New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-05
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
IRON THE TRIBUNE BUREAU


set at rest his disposition toward important dis
cusson in which all the leading officers of the navy
are most deeply concerned. The most important
passage in the document. far as the commits
stoned personnel is affected in that which deals
with navy yard administration, bureau consolida-
ton and the creation of general STAFF. There IS
an impression that the agitation in favor of gen
eral staff, so ably led by Rear Admiral Taylor, Is
really for the purpose of having the existing gen
eral board legalz5d, that its functions may be
made definite and enlarged. Mr.. Moody does not
satisfy service curiosity in the matter, however
as 10 his personal views the subject he lInpAes
recournerSi,,a - S2t,-ras- q coveir5ara ZION of the
project There is feeling however, that the intro
ninistration will jeopardze the relations between
Ie Inc and the staff corps and will excite the sus
pclon and Jealousy Of the bureau chiefs, although
staff does not cortempIaie anv encroachment on
OF the naval bureaus With this state Of mind in
Moody which would allay this apprehension. That
oicaI says nothing on one side or the other. how
THE BIGGEST FLEET.-Some fifty ships will
assemble in the largest fleet formation in the his
tory Of the navy at Pensacola in March, to hold
the first record target practice of the service.
several months ago gunnery experts in the navy
conceived the idea Of establishing uniform syJ-
TEN Of gunhery. The methods of drilling marks
men were made identical all ships at all the
stations, and it arranged that bronze trophies,
OF suitable design and substantial value, should
sven 10 me three dIIeTent cases OF SLti1rs
i5dfeu IN me meet competition. In4s Seaf me- ~
WI be three of these record hrlngs-one tor ne
Bay; another for the vessels of the Pacific SQUAD
IG a. a Place yet TO De designate' ana lr te W. W.
or another Gulf port. There was consldera95le
but e aer 6arbo4 offered the 6est advantages
The records of firing the Asiatc and Pacific
about the same time and will enable a comparison
There three prizes for as many classes into
which naval vessels divided for the purpose OF
the torpedo boats another Of the vessels carrying
guns of finch caIibre and under, and the third Of
those ships which carry guns OF 5-lnch caloTe ana
The ships at Pensacola will be under the
command of Rear Admiral A s. Barker. and, for
the time being VIII be considered as of the North
Atlantic fleet, although in reality there will be
and European squadrons. with these vessels will
not t ake s1 baT III the the comPeoG By that time the
manouvres viii have been completed, The pro
as Ie eAee- 4 on i 4 l. nm y 90 Nd re
viii attend the manpuvres in the Caribbean Sea
and observe the eyouuons of the ships.
ARMY UNIFORMS-It was not long ago that
officers of the infantry branch of the army
put TO extra expense in changing the stripes
on the trousers from blue to white. This in
obedience TO a general demand among infantry
officers for the abandonment of the light blue,
which refused to retain its shade and not in
artistic harmony with the darker blue of the gar
uent on which it was worn. The blue OF the
shoulder strap retained. the blue lin
OF Ine I5I caPe "A Gnange IN t ne
put individual oficers Now it appears that the
cape lining may be changed. after all although
this is not likely to be done for some time, be-
themselves with their capes, and any alteration of
ms soFt T6u!o come as haT9slp on the younger
Overcoat which, for some officers. should last
Soon begrimed and IS apt to present dsrepGiabie
appearance long before it need be discarded on az
ROM of Re "a
not down It Is question Of perpetual discussion
book it becomes most vital matter
GENERAL DAVIS OFFENDED. - General
George W. Davis, who has returned from
Manila, a tour of duty there commanding
general OF the Division of the Philippines, is not
inclined view with unbounded approval the crti-
cism which it is disclosed. was Of himself by
the quarermaster general in the latters annual re-
port. That officer. General Humphrey, served Tor
some time as chief quartermaster at Manila, and
had much do with the army transport service.
After he came to Washington General Humphrey
in his first report head of the quartermasters
department, replied in spirited way TO AN official
report" in which reference he said, was made to
the army transport service "a most costly
luxury" General Humphrey submitted hgures ana
be visited on the Recommendations provided for the
con1fort If enlisted men who were Obliged TO make
long sea trip: General Humphrey believes IN the
continuance OF the army transport service as a
valuable and economical convenience, and ne also
and men and their families who are Obliged to
travel by sea He does not think the soldiers should
weeks. Considerable interest attaches to these ref
erences and this defence Of the transport service
and much curiosity was aroused by General Hum
phrey's aIusions his critic. General Davis, whose
annual report did not become public until after
General Huphreys report was printed General raj
pressons OF the candor Of General Humphrey.
BIDS FOR BIG SHIPs.-Bids will be opened in
three or four weeks for the construction OF two
I3O00-ton battleships for the navy Much interest
attaches TO the incident showing the condition
prevailing in the shipbuding industry of the
try Among the firms which have far siSnifed
their intention of bidding this work the
Union Iron Works. of San Francisco: Moran Broth
receiver OF The United states shipbuildins Company
the New-York shipb1ilding Company, the Newport
News Shpbuilding Company. the Bath (Me) Iron
Works and the Maryland Steel Company.
BIG DOCK AT BROOKLYN-Bids Will shortly be
invited by the Navy Department for the construc-
ton of big concrete craving drydock the Brook
Iyn Navy Yard. Plans for the structure have been
prepared in the Bureau OF Yards and Docks, and
it is estimated the dock viii cost $l0000o0- The
dock will be located between the present structures
known as Nos l and 2. and will be nearly as large
as dock No 8 The new dock will be so feet long
on the floor and so feet long on the coping level
The width the entrance VIII be 80 feet and the
floor will be Of equal width The draught at mean
high water will be 81 feet. While the dock IS not
50 large as No. s. 1t will be OF sufficient capacity
to accommodate the largest naval vessels. Only
one request has been received so far for plans and
Ko6gers. OF New-York, VINO is now building the
drvdock at the Norfolk Navy Yard; The Navy
Tanarfu1ent has had much trouble with the builders
Of these structures. At League Island 1t mad 70 De
taken from The contractor ana me "oTH re-
A. Mare Island. Cal. and it was recommended more
buiIder has made no progress in the mean urle,
having been seriously HANDICAPPED Py successive
accidents At Boston and Portsmouth there nave
beeu less important delays The dock TO be pul!t