Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-05-26
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.
Interesting Items About Work Of the
Nations Defenders.

Nations Defenders.
The army and navy marksmen
and those of the Marine Corps.
Military Academy and Naval Acaf-
emy are taking keen interest in the
national match which will be Eeld at
Sea Girt in August. 1t will be the
largest affair of the kind ever held in
the country, and will be attended by
the members of the House and Senate
Military committees. President Roose-
welt is also expected to be present on
one day. proba bly, wien the final shoot
ing is done. Some forty states. includ-
ing New York, Of course. have signite
their intention Of sending teams. The
Adjutant General at Albany has been
advised that the New York marksnler
should arrive at Sea Girt on August
10. to have at least three days prelim-
mary practice before the match. The
President takes lively interest in th's
match. ard 1t is expected that he VIII
give his approval next year to the rec
cmmendation likely to be made by the
War Departemnt that hereafter the
government stand the expense of send
ing the state teams to Sea Girt, or
"hSItNSI tic 10 ~ NJ ~
timated that the cost of doing this
would amount to $4,000. and the off,
GERS who are interested in shooting say
it would be about as good an invest
nent as the government could max" IN
it's encouragement of workmanship IN
this country.
An appropriate monument to tn"
Of IL, ,sv1,, v<hnT1Qg W2rO
Jr. and William EDWARD Traylor Neu-
mann has been erected i'm the cemetery
at the Naval Academy, Annapolis. II
will be recalled that the young ofhcers
were victims Of the deplorable accident
on the battleship Missouri on April 10,
1904. Midshipman Neumanr was en-
gagged to Midshipman Wards slster,
Miss Katherine Ward. and the monu-
ment was erected jointly by BIigadier
General Thomas Ward. U. S. O., re-
tired, and Mrs. Paul Neumann. mother
Of Midshipman Neumann. The mcru.
mcnt is inscribed:
KILLED in the discharge of their duty
on board the United States battleship
Missouri during practice on Pensacola
Bay, April 49, 1904"
There is a great rivalry between the
vii eless telegraph companies which
have contracts with the Navy Depart
rent. All of them. excepting the Mar
conf company. have been permitted to
Install their systems on shiphOard or at
the shore stations. The Maryland and
the Pennsylvania are equipped with
the Shoemaker system. the lllinc.S and
the Alabama are fitted with the Fes-
sendcn system, and the West Virginia
and the Colorado are equipped with
the De Forrest system. The Tcle-
funken system will be installed at the
New Orleans station to communicate
with a ship at sea. and the Massey
system will be placed on three shore
stations for 4 similar purpose. In each
case the contract calls for communi-
cation of $50 miles. The best recor'!
in this respect has been accomplished
by the West Virginia and the Colorad'.
the messages being exchanged for a
distance of 1856 miles. The wireless
rivals are confident they will be able to
meet the departmental requirements.
The Marccni people are still holding
out for the exclusive arrangements.
which they claim 20 have made with
tine English and Italian governments.
The result is that the Navy Depart
ment has made no arrangement with
that company, as it has adopted the
policy that better results are destined
to be deprived from rivalry such as
that which requires specified dis
tance in tfe exchange of messages. II
is realized by the experts t'at the
wireless means of communication has
its limitations. and It is felt that aS
soon as possible there should be some
governmental control Of the systems.
The Navy Department officials are
anxious to have an International cou-
Sress on that subject. but it is under
stood that this is out Of the question
urtil after the Russo Japanese war is
over.
The naval constructors are naturally
elated over the admirable showing
which is made by the Connecticut.
building at the navy yard at New York.
as compared with the Louisiana under
contract at Newport News. 1t is foun
that the Connecticut is steadily gain
ing on the Louisiana. with the advan-
tage that probably the former vessel
will be ready for trial or ready to go
into commission some weeks o. pcssi-
bly, a few months ahead of the Louisi
ana. This will be accomplished be-
ausc Of the fact that on the Connecti-
cut the naval constructors are able to
judge best what is needed in the COM
pie ton ot the vessel In the case of a
ship built under contract there are
many questions coming up all the tire |
between the builders and the govern |
ment. These questions must he St
tied by tedious correspondence, and |
they serve in the settlement to delay |
the completion Of the vessel in way
which will warrant it's acceptance by |
the Navy Department. In the case of |
4 vessel built at government yard in |
charge Of the naval constructors. 1t is |
known without need of reference nj
questions to Wasl lington just what |
must go into the vessel. In this re-
spect a large amount of the work has |
been done on the Connecticut which |
to be done on the Louisiana,
and it is this element which will prob |
ably enter into the contest 10 the adj |
of the Connecticut in the end |