New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-15
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
[FRoM TIE rRrnuNE nrREAu.l

Washington, December IL
NAVAL GENERAL sTAFF.-The scheme for a
General Staff for the navy has reached the stage
"here there is prospect that the draft of bill
providing for that feature Of naval administration
VIII De sent to Congress Two propositions be-
iote the department in a formal way. The author
OF one is Rear Admiral H. c. Taylor. chief of the
bureau Of Navigation, whose great ambition is
10 establish General Staff IN the navy. The other
is submitted by Rear Admiral Frederick Rodgers.
commandment of the New-York Navy Yard. The
'atler plan was submitted in a confidential way to
numerous naval officers for the purpose of obtain
4hs the views Of the service this proposition,
and these comments are sent the Navy Depart
ment along with the formal bill and graphic
pan OF the project. The main idea is an adapta-
uon expanded from the Admiralty Board of the
British service, The objection raised to the Rodg-
ers plan. as expressed the criticisms of officers
VINO have examined IL. is that it is complex
oeFSome and topheavy. 1t provides for a board
OF naval administration naval council, and
several subordinate committees, with the chance
that there viii be clash of authority, duplication
OF york and no special relief from the recognized
not 7is+L and those IN favor OF II say 1t does
moI disturb the integrity of the bureau system or
there will be difficulty in getting anv stan plan
through Congress. mainly because there is opPosi-
9on to the proposition of the board the part OF
senator Hale. chairman of the Naval Committee.
aad some Of the members, including Mr.. Dayton.
lion is oIlIllttel' oeC[etary Moody posi-
the General Staff idea, while Assistant Secretary
81 SP IN hf IN
aT cenn mat It W9d be Te be to "a mill
a feature are Sufficiently obtained by the present
Of departmental regulation and may be abandoned
by an order from the Secretary. It is said that
majority of the officers duty in Washing
ton do not favor the General Staff idea.
TORPEDO BOATS PROVE sEAwoRTHY-An
doubt that may have existed regarding the
wo-thiness of the first torpedo hotilla, destined
for the Asiatic Station, was removed to-day when
the Navy Department received the following
despatch from Captain c. J. Train. president Of
the Board of Inspection. which is accompanying
the feet to Key West, reporting the arrival Of
the hotla at Port Royal. S. c.:
First torpedo aotilla arrived 100 Encountered tered
Lookout; southeast gale with heavy sea. Vessels
easily maintained speed ten to twelve Knots
results Of trip conclqsiyey prove dotilia
worthy for cruise to Manila
ORDERS ISSUED-The following army and
navy arders have been issued:
ARMY.
Captain JOSEPH T. CRABBs euartermaster; to New
York City to 1 prepare Por pan Rise sof
NAVY.
to naval proving ground.
Lieutenant A KAUTz detached Constellation; to COM
Lieutenant A ST. 6. SMITH. detached naval proving
Lieutenant G. c DAWSON detached command reserve
torpedo hotilIa command torpedo destroyer Paul
Jones'
MOVEMENTS OF NAVAL VESSELS-The fol-
lowing movements of vessels have been reported to
the Navy Department:
ARRIVED
December 12-The Don Juan de Austria at Hong Kong;
the Whlppe at Hampton Roads.
December I3.-The Craven and the Mckee at New
York: the Prairie at Colon.
December 14-The Texas Newport News; the Justin
SAILED.
December 12-The Whipple from Norfolk for Hampton
Roads; the KearsarGe the Illinois, the Massachusetts
and the Alabama, from Guantanamo for Cu-ebra; the
Scorpion from Gauantamo for San Juan; the Craven
and the Mckee from Newport for New-Sork
December 13-The Culgoa from Colon for Culebra the
Newport from Santo Domingo City for San Juan; the
Osceola. Key West for Pensacola
December 1.-THE Texas. from Hampton Roads for New
News.
The cruiser squadron Of feet consisting
the New-Orleans, the Raleigh the Cincinnati. the
Albany. and the collier Pompey, passed Midway 18th
inst, bound for Honolulu.
The conmandant Of the Mare Island Navy Yard is
directed place the Manila IN commission under
the commanding officer of the receiving ship hide
pendence the tender for quarterlng Of prisoners