The National tribune., 1896-10-01

6 WAOt1tNUxU1sS N O.p 1AUI
the number Of sentences 1870. and SO offenders
j against the pension laws were taken into
| custody. , tst
II am glad to stats that the rigorous meas.
ures instituted by my predecessor have appar-
| ently discouraged violators Of the pension laws
and rendered the business Of procuring frsudu-
lent pensions unsafe aud Improbable"
Commissioner Murphy commcnds the work
of the Special ExhmiHers, aud says that the
additional forco Of 150 should DO confirmed.
The cost OF this force during the year was
| S497,958. lie says the Pension building is at
present inadequate for the work. aud makes
| some suggestions relative to improvements
| He recommends an increase Of SIP per month
of pensions to survivors of the Mexican war.
and also recommends pensions to widows and
| soldiers who died from causes originating in
the service prior to March d, 1861. He recon-
mends the passage of the bill pending in Con-
gress for the codfcation of the pension laws.
| ARMY AND NAVY.
In the extensive preparations now being
| made for coast defenses tho dynamite gun will
not as yet play any important part, rs the ex-
| perts deem this instrument yet in an expert
| mental stage, and are not willing to lay out
large sums Of money for it until further trials
have been given at San Francisco. Submarine
mines. however, are to enter into the scheme
but ibis part OF the defenses will be most care
| fnlly guarded from public attention for fear
| that foreign Governments may learn the pro-
! posed location of the mines and torpedoes. It
is certain also, that the largest caliber Of rifles
| will compose part OF the armament at all tho
important cities, and that the 16-inch rifles will
in time be mounted at nearly all of them. In
carrying out the Notifications program the
War Department will not lose sight of tho i'm
portance of a number of the old snOoth-bore
guns as valuable pieces Of ordnance. aud which
could be depended upon to perform useful
service against any but armored ships. At
Fort Monroe there are perhaps 100 of these
guns mounted. all Of which can be rendered
available for service at small cost. Most Of
them are from eight to l6 inches in ealiber, and
can throw solid shot with destructive force
against tho sides of any vessel attempting to
pass Hampton Roads. There are any number of
such guns at other old forts which the autliori-
lies intend utilizing as part of the ordnance
for defense. although the modern high.powered
guns on disappearing carriages will be the main
reliance.
Lieut.. Lang, of the Army, who became con-
spicuouS sometime ago by marry ing the daugh-
ter of Commissary-S Sergeant at West Point
and got snubbed by all the swell Army ladies'
may after all be forced to retire from the Army
For several months he has been sick leave,
the understanding being that he is not in fit
condition to return to Ills regiment This
leave expired last week, and now the Lieuten-
ant has secured an extension Of six months OH
Surgeons certificate Of disability. At the end
OF this time if his condition has not improved
he will probably be retired. His troubles are
all said 10 have been duo to the treatment Of
himself and wife BY officers Rt Army posts.
The service IL said ever to have regarded as An
objectionable error his marriage to the daugh.
ter of an enlisted man, and has made him feel
it in divers ways.
Secretary Lamont has made an important
modification of his recent order in regard to
the transfer Of troops. AS now provided, the
9Th Art, at present distributed along the Pacific
Coast will relieve the TIC Art, distributed among
Northern posts in the Department Of the East
and the Department. of the Missouri, instead of
relieving the Sd Art, stationed nj South Atlantic
posts, as originally ordered. The LIST Art. will
garrison the post vacated by the Sd Art. at posts
on the Pacific Coast as originally ordered. One
of the two light batteries Of the 9th Art. will
take station at Fort Sheridan, Ill., and the other
at Fort Hamilton, N. Y, The light battery Of
the LIST Art, now 1T Fort Hamilton, will take
station at Washington Barracks, and the light
battery at Fort Sheridan will 20 to Fort Sam
Houston Tex. ii u
The United States has finally decided that
military and naval officers attaches of the lie.
cations here, shall not be- permitted to see every
new thing the genius aud SIX ill Of our own off,
GERS have evolved, which foreign nations might
want, unless the business can he made recipro-
cal. and the American officers at Paris, Berlin,
and London be allowed to exploit similar So
crets Of the Engineer and Ordnance Bureaus of
these countries.
An American naval officer was not permitted
TO be present at the late naval manuyers of
Germany fortnight ago. though he had been
personally invited by the Commander Of one of
the vessels taking part to be his guest. 1t came
to the knowledge of Prince Henry, Emperor
Williams brother. the real head of the German
navy, that this invitation had been issued. He
az once directed the officer to countermsnd it,
giving, as q reason, that certain naval expert |
ments aud tests were to be made that no for
eigner must be permitted to witness, and the
American did not witness them.
Hereafter foreign officers will not be permit.
ted to witness delicate experimental tests in
ordnance, or at the torpedo station; or, in fact
see or know anything belonging to the United
States solely in ordnance. gunnery, torpedoes
and their dcstroyers, and submarine mines
Particularly will the gentlemen not be permit
ted to know where the new rifed mortars, to
be used in defending New York Harbor. will |
he placed, nor anything Of the improvement
just completed and very important, and reIat-
ing to the use of dynamite in shells for heavy