New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-28
ARMY AND NAVY. NEWS.
ITAox TIE TRIBUNE BUREAU


Washington. March q.
GENERAL sTERNBERG OPPOSED. - The
friends Of General @. II. Stsrnoerg. formerly the
surgeon general OF the army. and now a brigaeisr
general the retired list. do not take kindly TO
the report from the War Department against the
promotion Of that officer to the grade Of major
general bill 70 this effect was introduced n
Congress last session. and It IS again presented
this year. In due course the measure reached the
department FOR remark and landed IN the Genera
Stan. From that body II with the indorse-
ment OF General G. L. Gillespie, formerly chief OF
engineers. and recently promoted 20 the grade o.
major general That officer called attention 20 the
wording Of the bill 10 which he took objections on
the ground that It special legislation Of per-
sonal character. and should not be enacted into
law. Secretary Taft took this view OF the bill and
s5seisI wrong bv ne fsii,jT az the President to
make him major general before he went on ne
achievement Of General sterG6Srg BUT his military
work was not OF sufficient Importance. il was held.
10 Justify a conspicuous departure from the ordi-
nary rule OF the government
CONTRACT IN JEoPARDY-rhs contractors
who have been dragging along with the work OF
building b,g drydock at the Mare Island Navy
Yard have been threatened with the loss OF that
contract A recommendation 70 that effect has been
made 70 the Navy Department by the chief OF the
bureau OF yards and docks. based the reports
received from the civil engineer in charge OF the
dock construction Mare Island. For months
the contra have been engaged in controversies
with the Washington authorities. ana the ms
fortunes which have attended the builders have de-
layed the work until II Is now about two years be
hndhand- They were told some time ago That they
in danger OF losing their contract. In WIich
event the government will either relet the work to
another bidder or do the dock construction by
hired labor. Either method means a Craft upon
the contractors for the difference IN their original
contract price and the final actual cost OF the worS
no small item in most cases. The builders OK the
Mare Island dock forfeited a contract for a dock
at League Island. Penn. about year ago on &c
count OF their failure to do the work TO the satls-
faction OF the Navy Department. Aside from the
annoyance resulting from the change In contract
Ors, the government is seriously hampered BY the
lack Of adequate docking facilities on the Pacific
Coast and the present delay at Marc Island does
not improve the situation.
CLERKS ABROAD-The War Department has
transmitted to the Philippines the regulation OF
the Civil Service Commission relating to the cleri-
cal force employed abroad. II IS provided that
employees Of this class shall receive 20 per cent
extra pay while on foreign service. and shall be
allowed transportation and expenses from their
stations IN the United States their stations IN
426 OF these clerks, OF whom 50l are employed
under army quartermaste It IS proposed under
these regulations for clerks IN the United states
exchange positions from time 20 ums with
clerks IN the Philippines.