New-York tribune., 1905-01-17
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
IrRom TUE TRIBUNE nuREAu.l

work The errer Will be corrected in Senate in
a way which win be a shock to the retired officers
The amendment will probably be more far-reachlng
in extent and apply TO ell retired officers above the
grade OF major who are on active outy ot any 49,
S-s-Sers 81 The ORIGINAL clause. There has been
much doubt the wisdom OF employing @ aS ~
The grace of major and below It IS posSlIiIs6 the
raay Be assigned but in the case of other officers,
who are likely to be much oder on account account ,P o.
TO perform Tie duty without interruption 4eusen- 4e
am General Niles wao s Is 0 on nompensatfon from
the state so as to make up any Loss tireS ne on
OF 5unor grade
CAPTAIN SMITHS RETTRENENT.-Captain J.
A B. Smith OF the navy, who was an officer in the
late engineer corps ana who is In charge OF 's
department OF steam engineering at the New oIA
Navy Yard win reach the age Of retirement lh
March. Els service in the Civil War VIII enuue
him TO promotion 10 the grade Of rear admiral lie
has applied 10 be continued on active duty and II
IS probable that his wishes viii be honereo oy Io ~.
detail him 70 duty with his retired rank, which IS
efass in which CAPACITY he would be senior most
OF the other officers on duty there y Is pIoposeS
that be VIII continue TO discharge practically the
same duties on which he is now engaged
NAVAL, PAY QUESTION ACUTE--Ths COM
r1issoned personnel OF the navy is welanigh de-
moFaliged By the agitation over the change IN lhe
nav There haYe been daily hearings al the cap
this week before the HOUSE -Ndfdl SSAA44AAe~s
when there appeared Captain William Swift ana
Paynaster Samuel MCGOWAN. who have composed
a special committee designated by Mr. Moody
-aEfsrH ~ living every laval ohicer pay.
The great diinculty is IN adjusting me pay tole 80
as place oricers on an equal iootlhs Ane % So,
eTal proposition is to transfer % the navy iie p1y
table Of me army ms %0ulp ne o eb5pIains much
higher pay, on the average. than they are now
neers materially ths difference between the aver aver
age yearly income Of cyll engineer al49 eIlat @
arsr- heir q
who are thus adversely affected or those VINO are re
moi se5sd Ss pan Of Tn t6e navy the pay table
OF the army, ana there Is IN coIlsequehce o4 S re
project much dissatisfaction ana adAlTtS. I;S bave
members Of the naval committees say taeg 1 naae
not had ia Ions time suca oSsS S'as MSeA' shaE Ak
the wives OF Coneressnen ma thehselees .ae
ing hands with many naval callers on thelr GAYS:
ever the naval people and the Congressman come IN
contact is greater than ever before IN NO ,I1 sGSh
COMMITTEES 50 TAR the naval personnel Is con- con-
OF the officers
ARMY AFFAIRS IN THE PHILIPPINES
The War Department has been informed by General
II C Corbin commanding the Philippine division,
that there Is great need Of reform In the methoos
OF administration and In the conditions existing IN
Manila He finds that there is an inequality IN the
pay OF civilian employees in Manila and elsewhere
IN the islands and he proposes TO have ful! IN
Vestigauon into the situation. so that those VINO
are underpaid may receive the compensation 70
which they are entitled. and the others VINO are
overpaid may be reduced in salary IL Is imagined
sIs5 as -stsc csse @ ,I-ch contteTnation There are
,SITee-o,1s abuses which have grown up by reason
OF the many changes in the officers in command
and those in Immediate supervision Of the work:
General Corbin says also there is need OF siIlct
inquiry into the system OF transportation on land
recton may be lessened and the means improved.
There are many delays in the delivery Of supplies
and in the travel OF people from one point to an
other and the cost Is much greater than General
ne eon5Uct OF staff CORPS duty al Manila and the
posed have a board ascertain Just how many
ing upon the various corps and whether there can
he reduction n The number OF those 9Ilcers al9
capacity and the character Of the work performed
the existing depots and garrisons in the islands
and find out II there be a reduction In the high
rentals which are now paid by the government
PACIFIC COAST YARDS DEFTCIENT-It
would not be surprising TO naval officers TO have
the Navy Department recommend the constrUc-
ton OF one naval collier under contract. instead
OF at the Mare Island or Puget Sound navy yard
as has been in contemplation all along. The rea-
sons for this are the growing demand for work al
some OF the shipyards and the large amount OF
such work now devolying upon the government
plants. Added to this tho building of the collier
at either Mare Island or Puget Sound would re-
Ouire q special appropriation from Congress for
machinery and other facilities Of construction
The law requires that one Of the two co!ers
OF the Pacific Coast, and any change in the law
work would undoubtedly limit the bidding to firms
that coast other collier Will be built
Brooklyn Navy Yard as soon as the means can be
provided at that place. Chief Constructor CaPps
Il built under contract than Z it were constructed
at the private plants is SO urgent
USELESS NAVAL sTATION.-The naval Off
cisls not entirely satisfied with the conditions
st the naval station at Eew-Orleans. Il is found
difficult 10 dock at that place the larger ships and
probably any need OF docking among the ships Of
the North Atlantic feet would require bringing
the vessels to New-York- Il has been found that
the rEpid current Of tho Mississippi River and tho
prevalence CT snags near the floating dock at Al
gisrs. La. constitute a menace, and the greatest
no harm 10 them before and after the dock
Ing There is probably remedy for this condi-
in the way of projection. and it is not expected
the Navy Department win submit such esti-
mate behalf Of naval station which can
hardly be more than second or third rate estab-
lishment measured by the relative values OF the
Iockyards and repair stations OF the government.
The dock could be readily removed 10 IoTtugas or
Key West, where It would be useful, If Congress
would consent TO The change.
ORDERS IssUED.-The following army and
navy orders have been issued
ARMY.
yszrt Lieutenant BENJAMIN Il WATKINS. from 18th
PM LisGieaSnt aED IL GREEN. from G5th to 18th
NAVY.
Passes Assisss@s ssFss93 s. & BUT T.. detached the
MOVEMENTS OF NAVAL vEssEIs-The fol-
lowing movements OF vessels have been reported to
the Navy Department:
ARRIVED
January le-Ths Hull a Newport
JAnuaTy 1.-The Han NeN-l ork: the Kearsargs the
A@SosIna @ me me Illinois ne Iowa the Kentucky. the
HsnniDal and The Scorpion CuebIa. ths scorpion
at San Juan: tie Eagle al Boston