New-York tribune., 1905-08-07
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
TFRoM THE TRIBUNE BrREAU.1

Washington. August s,
ARMY RETRENCHMENT-In have
peen sent to General ]. F. Wade commanding the
Atlantic Division. and General F. D. Grant. com
mandlng the Department Of the East that no ath-
ietc meets will be held in the present fiscal year
IN that division and that department This is due
10 the fact that funds for army transportation
nave been reduced by 20 per cent. from S50Oo-oc0
TO $2meoc This is the first evidence Of the econ
oilly which is rendered necessary by the reduc
ion OF the appropriation. Other evidences will be
N the refusal to permit the usual transfer of
troops and to limit far as may he orders To Off
GERS which involve travel. The athletic meets have
Deen among the most interesting events in the SER
vice and enlisted men have taken the keenest in
bt tbejrt IN IN these contests, which are held irst at
are are sent to the department meet which furnishes
~ 1IIItestants for the division competition 1t
atnletcs TO have these graded contests and event
that the best nossba Army meet udud MaS
- IIt t'e arrangement and that the military es-
ance. ''
NAVAL TURBINE TEST-There will he
parative test of turbine and reciprocating engines
IN oo-foot steam launches. One of these boats,
equipped with the latter type of machinery is under
construction at Brooklyn. and another OF identical
dimensions will be built at the Portsmouth IN. HD
Navy Yard 1t has not been decided whether the
curtis or the Parsons type will be installed but
prooably the former mechanism will be used. 1t is
intended TO put these boats in service and closely
observe their performances with view to de-
terminng the relative advantages of turbine and
rec1procating engines is believed that much
aeSliape information of general character aPPli-
battleshps can be obtained from these trials under
to the benefits to be derived from turbine mechan-
ISM and it is expected that with the opportunities
bother the engineers will be settled to their salts
faction.
DESTROYED FLEET INTACT.-The naval tor
pedo boat destroyers are to be kept in hota
ganization as far possible This is following the
policy in favor of a homogeneous naval command
adopted by the general board of the navy and fol-
lowed out in the case of the battleships and the
cruisers. The destrOyers will be repaired and
hauled two at time that there will not be
general withdrawal from service Of those craft The
Stringham, recently accepted will be placed in
commission, and will take the place of one of the
The recommendation made by Chief Constructor
W. l. Capps is that of the eight torpedo boat de-
Norfolk and four to the League Island Navy Yard.
II is not planned to have any Of these sent to
IMPROVING THE FORTs-Work at army posts
has been authorized by the quartermaster general
and will be undertaken at once the local quarter
masters inviting bids and seeing that the contracts
which awarded carried out in accordance
with the approved project. The changes author
ized lately have included grading and constructing
roads and walks around the buildings at Fort
Hancock. New-Jersey; repairs to the wharf at Fort
Hamilton, NeW-GOrk. and the construction OF one
single barrack combined nuartermaster and
subsistence storehouse and repairs to the hospital
at Fort Dupont. Delaware.
CONTRACT FOR COALING PLANT.-After
delay of about two months devoted to the consider
alton of rival plans and bids, a NewYork firm has
received the for constructing the $150000
coalinE plant at New Orleans The bids
opened some time in the Bureau of Yards and
Docks, Navy Department. for the erection at Al
giers. La, where the New Orleans naval station is
ted ron i'm nj 'hp dpDa rtm
had general specifications. but bidders invited
10 furnish their details and it is the exam
ination of these bids which has taken much
time: The result is the acceptance of the bid of
the HOshor Platt Company. of No. 120 Liberty-st..
the amount of the proposal being $141.2t0 The
amount available for the Is S14S, 600 The
station Will be equipped with what is known as
the graphite bucket cOnveyer system.