New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-03
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
from The Tribune Bureau.l


THE DISCRETION PROBLEM.-The military au-
tborities in New-York continue to have trouble
with deserters, whom they desire TO regard In no
such light, principally that the government may
be saved the expense of paying rewards ana ;"
avoid the responsibility for making disbursements
Of this sort. There has always been more or less
trouble in determining between absence wlthous
leave and desertion in where the culprlt mas
been captured and returned for trial One OF the
latest cases TO engage the War Department al
tention is that of Private E. E. McDufhe. OF ms
18th Company OF coast artillery, who was trying
10 get away from Fort wadsworth. n. Y, and who
captured at Harrisburg, Penn, on the train
going westward The court before which the sol
guilty of absence without leave. and sentenced him
to forfeit s. Of his pay General Grant dsapproved
the sentence on the ground that the case was one
of deserticn. The question came to the War De
acted, and 1t is held that the only penalties WHICH
the soldier now incurs is the loss OF pay for the
Of pay to the amount OF the expenses, if any in
Cured, by the government in Transporting nm PACK
TO his station Il is remarked that the soldier Is
subject TO the forfeiture Of s. imposed by the
court because the sentence was dlsapproved by the
reviewing officer
NAVY NEEDS FERRY.--The Navy Department
has about decided 10 purchase from a bankrupt
shipbuilding firm in New-York a ferryboat at
cost OF about $4,000 The authorities have been
looking into tbs subject and have agreed that 1t
would be TO the advantage of the navy to acquire
this vessel which IS intended for use between the
naval torpedo station at Newport and the main
land. 1t was found that boat of tins type, Whlcn
was needed at the station. could not be punt loI
such a sum as the ferryboet now availa6le cou!a
of the Navy would have asked for peTnlSslon 70
use naval construction funds FOR the building OIL
the ferrybost at the New-York Navy Yard
RETIRED OFFICER IN DIsFAvOR.-The War
Department is anxious to find First Lieutenant
Thomas NJ. Dufrees L. S. A, retired who has
been a resident of Boston and New-York. and at
last accounts was in a Western State. Numerous
complaints have been received against Lieutenant
Defrees alleging failure to pay his debts and the
War Department, following its custom IN such
cases, has forwarded these complaints TO the Off
Ger and asked for an explanation. 1t appears that
yet been answered, an incident which constitutes
VOCATION Of the regulations and mas come 10 De
breach OF official etiquette in fact form Of dis
been again requested to make mis- whereabouts
communications 4 continuation Of the attitude of
the retired officer viii lead to serioss trouble for
THE NEW BATTLESHIPs.-Th naval
structors and the engineering experts in the Navy
Department are engaged on the plans and specif-
cations for the two l6o0Oton battleshtps authorized
at the last session Of Congress The designers are
proceeding with their work on the theory that
Congress viii not Re asked TO increase the dis
placement. or course naval opinion is n agree
nent upon changes Of such displacement increase,
but there are ether considerations which evidently
control and which have led to the consusion that
It is Just well TO provide for the ships Of smaller
Department are engaged in preparing the esti-
mates Of weights which are to be credited 10 each
weeks Of course before proposals are invited by
the Navy Department n the mean time the
the requirements of the department. The principal
is ii the machinery II IS under consideration
whether or not one Of the ships snail be equipped
with turbine mechanism instead OF mat o. the
usual reciprocatng engines
ORDERS IssUED.-The following army and
navy orders have been Issued:
ARMY.
Captain DWIGHT E AULTMAN. artillery corps. 79th to
9th Company. coast artillery.
Second Lieutenant WILLIAM g E NICHOLSON ron
captan BE2sTIEy MOTT artillery oorps fro1a once
NAVY.
factory, navy yard, Washington.
MOVEMENTS or VESSELS The following
movements OF vessels have been reported TO the
Navy Department:
ARRIVED.
December so1Tha SeE29- Al Sanchez; +. Pennsg
December 31--The Iowa, Hampton Roads the ERnni
9 sdwaf tR R 5as a4aaae sn s5s Maze 6e
DonOugh. a Newport ne outros. a Nankin
SAILED.
December, eo-Tps scorpion, from santo Domingo CITY
Paramount n H for TomPtlirsvilie the Marcsllus
Norfolk Charleston: Pennsylvania from
Hampton Roads for Newport News: the Iowa. from
North River for Hampton Roads.
December 81-The Arethusa, from League Island for
Toupknsyille; the Hannibal. from Norfolk Lam
bert Point; the Princeton from san Francisco for
Santa Barbara; tbs Hopkins, the Worden. the Stew
the TTuxJUn the Lawrence and the MacDonough
from Pine Beach for Newport
January The Rocket from Norfolk for Washington.
January 2-The Texas, Charleston cruise the
Florida, from Charleston Jacksonville:
sas from Charleston for AioTehead City, Nevada
the Porter, he Nicholson. Blakely Dupont
and the Rodgers. Charleston Port Royal