New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-05
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
SECRETARY HERBERTS PLAN FOR A
NAVAL RESERVE FLEET.
rup NEW TORPEDO BoATs-THE CASES OF or
F1CERs PHYSICALLY DIsABLED-THE
LAST NAVAL. REGISTER"


LAST NAVAL REGISTER"
tBY TELEGRAPH TO Thu rkIEuNEl
Washington July 4-Secretary Herbert is soon to
appont a board of naval officers to formulate
nlan re has had IN mind for time looking to
~. creation of naval reserve fleet. As at present
outlined. the project is to make a test OF each new
sh,p as she Is commissioned, select those most ex-
pensive to maintain and least efficient TOT cruising
PURPOSES put on board few officers ana small
crew and lay them up in fresh water. prooaoiy AZ
League Island, for a period. until an emergency
arises Annually according to the plan, or as mucn
of,ener as may be deemed advisable. the reserve
sh,ps would be put in commission for short service
TO test their machinery. battery. etc some Oh .he
vessels would be employed to take the naVa initia
gu, for summer cruises. Thus they could Do 'r'eo
ma the necessity for diverng the SHIPS OF ITO 'esu
lar feet from their usual duties wouio DC zone away
with.
The BOARD 70 be appointed will act under special
orders of Secretary Herbert 1t will fix the force OF
men to be maintained on the ships or the reserve
fleet 1t is expected that on eacn Vessei 'nere WI"
be a lieutenant an officer OF the engineer corps
few machnists perhaps dozen hremen. quarter
master. a boatswain's mate and limited number OF
-.i,ors The purpose Is TO sufficient force on
the ships TO get up at short intervals ana 10
work the machinery to make sure that the Vessei ~
IN readiness for a call.
In a general way this is the plan Followed Dy 'he
,can officers to the old system of leaving vessels
entirely without men when they are put out OF COM
mission after cruise Under the present methoo IN
this country It takes about month 10 get s"'P
that IS out Of commission ready Tor furtner SCI
,,ssr tho proposed system she would be practcaiiy
reaav at all times 1t will be necessary 10 NJ her
Gov cruise only to send additional officers and men
an hoard and ammunition. supplies and stores Inc
o..,, showing made by England In getting 10
retber a flying squadron when there was livery 'a'h
.hout the condition OF affairs In South AFRICA was
a valuable object lesson to the ohclas Oh 'ne 80
Denartment The ease and rapid1ty win which INC
sh,rs were made ready for distant service attracted
,a,.orehla comment from Secretary Heroert IL 10
ia and impressed him with the pracucai I'M
,or+ance Of keeping the vessels OF this country "
condition promptly TO be called upon IN Case VI
emergency .A N.,-v
Conoress II, the new appropriation for the Navy
nrovkded for the construction Of three torpeuoo"'
20 cost in all not over $SOoco' ana TOT l'o @o
,,on Of not moro than ten other torpedo-Doats Win
,o,el cost limit OF $4,000. The contracts LOT .n0
construction of these boats must be made on OF oe
fore October s. 1896. The three boats nrs, '''e'
are to have a speed Of thirty KNOTS al hou' ~
FOR these boats have been invited py the oeeie'
the Navy upon plans 10 be submitted py '''' JILL
tncud,ng the engines The contract price Is " III
clu1e the boats complete in all respects o~0''"o
.o 800. an,, ordnance outfit OF al kinds.
o,o4,,ire tho necessary dimensions OF rapiu-io
six-pounier and one-pounder guns anu WI .
charges together with weights and sizes OF aii'i"'
ton cases bidder IS urlfa1npereo an eSo .,i III
t,c,,,.r and to his judgment and designing sNii' -
,a,, m. manning of these craft There VII. DC '"'
coming towers one forward ana one AT. 40 ~
venienf pos.tons, and ACCOMMODATIONS WIN "
i'd, FOR four commissioned officers and an aue-
ouate crew. The boats Will be Hsh'eu W
but there win be search.ignts' r
-. 80. number size and speed OF the smaher
~. 80 not being fixed in the act of Congress 'e De
r4meut viii. entertain bids for boats OF '"o -
rate types provided always that the 'o'a' eoS -
hats including ordnance supplied py the "o'.-
-, docs not exceed $4,000. Type No requires
an averase speed of not .ess than twenty ni'o'''
in,a,red foo. two consecutive hours. They WIZ
rove two coming towers or sighting hooos p'aoeu
In convenient places forward ana art INC ~
hoard forward IS 10 be not less thah louT iee' "
,nchs-. and accommodations must be proVioco i0i
ewo officers and adequate crew The coal capao''S
,,ust he at east sixteen tons The following ai-
nroximate dimensions are given: Length on loau-
line lL6 feet; beam on load-llne. lz1s ieet' '
draught AZ feet. dsplaco ment about os TONS I'M
Gated horsepower. about $50; speed per h0ur' ~
knots: armament. single deck torpedo guns oi'e
pounde- rapid-fre gun, automobile 'orpeNoS,
i.1 rounis one-pounder ammunition III the speeu
a. bcow 20 knots hour and exceeus -
knc:s the boat will be accepted at reuuceH -
If below that. acceptance at lower price VIA ~ ~
'ne , a. No reau!res ar average speed OF 22la
knots an hour. 10 be maintained LOT =. IVA S,oon
.a"n;,ve hours The following approximate oitnen men
ions are gwen Length on load line l4o feeI; oe cam
Oh load line. Az feet mean dnasated HORSEPOWER
- shout zoo: speed an hour, 22ls knots Arma-
Mcri three singe-deck torpedo guns thIee s or.
r"nnisr rapd-fre guns; four automobile toipeuoes.
kso rounds one-pounder ammunition II me % Soa,
attain speed Of 2s knots se , s below hat the
boat may. al the discretion of the Department 10
or accepted at an Army Board
" 10 be organized by Secretary Lamont 10 tohS T
the cases Of officers recently or fprher active
aeryIce The Board will meet at chicago pro1a aoi
" Yen dass sen,or member of the board. There may
be another general officer detailed TO tns guy, p0
D Dnu nnder consideration at the war Department
som. Of the officers whose win be ccnsid
cred BY the Soone Bradford ith Infantry
Major Reyes. Sd cavalry; Major Darlington nS t Th
Leutenant oyster. LIST Artillery Acting Upon mev tne
!.cOmmendation in the fas mo 1 has Ordered that
"T The mIdsummer Naval Register, corrected up
IN June 20 is ready for distribution IL SHOWS tnal
Sine JaSnary there have been forty resigna-
ions thirty retrements and twenty Baown Com
nosiore Miller. Captain Howison, Commander Bar,
clay, Lieutenant, Commander Iiiey' rnsign Tar
box are now the seniors in their respeclye sTaaes
in the line. The cadets who n@Ve sone9 ensgns
Melville J Shaw appointed secono lleut Ia5
n the Marine Corps RPS senior In the medical director
other seniors in their grades are Medlca19 an
spec;or McMurtrie, Surgeon Nelson rass Ssryeon
sistant Surgeon Edgar and Assistant surg ,
Lewis. There have been no changes IN we th"aii;
Construction and Civil Engineer corps III E Ie
year just closed The senior officer OF the Eng me-
Corps is Chief Engineer W. w. DUNCAN, SUE on CO.
ing Chief Engineer G.. +. Kuts who retreu ." az
count OF age June IA. $3.50 ~, ,o,
The revlsed Naval Regulations. wnich WIZ 81
make their Appearance VIII con, 1tr,a nrohib,ns
officers OF the Navy influencing legislation: me
general subject has been under considerauon r Ds
Secretary Herbert for come time. When the &c
cent Board consisting of Captain Lemy neu ua,s
ordered 10 convene Mr.. Herbert directed that the
members should take the matter into a1c9 Siis
The regulations drawn up by the Board ii0s"
Id by