Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-01

Matters of Interest Cleaned from the
Army aud Navy Register.

Matters of Interest Cleaned from the
Army aud Navy Register.
/ systematic and complete test Of the
eight or ten military balloons which are
Kept at Benicia, Cal, and Omaha, Neb.,
/ by the army signal corps is in contem-
pation. Military ballooning is subjec;
! which has been taken up by the foreign
] experts and their work has been carefully
reported by our representative abroad. II
| is found that comparatively little progress
| has been made in this work beyond the
/ organization, maintenance and training Of
| a ballon personnel. In work OF this sort
| the. efforts of the signar corps officers are
| being directed to the development of inn
proved facilities for producing hydrogen
/ in the field and transporting the equipment.
/ There has been more or less prejudice.
naturally against military ballooning, bu:
II is believed that this Is necessary
feature which should be fully developed
and under control. II is to this end that
the tests at Omaha and Bencia are being
/ planned. In the meantime negotiations are
proceeding with military balloon-makers in
France for the acquisition of two or three
OF the latest type of that aerial vehicle.
The army signal ofice will purchase
new French captive balloon of the latest
| type, one of light weight and small volume,
designed partly for use with the advance
guard and in expeditionary work, where
rapdity of operation is essential. The bal
loon is made of silk, covered with several
coats Of varnish and finished with a special
preparation, to which has finally been APP
piled an entirely new material known as
radio-soar, a composition of aluminium
silver. which has the effect of making the
balloon impervious to the penetration of
gas and gives to the exterior surface
! protection against the influence of the
suns rays 1t has been found in other
balloons without this protective covering
that the heat of the sun upon the large
body has an appreciate effect upon the
balloon. 1t is one of the curious and al
together unacceptable results of inter-
departmental administration that the
signal corps must pay out of its meager
funds 50 per cent of the valuation of the
| imported balloon duty to the customs
division of the Treasury department, the
| article being classified as a silk fabric.
The balloon will probably be sent to the
signal corps depot at Omaha.
The army signal office continues to re-
ceve sample telescopes, some Of which,
the best of them, it may well be adj
mitted-come from foreign sources. notably
! Germany. IneSe are OF the latest pattern
and are of the type of adjustable power,
being of great efficiency and much superior
to any of the telescopes hitherto used.
They are incased in leather holders in
way which makes a part OF the case also
an outer section of the telescope. The inn
provements which have been made in that
article are notable and have materially
| added to the value of the telescope as an
instrument of observation in the field
under the most adverse circumstances.
The army list and directory for April,
which was issued from the military secre-
tary's Office on the goth inst, contains two
new features, adding to the value of this
monthly publication and completing the
monthly record Of officers of the army.
The relative rank of officers is given for
the entire service, forming a useful COM
pilation. in connection with the lineal rank
of officers OF cavalry, artillery. infantry
and Philippine scouts which latter in
formation has been a feature of the direc-
tory for some time. The relative rank
shows a vacancy in the grade of lieutenant
general. as on the date to which this list
was corrected General Corbin had not been
confirmed as OF that rank. The directory
shows the relative position of major gen.
erals 26 brigadier generals 12s lieutenant
colonies, 1856 majors, 1877 captains, 0A
first lieutenants and Sal second lieutenants
Ohicers on special duty which carries with
1t an increase of rank, such as those first
lieutenants who are serving with Philip
pine scouts with the rank of captain, off,
GERS detailed as judges advocate. chief Of
public buildings and grounds. chief OF the
insular bureau. the chief and the assistant
chief OF Philippine copstabulary. etc, have
had their names placed in italics in the
rank which they temporarily hold by viz
tue of their duties, and their names are
included in the grades of the arm to which
they belong respectively.
1t Is probable that something will be done
by congress during the present session to
provide foreign service pay so as to cover
the claims of officers and enlisted men
OF the army for periods in transit. The
act OF June 30, 1902 provided such pay
for officers and men serving beyond the
limits of the United States. This legisa-
tion has never been repealed, but in max
ing the appropriation in 1904 congress al
lotted for foreign service pay only in the
Philippines, China. Guam. Alaska and
Panama, leaving the provisions of the act
of 1902 on the statute books The present
army appropriation act has been so
amended as TO provide for the difference
between the two acts OF congress since
July /, 1909 and restores the provisions OF
the act of June 30. 1902 There are many
claims for pay or for difference OF pay
in the two conditions and these will prob
ably be favorably acted upon at an early
day.
There is some chance OF an increase in
the Communication of quarters for army off,
GERS. The subject will receive further
consideration from the senate military conn.,
mittee and II is possible that the argu-
ments which have been presented by Pay
master General Dodge will bear fruit. The
, recommendation was made for this in
crease last year and again before the
house military committee during the
present session, but without effect. The
sign that the senate military committee
is disposed 10 consider the matter is 6