New-York tribune., 1905-08-05
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
IFRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAu.1

crait anoat and to that end Secretary Bonaparte
VIII ask Congress to change the law enacted at the
iast session providing for two battleshps so as
70 enable the designers of these ships who are now
at work on the preliminary plans to increase the
uispiacement from 5000 tons to 1900 tons II is
found that it will be impossible to take care of a
main battery of 10-inch or l2-nch guns as is nro
posed for the battleships on displa cement OF
oy loooo tons The additional 1000 tons of displace
ihelt would enable the designers TO provide an arm
alii' "hlch would make the ships equal or superior
10 any now being built abroad 1t is not considered
advisable to have 1l-inch guns in nIaca q, 1oincn
suns lor' while there would be a saving in weight
.ne substitution would require an entirely new
ype Oh naval ordnance, and this is something which
to have the ships ready foT saryce Is seTepa
NsYy are pending before the experts of
bbents b OF turrets which will provide as heavy a
guns which may be fred brosdsid S am nune1 81
bT So proposed is nine. and this to be secured
f p ana two turrets in the after part Of the ship
rets to be incosd III the double arrangemen of tur
oFFshuy art of the forward barbette on each side
3iGse 3t Lhese guns would be OF 12-nch cabre In the
be sIipb+a anseIIeht or turrets. one turret would
have have unrestricted FIRE This would enable the S Ship
WIN WIN the ten guns TO concentrate a broadside at
tack tack Of nine guns But this could not be done
ships and IL S ing the displacement of the new
'ne designers of the new battleships
WIRELESS SYSTEMS IMPERFECT.-The re-
OF the Brooklyn by the experts who observed the
eiatve values of six systems wireless teleg
l@phy VIII not be made public, despite the great
oesre to that end of people who are interested
J IN the rival methods of communication. The Navy
department does not propose to lend itself to any
scheme for advertising one system as compared
with another. especially when the report is candid
great difference in the systems which were cornpet
mEeE E tried on the voyage of the Brooklyn but the
Ior the reason that there a lack of opportunity
sions, the atmospheric conditions were not con-
queIHe t 10 coinmunicat ton The best results were
There was nothing remarkable in the long distance
message sending and taking
PREPARING FOR THE WO1-NDED-7. :,
Planned to remodel all the naval hospitals along
the coast. excepting those which comparatively
new such as that at Brooklyn. Some of these
hospitals are old and sadly in need Of repairs and
improvements notable case is at Norfolk Va
"hich Is one of the busiest hospitals in the coun-
Try and where the accommodations do not begin
10 meet the demands upon it. The surgeon gen
eral OF the navy intends to increase the capacity
Of the hospital so as TO accommodate two hundred
and Fifty patients at all times. and arrange the
of - 80 @ that {ney may be increased in time
emergency the naval hospital at Norfolk would
would be taken. and it is deemed necessary by the
naval surgeons that there shall be nothing lacking
~, tie means OF taxing care OF those who are dis
plated at other points such as at Pensacoa FIa
patients likely TO be sent in time of war Esti-
in the session OF Congress covering this item
of expense which is deemed in the nature of a ne
cessity.
LIGHTNING STRUCK wIRELESS-For some
time there has been a question among the naval
wireless experts in regard to the greater danger
which might be in the wireless stations account
of lightning This danger anticipated and
provision made means of protection. It does
not. however. to have been entirely satisfac-
station at Guantanamo Cuba, to the effect that
the station had been struck by lightning. For
time it looked interesting for the observers that
doomed TO total destruction When the shock was
Ree Wrombt bv the M, holt Neyartbeless fb peo
pie on duty there have promptly filed a requisi-
full if any are sent TO Guantanamo however. for
the reason that it is believed the ordinary precau
lightning Details are lacking in the report from
CIa1taSsnoo ard - fs not eLno1Tn vrbeIber tba
usual means of protection were taken. If they
done to keep the wireless telegraph stations from
being struck by lightning.
TO INSPECT COAST DEFENsES.-The Joint
army and navy board appointed by the President
to consider the necessity for revising the plans of
the Endicott board for the defense of the coasts
of the United States has appointed a subcommittee
TO visit the principal seapors and inspect the fort
fcations established under construction The
subcommittee will meet in Boston Monday.
The Boston meeting is for the purpose of visiting
the defensive works in that harbor, and these
officers will afterward make inspection at Port
land. Me. Later in the year some of the COM
mittee will make inspections at San Francisco, San
Diego and other Pacific Coast ports The sub-coH-
mittee consists of Major General J. p. Story,
tired; General Alexander Mackenzie chief of n
gineers: General William Crozier. chief of ord
nance; General A. ". Greedy, chief signal officer;
General Samuel NJ: Mills, chief of artillery; Major
George W. Coethals corps of engineers, all of the
army, and Captain Charles S. Perry. of the navy.
NEW sHoRE DUTY RTLE~The Navy Depart
ment has deveop9d a policy by which shore duty
of enlisted will be reserved for those who have
served efficiently at for considerable periods.
strict requirements are DeS enforced as 10 sea ser
vice as a CONDITION Tor pronouoh. ana careIGl su-
pervsiOn is being made 10 see that no enlisted man
shall avoid his proper proportionate tour OF duty
afOat The policy is being well established that IN
order to become eligible for of the available !
assignments on shore man must have we, served ItS
creditable record
ORDERS IssUED.-The following army and navy /
orders have been issued:
ARMY.
member examining board Fort Ieavenworth vice
Captain David Baker, assistant surgeon
Contract Surgeon WILLIAM :. GEORGE. from New
York to Fort Monroe
Captain LESTER ". CORNISH. 9th Cavalry. detailed j
Major DANIEL. A FREDERICK. military secretary. from
Philippines san Francisco
First Lieutenant CARL c. JONES 7th Iafantry. to Fort
Wayne
First Lieutenant JAMES O. ROSS 18th Cavalry, having
found by retiring board Tor active
fstrsmeaa fstEiSG 2q Is s's29@ snnounaed S5 ''''' ~
tain cHARLEs 5. WALLACE. signal corps. to trans
WAITER n64 B0wpaM 6s6ye % v5s IafaFiT Fst
I.ieutenan: Joseph c, Kay. I'd Infantry
First Lieutenant ROBERT w. REYNoLDs. Sd Cavalry
I Lieutenant Coone JAMES s PETIT military secre-