Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-26
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Plans for a Military Reserve
Approved.


men composed of former soldiers, who are
to be rated according to demonstrated fit
ness as rifemen, with three grades Of pay
It has been figured out that the cost of
the reserve force viii be about 3 per cent
of the cost of the present military estab-
lishment and stating the case in a different
way, that the reserves may be maintained
| for about seven years at no greater ex-
pense than would attend the raising, organ
iSation and equipment of a like force in
time of war, with no mention of the at
;endant risks of such a hap-hazard method.
These statistics have been put In the
form of memorandum, submitted to the
Secretary of War. and will be part OF the
departmental Endorsement of the project
The measure is regarded by military au-
thorities one of the most important which
will be sent by the department to Congress
during the coming year.
Scheme of Coast Defenses.
The joint army and navy board appointed
by the President to revise the Endicott
scheme of coast defenses 10 meet modern
conditions will probably have it's report
ready to submit to Congress at the coming
session. The board has had several mees-
| dngs in this city ana committees have per-
sonally inspected exposed points the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
report of the board there is reason to be-
leve that 1t has been found practicable to
reduce the original estimates by several
millions of dollars and achieve the same
results of defense against any enemy from
the sea as was contemplated by the Endi-
colt board of twenty years or more ago.
The principal subject recently under dis
cussion was in relation to the submarine
boat as part of the coast defenses Ar
tillery officers will not admit that the sub
marine boat be successfully employed
as substitute for submarine mining
There will always be employment of the
latter method for harbor defense under any
conditions, and that is the more certain
when 1t is considered that the chief of ar
tillery has devised an elaborate scheme for
maintaining corps of submarine miners,
while school Is in existence at Fort Tot
ten, N Y, for the instruction and training
of officers and men in laying mines and
operating them. The submarine boat will,
however. have a prominent place in the
plans of the new coast defense project.
That much has been decided. 1t will be
used in defense of the coast forts and along
the shore on the approach Of an enemy.
1t is still a question whether the SUBJ
marine thus engaged becomes a part of the
army or the navy, each service being In
position to claim the right of operation.
Gasoline Launches in the Navy.
The officials of the Navy Department are
considering a proposition to have the gaso-
line launch take the place of the steam
launch in naval operations. The main OBJ
| lection to the gasoline launch is the alleged
difficulty Of carrying sufficient fuel on board
without danger It is said that the new
British battleship Drea dnaught Is provided
| with gasoline launches. and that a gasoline
barge will be placed on the collier Glacier
/ for use during her cruise from Chesapeake
| bay to the Philippines with the towing ex-
| petition in charge of the big dry dock
| Dewey. The result of these experiments
| will determine the further use of gasoline
| power craft in the navy.
| Improvements at Arlington.
| Mr.. Levitt of New York, landscape
| gardener, has been recently in confer
| ence with Secretary Taft and the officers
| OF the Quartermaster' department in
gard to project for the general improve
ment of the grounds of the Arlington
| national cemetery. An elaborate plan has
| been under consideration for some time
| and its general features have the approval
| of the quartermaster general and the Sec
| rotary of War. 1t will be impossible, of
| course. to carry out the contemplated i'm
proyements within year, but it Is desired
| to have definite project outlined in detail
| by an expert before entering actively upon
| the work
| Retirement of Maj. Randolph.
| The retirement by the President of Maj.
Benjamin II. Randolph, Artillery Corps,
I has been announced at the War Depart
| ment Maj Randolph was found by an
| army retiring board incapacitated for
| further active service on account of dis
| ability incident thereto. He Is native Of
Rhode Island and was appointed to the
| Military Academy from that state in July
| 1866. Upon his graduation in June, 1870,
| he was commissioned a second lieutenant
| in the Sd Artillery and was gradually
! promoted until he reached his present rank
of major of artillery in September. 1901
He is also graduate of the Artillery
School of the class of 1875.
Bluejackets Complimented.
The ambition OF the Navy Department is
to have the American bluejacket a model
of propriety when In foreign ports, hence
it has received with qualification, special
report from. Chaplain Bellows of the cruiser
Minneapolis in regard to the conduct Of
forty-slx United States sailors from that
ship who paid a special visit to the pope
at Rome and to Naples and Genoa in
October last. 'At Rome says Chaplain
Bellows I'VE were presented at the Vati-
can October 20, and had audience of
considerable length with the pope. The
latter received very cordially in the
Consistory Hall, or Hall of the Cardinals,
and after address of welcome, presented
each man with a small silver medal bear
ing his own efflgy, and finally dismissed us
with his blessing. This reception was
much appreciated by our men, especially
by those among them who were Roman
Catholics. / cannot commend too highly
the department of each and ALL upon this
occa sion, as throughout our entire absence
from the ship every man conducted him
self in such a manner as to bestow honor
upon the country whose uniform he wore,
upon himself, and upon myself, who was
Justly proud of each and all of them" The
report was endorsed as follows by Rear
Admiral Chester: THE excellent conduct
of the crew of the Minneapolis on this and
every occasion when visiting different ports
of Europe during the past cruise has de-
served the highest commendation.
An officer in Trouble.
It having been reported to the War De-
partment that First Lieut.. Richard w.
Buchanan, 23d Infantry, has been misbe-
having himself to the extent of violating the
regulations of the army, an order was is
sued yesterday. relieving him from further
duty on recruiting service at Columbus
Barricks Ohio and directing him to pro-
coed in arrest to Madison Barracks, N. Y.
where he will report In person to the COM
manding officer o fthe 23d Infantry. 1t is
understood that he will be court-martialed.
Lieut.. Herring Acquitted.