Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-10
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Reports From Admiral Ches-
ter on the Eclipse.
BACK FROM SEA GIRT
GEN. HALL, WHO HAD CHARGE
OF THE SHOOT.
Libraries for New Battleships - Or
dered Before Retiring Board
Other Notes Of Interest.
BACK FROM SEA GIRT

The Navy Department has received
long and interesting report from Rear Ad-
miral Chester, who had command of the
naval expedition sent out from this coun-
try to establish stations in Spain and
northern Africa to view the recent solar
eclipse. The report deals exclusively with
the preliminary work of the party In
tablishinS stations and making everything
ready for their observations 1t speaks
particularly of the friendly manner in
which the party was received in Spain and
of the kindness, consideration and many
courteses shown them by the Spanish au-
thorities and people.
Returned From Sea Girt.
Brig. Gen. William p Hall of the mill
tary secretary's department has just re-
turned to Washington from Sea Grit N. j.,
where as representative of the United
States army. he was in general charge OF
the most successful rifle competition that
has ever been held on that famous range.
He is now busy in compiling the large
number Of individual and team scores made
there. and will embody the results In q
special report to the general staff which
two. :
General Hall speaks in terms of high
praise OF the work done by the District
did management of their captain. He says
in explanation of the failure Of the team to
reach the top notch that they were this
year in competition with the greatest tai
ent ever gotten together on a rifle range
and did well to attain the position they
reached They were in nowise discour-
aged. and. like the Tennessee team. which
wound up at the foot of the list of state
teams, pluckily announced determination
to try again next year. General Hall also
commended the District men for the way
they stuck to the work. not only shooting
through the state matches. but entering into
every one of the matches open to them as
individuals.
Libraries for Battleships.
The bureau Of equipment of the Navy
Department will in short time expend
about $4,000 in the purchase Of literature
for the libraries of the new battleships
Virginia, Nebraska, Georgia, New Jersey
and Rhode Island. Much care will be exer-
cised in the selection of the wide range of
literature which composes these attractive
and useful features of our ships of war.
1t will be possible to draw upon the stock
supply of books which within the next
month will be established at the New
York navy yard, and books which not
in that collection will be purchased espe-
cially for the vessels named. The prices of
these different books range from 80 cents
to s. per volume, with large sums for COM
plete sets of works. such as the encyclo-
pedias, which now form a part Of every
library on shipboard. 1t is most gratifying
to the naval authorities to learn that these
libraries are well patronized by the en-
listed men. This Is the case to such an
extent On board the training ship Pensa-
cola, at San Francisco that many of the
books In the library of that vessel are re-
ported as completely worn out. Naturally
these are mostly works of fiction. new
library will be issued to the ship shortly.
semi-Annual Target Practice.
The bureau Of navigation has ordered the
ships Of the North Atlantic feet to begin
their semi-annual target practice in Cape
Cod bay next week Four five ranges
have been laid off for the largest ships
and a special range has been set aside for
the torpedo boats and destroyers.
Before Retiring Board
Paw Inspector Harry r. Sullivan, until
recently attached to the United States war;
ship Texas and Assistant Paymaster Stew
art E. Barber, who has just returned from
duty on the Asiatic station, have been or
dered to appear before retiring boards on
Monday next. Paymaster Barber failed
physically during his examination for pro-
motion to the next higher grade He was
appointed to the Pay Corps In February.
1908 and recently completed his first
cruise on the United States warship Gin
cinnati.
Col. Goodrell's Retirement.
Col Mancn C. Goodrich, U. s. Marine
Corps, has asked to be relieved from duty
In command of the marine barracks, New
York, and granted leave until January 81,
1906, when he makes application for retire
ment after forty years service. This APP
phca ton has been approved by the COM
mandant of the Marine Corps and forward
ed to the Navy Department., with express
sion of regret that the Marine Corps is to
lose the valuable services of Col Goodrich.
He will go on the retired list as brigader
general having had civil war service.
The New Locker.
Gen Humphrey the quartermaster of the
army, has issued the new locker to certain
barracks which have not been equipped
with that useful receptacle for soldiers ef-
fects The new locker, which is built of
steel, is covered with a baked enamel of the
conventional army olive drab shade. 1t is
6 feet 9 inches high, l foot inches deep
and 1 foot inches wide, with shelf at
the top and bottom. There are eleven
hooks attached to the upper shelf. There
is a ventilator al the top and bottom of the.
door and others at the back, insuring plenty
of air for the contents. There is a soping
top which will facilitate the inspection of
the locker room and prevent the accumula-
ton of old material in that favorite place
of deposjt 1T will be impossible to secrete