Evening star., 1895-10-24
TRIALS IN;'THE NAVY
Annual Report q ! Judge Advocate
General Lemly.
IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS MADE
Instruction in Military Law Should
Be Given at. the Academy.
THE OBSERVATORY LANDS

THE OBSERVATORY LANDS
In his annual report to the Secretary of
the Navy Judge Advocate General LemIy
says that a naval board is now preparing a
draft of maximum punishments that may
be imposed by court martial in cases where
the punishment is left to their discretion.
He strongly urges that the law be amended
so as to permit the use of dispositions be-
fore naval courts, as is the case in the
army; that the examination of officers for
retirement be confined to one board, in
stead of being divided between two, as at
present; that surgeons and engineers be
examined for promotion, as in the case of
line officers, and that courts martial be en-
powered to enforce the giving of testimony
in trials by civilian witnesses. He also sug
sests the adoption of the British admiralty
practice in a form that will permit the gov
errment to acquire the use Of any device
patented by naval officer upon terms to
he fixed by the Secretary of the Navy.
Chilean Indemnity Fund.
At the date of his last annual report the
" hole amount of the fund, $4,000 placed in
the hands Of the Secretary of the Navy by
the government of Chile to be paid to sea-
men Of the United States snip Baltimore
had been distributed, with the exception of
the sums of $1,000, to be paid to Joseph
Quigley. a:-d $40. to be paid to William H.
Nichols. these amounts having been with
held by the department because the two
men named had deserted from the naval
service Joseph Qugley having surrendered
himself at the navy yard. Mare Island, Cal.
ard having been tried and punished by i'm
ViSn ro.anf fny ha of
was, at the expiration of such imprison-
ment, paid the sum of 81 900 due him as his
Eroportionate share of the indemnity fund.
Nothing further has been done in the case
of William H. Nichols, who is still a de-
serter at large, and his share of the fund,
amounting to $500. is all that now remains.
Instruction In Military Law.
Attention is invited to the fact that the
course of study prescribed at the Naval
Academy does not include instruction in
| military law. Immediately upon being
graduated from the Naval Academy an
officer may be called upon at any time to
perform the duty of recorder of a sum-
| mary court-martial, and early in their
career all officers OF the navy are subject
to service as members or judge advocates of
general courts. Capt. Lemiy says they
ought not to be required to enter upon these
duties, which are important to individuals
and to the service at large. without pre-
liminary training. He suggests that brief
course in military law be added to the cur
riculum at the Naval Academy, in order
that Young officers may be acquainted with
! their duties in this respect.
The judge advocate general makes the
following report of the failure to sell the
government lands near the naval observa-
tory: 80
Naval Observatory Lands.
by the joint resolution to establish an
observatory circle as a provision for guard
| ing the delicate astronomical instruments
at the United States naval observatory
| against smoke or currents of heated air in
| tfeir re ghborhood and undue vibrations
fiom traffic upon the extension of public
| thoroushfares in the vicinity, and for other
purposes, approved August /. 1894. 1t was
| provided that no street, avenue or public
| thoroughfare in the neghborhood of the
| bui dngs erected upon the United States
naval OBJ ervatory grounds. Georgetown
| Heights, strict of Columbia. shall extend
| within the area of a circle described with
a radius of 1000 feet from the center OF
| the clock room at the observatory. The
| resolution further authorized the Secretary
of the Navy to grant the right of way
| for the extens on of Massachusetts avenue
| through the limits of the observatory
grounds. exterior to said circle: to sell
| certain portions of the observatory lands
| lying without the limits Of the circle. and
| to purchase. either directly or by condem-
|
parties lying within the limits of the circle
as established by the resolution.
| In pursuance of the provisions of this
resolution. the department. under date OF
| &C ober %. 1874 granted the right of way
| fer the extension Of Massachusetts avenue
through the observatory grounds. In fur
| ther compliance with the requirements OF
the act. board of three appraisers. con-
ssting of MIR. John w. Ross. president OF
the board of Commissioners of the District
| of Columbia; Capt. F. V. McNair. United
| S ates navy, and Mr.. Thomas E. Wagga-
| man, was appointed to determine and fix
| belonging to the government and lying out.
| side the limits of the circle should be sold
and in order that full opportunity to pur-
| CHASE sad lands might be afforded. it was
| determined to subdivide the larger trac,
into lots Of convenient size. and to Offer
tfem for sale. after public advertisement
purchasers being allowed, at their option
| to bid upon any one or more of the sub
| divisions. or upon the tracts in entirety
| One of the tracts to be sold. containing
| IA. acres, situated north and east of the
4-4.57 or fraction less than 221s cents pei
| So are foot. The other tract, fronting upor
| Mas achusetts avenue and abutting upor
| observatory circle on the west, containing
| 1.21S acres. was appraised at $lS.ot9. 63
Under provisions contained In the joint
| resolution. these lands could not be sold al
less than the appraised price Whethel
| because the apprafsement was deemed by
l
| cause the past year was an unfavorable
one in which to effect a sale of suburban
| real estate in Washington. no offers te
purchase the tracts in question at or above
the appraised price were received. The
sale was. therefore, not consummated, and
inasmueh it was provided In the join.
resolution that the purchase OF the lane
necessary to complete the government:
ownership of the observatory circle was te
| be made from the proceeds of the proposed
sale, such purchase was of course. not Ell
| fected.
1T being contemplated by the joint reso
luton that the preliminary. expenses nee
essarly to be incurred IN advertising etc.
of the sale, and no other provisions having
been made therefor such expenses re
main unpaid. and an estimate covering th'
amounts will be submitted to Congress a
its approaching session."
A kipling Story.
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