New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-18
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
from The Tribune Bureau I


MORE COAST ARTILLERTNfEN NEEDED
There will probably pc publicity given the r.
ports submitted by the Unpiros and observers C the
Joint exercises held in Chesapeake Bay i'm June
These reports are of purely technical character
and do enter the question Of the relative
merits Of the opera ons of the naval force the
defensive practice of The officers in charge Of the
coast Qualifications included in the three artillery
districts Of the Chesapeake the Potomac and BART
more The reports deal almost entirely with the
u1atAreI employed on board ship and land \
large amount Of this was Of an entirely new and
uutrAd character II had been adopted and installed
after much discussion and represented this or that
theory Of an efficient system Of offence and defence
For thing. there elaborate md some
what complicated means Of communicative among
the forts. including system of fire control by
which the discharge ~ guns in the direction Of an
enemy approac ching from the sea directed from
q central station There considerable question
whether such method would work 50 satisfactorily in
time Of war. and the best opportunity for determin
ing this question afforded by the Joint army
and navy exercises. which were called such mainly
services largely for the test Of mechanism
and did not have the ambitious quality OF nance.i,
vres. In the report 50 far submitted IT is supposed
- ~ an + M, Ll 49, IN - {j+1-- -
the chief If ordnance. the chief Of engineers and
the chief signal officer IF the army for the most
part to make note Of what vas considered needed
comment made In The reports has been [Eat i re
Atlantic Coast to furnish enough men 10 man an
the forts of three artillery districts and afford one
ar7i C,Fgf fee intends to submit a rroposiror for
artillery increase at the next session Of Congress
WANTED a SWIMMING PEN-Rear Admiral
z. H. NcCaIla. commandment OF the Mare Island
Navy lard is an advocate Of swimming as one Of
the qualifications of Of the naval enlisted
force. He has made = recommendation for the con
struCtion Of swimming pen for the beneht Of the
men attached 70 the receiving ship Independence Al
Mare Island He saws in this connection. For
MANY years efforts have been made unsuccessf11Ilv
70 establish a swimming tank ar this station to
teach the enlisted men TO swim One of the lessons
of the battle in the Sea Of Japan is thar the
navy Is responsible for teaching every enlisted
and boy 70 swim so that he may have at least one
chance should his ship be unfortunate as TO sink
A PORTO RICAN NAVAL sTATION-It is
notable and significant fact that in the seven years
since the American occupation Of Porto Rico little
or nothing has been done by the Navy Department
toward the establishment Of station there
This year reports have come from the naval officers
on the island recommending that If the depart
ment has any intention of making more than a
coaIing station in Porto Rico. that some part of
the improvements originally contemplated be IN
dertsken a. once one report on this subject saws.
This is entirely American possession. and IS
not exCaed at least by any other available site in
the West indies Each year the people ca gerIv
look to see whac is TO be done and each year they
have been disappointed until criticism has been d
racted against the government for qselessly holding
land that blocks the extension OF Ine-C CITY
WIND AND RAIN EXPENSIVE There is
costly habit of the wind in Samoa, and It is
probable the prevailing elements will require the
provision Of electric lighting plant at the naval
station at TutUiIa Great difficulty Is experienced
in keeping lighted the station and street lamps
owing TO the winds which prevail there most OF the
year and similarly is often necessary IN guar
tars and buildings TO keep the doors and windows
closed 10 prevent being left in darkness: with me
result that the natural heat Of the clln1ate, az
cornpanied by the heat given out oy the Goa OIL
lea an
Another discomfort of the place is the rainfall
which avera $50 inches annually, ana IL IS re-
n0rred that wood matter how well painted
DECAYS rapidly making considerable increase N
tbe EXPENSE Of repairs to station buildings nuit or
ter1aL