New-York tribune., 1905-04-21
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
IFRoN THE TRIBUNE BUREAU


Washington, April 20
LIVELY TINES AT NAVY YARDs.-The chief
constructor Of the navy has completed his plans
FOR repairing and overhauling the ships OF the
North Atlantic 1eet in need OF such attention be-
fore taking part in the army and navy exercises
in June and later when the ships assemble for the
winter cruise. Rear Admiral Capps has so ar
ranged this important work that there shall be nc
such congestion or demands navy yards as
heretofore. There timo when they found 1t
impossible to do the work assigned to them
promptly. and this was followed by a period when
the force was practically idle The repair Jobs have
10 their facilities and the character OF the NoIK
TO be done. in this way the Baltimore, the Couln-
Ihe n Po1tae 3 the Praie ana 56e Texas viii Be
sent TO the New-York yard The nett busiest yard
Ieonidas 40 me Hevada the Stewart the Atlanta and
the Truxtun have been assigned The WhIpple
the Castine al Portsmouth n. H The finishing
touches the vessels recently added to the naval
register are also TO be applied at tho NeT-York
Colorado the Pennsylvania. the West Virginia and
tho Maryland in turn, ana work on them VIII be
completed or June l. July l. July Is and August l.
respectively.
CHAFFEE ON INSPECTION TRIP-Lieutenant
General Chafee chief Of STAFF. left here to-day to
inspect military posts in the South and West. He
was accompanied By Quartermaster General Hum
phrey and Captain Grote HutcheSon, Of the Gen
eral Stan. and will be away about month.
NAVY TRANSPORTATION CONTRACTS.-The
Secretary OF the Navy has awarded contracts as
follows for the transportation OF sailors and ma
rines between Eastern ports and San Francisco:
Between New-York. Philadelphia, Washington and
Norfolk and Chicago. to the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railroad between Chicago and Omaha, 10 the Chi
cago, Milwaukee and ST. Paul and between Omaha
and San Francisco, TO the Union Pacific and South
ern Pacific. These contracts provide that the trip
between Norfolk and San Francisco shall be made
total per capita cost of Sl2 S2l s of which is rail-
cost from and 10 Nev11YoTk is 81 20 HIGHER per man
and from Philadelphia II is 81 higher for from
TO nine men and 81 72 higher in the case Of ten or
more men.
DEPOT RECRUITING sUCCEEDS.-The new
recruiting depot at Fort Socum. n. Y, IS
ported coming up to the expectations OF the
War Department officials who responsible for
its establishment, along with similar institutions
at Jefferson Barracks. No. and Columbus Bar
racks. Ohio. It is likely that the system will be
extended so TO include depot the Pacific
Coast. It IS reported by Inspector General Bur
ton who recently visited the three stations. that
the method Of acquiring and training recruits for
the military service destined TO produce
eellent results. He took occasion to talk with a
number OF the men. some forty at each depot TO
ascertain whether they were satisfied with the life,
whether they homesick whether they had
any complaints to make about food treatment,
and how they happened to enlist He found the
class or enlisted Of degree of intelligence
higher than that formerly observable among the
h S hc! as He beeFg SeT % P By
none the less good soldiers courag ageous and obedi-
spelling for a fight. The men had complaints
to make except in the case of two recruits at Fort
quality and that there was enough of it. but they
criticised the lack Of variety in the menu from
day TO day. OF course at the recruiting depot the
variety desired is not always possible but AT the
regular garrison this defect IS avoided by the use
Of extra funds available for the purchase Of deli
eacies' which give variety to the ration and its
product It is believed by the military authorities
that the recruits will prove of better quality and
ing they VIII receive at the depots before they go
10 the commands to which they will be assigned
acter OF the and their desire to enter into the
activities Of their careers. He found that many
vice Of friends and relatives who were serving
had served In the army.
JAPANESE MEDICAL EXANIPI.E-The reports
received from the military observers in Manchuria
have impressed our medical officers more than
ever with the necessity Of adding to the precau-
tions against disease among the troops in the field
The trouble about carrying out such plan is that
the system adopted cannot be carried out with the
personnel furnished, by Congress In the event of
war, the volunteer army would have to depend
upon volunteer surgeons, who have had no special
preparation for the work and the regular medical
officers would have all they could attend TO- with
o1t undertaking to look after the auxiliary force
1t is proposed. however to ascertain by what
mechanical means the hygienc conditions may be
improved. and TO this end a series of experiments
will be conducted with various devices for providing
pure water and for assuring other means Of pre-
serving the health Of the troops. 1t is planned to
have the quartermaster's department provide
portable sterilizer. which may be carried by two
men, and which viii lend itself readily to the
producing of pure water while in the field An
other device Is that which may be carried on a
wagon drawn by two horses and which will have
the capacity Of water enough to supply full regi
ment Rules have been adopted for the guidance
issued from the War Department in the form of
a so-called manual of the Medical Department,
he IN fivoa
py oooR OF lorhs' upon winch medical officers
may make their reports of cases. This book will
not be issued until there is occasion for its use in
sides, there are officers who say that the present
unouestioned value would be too much to impose
IN the way Of paper work upon busy medical Off
GERS IN uine OF war, either on the firing line
the base hospitals.
ORDERS IssUED.-The following army and
navy orders have been issued:
ARMY
Captain FRANK MINTYRE from general staff corps.
20 bureau OF insular affairs. War Department
Lieutenant Colonel GEORGE NJ DUNN Judge advocate
detailed member examining board at Fort Logan
"a Infantry. vice Captain Thomas H Wilson. % In
Captain HARRIS I; RoBERTs and Second Lieutenant
GEORGE ORC A WIEczoREK, "a Infantry before board
NAVY
Lieutenant 4 W. KINDS. to naval proving ground
Assi.tan, Surgeons W. D OWENS and R. B. CHAPMAN
detached naval hospital; Marc Island; g f. strife
detached naval hospital. NewYork; ali TO Asiao sta
Assistant Surgeons J. l. NELSON and F. NJ MUNsoN.
detached naval station Guam: home ana await or
Assistant Surgeon r. z sTooPs detached the Pensacola
Assistant Surgeon y. T srLEAN detached naval hos
pital Boston, 10 naval station. Guam.
Assistant Surgeon A. b. CLIFFORD detached navy yard
NeW-York; 10 naval hospital. Canacao
Assistant Il SMITH detached Naval Medical
SCHOOL washington; 10 laval hospitsl, Canacao