The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-13
USE OF MILITARY TELEGRAPH
NEW GENERAL ORDERS ISSUED
REGARDING THE LINES.
Press Correspondents In the Field to
Be Accorded Courtesies Subject to
Restrictions.

New York, Aug PA special to the
Tribune from Washington says: In
general orders issued from the head
quarters of the army a new code of
regulations governing the transmission
OF messages over military telegraph
lines and lines under military rule is
established. The regulations have been
devised by General Greedy, with the as
sistance OF Lieutenant Colonel Allen of
the signal corps. whose experience last
summer at Santiago and in Porto Rico
convinced him that systematic control
was essential TO the proper conduct of
the service lines. BY direction of the
secretary of war the rules were sub
ject to modification by the commanding
general of an army in the field, but no
other officer is permitted TO have any
discretion in obeying them. The rules
are as follows:
First-Dispatches will be sent in the
following order of priority due regard
being had to the Importance of mes
sageS in the same class. (a) Those re-
lating to the movement or admin;stra-
ton of the army in the field and the
navy; OBJ other messages relating to
the army. to the navy and to govern
mental departments or bureaus of the
| United States; tc) messages of state,
territorial or other civil officials re-
lating TO public business; Id messages
between diplomatic agents of neutral
governments; (e) press messages; 90
miscellaneous business, those relating
to death or serious illness having pri-
ority.
acknowledgements containing mat
ter deemed to be injurious to the in
tereSts of the army must be submitted
to the commanding general of the army
in, the field for his orders relative TO
their transmission.
Tnird-Officers and soldiers are strict
ly prohibited from communicating, eN-
cept to commanding officers or under
special authorize ton from proper mill
tary authority, information by tele-
graph relative to numbers, movements
or operations Of troops OK details re-
garding fortifications, ornaments or
experiments made in connection with
military matters. Neither shall they
be permitted to file dispatches contain
| ing opinions on military operations or
other military matters relating to any
part of the army or command with
which they are serving.
Fourth-Personal and press messages
may, under conditions not interfering
with military business, be transmitted
I free over field military telegraph lines
| that are closed to the general public.
Fifth-The use of any cipher is for
| hidden except in communication TO and
| from commanding officers and their SUI
periors. or in cases of civic officers spe-
cially authorized. Personal and press
| codes. however. may be utilized for the
economical transmission of dispatches
upon filing a copy of the code with the
| central office and. under SSch other reg
ulations as may be formulated by the
general commanding ans army in the
| field.
Sixth-The chief signal officer Of an
EalI nf q
/ district under military control. in car
rying out his general instructions, Will
| formulate necessary regulations for the
/ management and operation of military
/ telegraph lines under his control Gen
| eraI rules should be reduced to writing.
be clearly defined and impartially en-
| forced. -
| tarv operations will be received ana
! Transmitted over the flying telegraph
\ lines when filed by a correspondent IT
! the field who is furnished with writ
! ten permit to serve in such capacity.
1 Eighth-Press messages. when filed
on military flying telegraph lines, VIII
/ be transmitted in the order OF ming
| but no correspondent will be allowed 10
| monopolize the line. When special CIR
cIIu1stances demand. special regula-
| tions will be formulated. subject to the
! approval of the general commanding
/ the army in the field. to prevent mo-
nopolization.
| Ninth-Sisnal officers should afford
nress CORRESPONDENTS in the field the
| fullest Geographic facilities consistent
with The public interests.
/ Tenth-Unvarying courtesy ana strict
impartiality. Indispensable qualities Tor
| successful dealings with non-mllltary
! officials or individuals. are strictly en-
/ icined on officers and men of the signal
]