana: their batteries NIL be more powerful; tho
side armor viii be thinner but more generally dis
;ributei: their tuirct armor VIII be thicker In
places and in the location OF tho Snch gun turres
a decided Innovation is contemplated Tho Indiana
IS 24S zee, long. 60 feet inches broad ana draws
q fee, Of water She carries four l-lnch. cigh' =
f. n ana four 6-!uca guns as a main battery Her
side armOr is eighteen Inches thick ana only covers
the v!tais Of the ship Hoy heaviest trrets are hf
teen inches thick AMI her s-incn ,Irrcts are bat
six inches thick. IN" S-nch turrcts are situated
ou,boatl. TWO forward ana TWO aft The latest de-
,ns FOR ships cali for length Of s5' feet
beam OF - fee; ana a mean Graugat Of @ii2 feet
making the vessels - zee, longer ami feet broader
than The Indiana. Tho dr1ught j. s.N ncn,s '"sS-
There is but one scrou. difference Of opinion
among the advisers q secretary lirt"cft co9.ris
the new sliD ami 'nai relates 10 tte ~" 81 llr ns
| guns which they - carry. 'h"i Constr i.,oF
li.chb'rn ta"s ,tt I--1i,in ia, yn1tch for a.
most any arInOr ahOat ami tA".r employment "y"'
Tain sampson contends. however. that Is-.rch guns
are necessary 20 max" the shis no' ""| =" i
,yaich ihcv NAV engage. II is settled mat ~" YES,
s ,ll carry four big guns f. turrets. two forward
being whether the guns VIII be Finch or l"-'h'H III
M 5ss been decided TIA, four s-.nch rifles VIII be
! I'm the main battery. IA" ch'f departure ' iDr ,
5H to he fest Of tn battery The ne" yc.scis
VII eafh i haEr *, four 5ncn rc Of the orli
! nary type thus greatly incrcls'ng thc" . IN -
! irm,r the side pa ics OF the now ships VII haFr
maximum thickness Of ,n iisIn r6ie armor is 70
be farrit ,nrId and af Forward he plates vi
ihough' important nat TINS p4t' o Di a,''icr,Ies In
IRWIN The arror higher up the intention Is 10
oNorI protection the 5-incn gum. 1 ~ ,I1n
W. nc Indiana class The thinnest plates WI ts
the casemae armor wncn Is I o. ,n trrets Viii be
nches thick or Two inches tl ncbns
The snch gun turrets VIII be Ten incheS ''''"' -
foer th CHEZ departure from The indlanss GS
sign s stated in the ioGn nr,ong Construction
nn Of ,hcgc turrets Is placed on Gacm o ,pu'
SO TO s6 Ss @f '4G @ondons
,han four o. the guns can be hro9sna 10 % Gore
49, Iirerion In the now designs pe'oi, ,.od
9arv Herbert two OF these tuircts arc 10 ." SoIrd
on me centre line. sOmcwha, and1 , nh o1n fur
/ On m 80 boov and thirteen men gun ~ -
pcts and two 10 be located OH ,it - six
a,,iisbIn line This arrangement VIII PlI.' 80 -
CO no guns being trained ior"aI" d","tm W a,.b,
In cher words in GaScinciit ~ nogc of the
~ - can be employed than IN the ca ~, - t'
rdt,,,s Massachusetts,. oregon or Io"i III ,'a
is very great. therefore. in inc VIZ" 3nmiLrr nov
/ - 81. dfsrhargDd al an enemy -f"V,..'' t,,
St,,e ~ The proposed vessels ~ an hcir1e vi,
Lea foo in The frccboard forward ne aPri , M'
| w. ,oen knots one knot greater IMAM ILL.,
~ the Indiana ana the same as thi' % cnt in fc.
81 p,c'iacrment VIII be 100 tons y nc III IV
,i"tto,' - Tho battcships not genera =, 800
10, ~, ,boir construction cannot De DrShiI - @
! IL tbat i'I, m,birb tncv were authorized appro-
J Inc agt ~ money and as contractors wound not
+ Iii"''" ,,,ud ibcnn vihOut the promise OF pay