New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-21
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
Trnox The TRIBUNE BUREAU

nary attaches the tests now in progress
at Newport, r. l. TO determine the relative values
OF rival types Of submarine torpedo boats The
trials come at critical time in the career OF the
two firms which are engaged in this form OF ship
construction. since the results are likely to in
huence the department in its recommendations re-
Earding and the committee OF Congress for, pro-
vision for submarines. There Is stil some doubt In
the service Of the necessity Of further construction
OF this kind The conservative officers believe that
there should be full demonstration OF the SUD-
marines now built before additional ships are au-
thorized and contracted for. The tests now under
way provide for speed trials at the maximum rate.
with the vessel operated at light condition awash
condition and submerged condition. the latter at
suflcient depth for than three feet OF the
mast 10 project above the surface. An important
SaLare OF the test Will be that to show the ule re
CURED by each vessel to discharge the full number
Pe1pes carried, announcer 10 sLQM vi ~
acuon when running actually submerged and
listed men destined for duty on this craft-another
ial to dernonstrate the Availability Of the vessel
" requiring the entire crew TO remain on board
-wentE-four hours during which tune the vessel sli
not be completed for another week, and they are
expected TO show to the satisfaction OF the de-
partnent authorities whether or not the vessels
can fulfil all the requirements of submarine war
submarine is trustworthy weapon II may oe
necessary to change some Of the details OF the
have been working for some years at Newport, and
more recently to less extent in the general board
! IN Washington
TORPEDO TUBES While consideration is be-
board on construction is still wrestling with the
question Of submerged torpedo tubes. Some off,
GERS think that this type Of naval ordnance car
RED by battleship will answer all the purposes
Of the submarine toat without the attendant pT
vations and risks Of the latter. A few years ago
every officer who had the matter Under considera-
ton expressed himself against the use Of sub
marine torpedoes generally on the ground that
they introduced an element of ianger on board
the overcrowded war vessel. Now only one off,
Ger Of the board, chief Of ordnance is holding
out against the installation OF the tubes. while a
subordinate officer of the bureau. L4eutenant F H.
has introduced arguments which have brought
al a., others IN authority SF91na TO nus view Of the
lation naval strategy has been subject Of
has gone to the otRer extreme in the mats By
recommending that all vessels in the navy. includ-
ing cruisers and even scouting ships. shall be
equipped with torpedo tubes, regardless OF the
Leet IN ofoer 10 accommodate the paraphernaLa-
middle course will probably be selected by the
the torpedo expert Of the bureau Of ordnance.
has urged the department not TO adopt the whole
question seems destined TO be settled By placing
and the largest scouts
SUBMARINE DUTY AND ITS EFFECT-one
Of the questions which has come up in connection
with submarines and submarine weapons Is the
effect this type of armament viii have or the
listed force. 1t is reckoned that with every add
uonal hazardous factor IN naval life there must be
Gus. adventurous reckless, according to the de-
gree Of risk imposed. It is likely that officers and
men for submarines must be obtained from v0lun-
teers. Just how this will ultimately affect recruit
ing cannot be foreseen but naval officers say there
never has been difficulty in obtaining men for the
most hazardous undertakings. It is not the risks
incurred, they say, so much as the humdrun eie-
ment Of life On board ship which makes it difficult
obtain and difficult to keep men in the ser
vice. The assertions have decreased recently, put
il is by certain that this crsaitable sta
tistical record viii be maintained. and the naval
subjects Of recruiting and desertions Nest Of the
naval surgeons. for instance. point out with much
have the ply sique to stand the hardships Of Ger
I-+{- % orc 49, eboSy,ia he inetruSfsd to give
special consideration to this feature he says there
an idea that any healthy man can I'LL the billet;
This officer says mat CARVING o1raeh o. f tS
four hours in great heat, as is the case with men
cular development and a sturdy frame.
"ROoKERIEs" OF THE NAvY.-Another medi-
cal officer, Surgeon L W Curtis. who is attached
TO the Buffalo in a report 70 the surgeon general
Of the navy, undertakes to show that hygenic con-
ditions on board ship disastrous for the men,
and constitute a cause Of desertion. He says:
The health statistics presented by this ship would
listed men Of the navy far from an average
in large measure prevenfabie one Of the prin-
cipaI objects OF criticism is the receiving ships
points the rook5rieH Of the navy They have de-
cined to the status Of prison houses, or. perhaps
longer The life OF a sailor is a healthy one when
IS 909 m S@ On I the sea ana the same at
the navy yards under repairs are very differently
pany clean under the most favorable condition re-
quires strenuous effort, and embraces no small
il becomes necessary to visit the yard for repairs
enSe of vessels in coumission-aH efforts fail and
the ships company falls into condition Of squalid
dirtiness which breeds discomfort disease and de-
morazation, 50 far as The economy OF the snip Is
concerned. These conditions are IN measure
mind that the modern navy Is recruited almost
exclusively from class radic4ny dlj1erent from no
seasoned physique and tough morale whose endur-
ance was great, has been replaced by a type much
more yielding.
Dr.. Curtis points out that one OF the elements
on shipboard is an efficient operation of the sys-
ten OF forced ventilation. without which a ship
clnoS 1e inns 6f the ship He suggests as an
aid 70 cortentment and health that when a ship
comes to a navy yard for repairs the ships COM
pany be removed
DEVILS IN SAMOA.-Aaother medical officer OF
the navy Passed Assistant Surgeon Raymond
smear who is attached 10 our naval station at
Tituila. has sent 10 Washington some interesting
facts relating 10 the Samoans with whom he has
come in contact as a physician He finds them not
willing patients. lie says;
The most serious disease among the samoans
has been pneumonia. which has been cutie preva-
lent The SamOans very superstiJiOus and
Nom Almost every old woman and man has
sure cure for driving out these devils THIS IS
internal administration and external application
OF various decocuons made from leaves. If a cure
.-ss The traders sell the natives a patent
- KILLER v-hieh can be used internally as a
medicine and externally as a Imminent This reCi-
cine IS very highly thought of and the natives
Sometimes they name ther children after it. The
cry being that he must move about to regain