New-York tribune., 1906-05-07
NEW YORK DAILl TRIBUNE. MONDAY. MAY l. 1906.
ARMY md NAVY.
LFrom The Tribune bureau. ]

TFrom The Tribune FureauI
Washington, May g.
KoEHI4ER LACKED TACT-The War Depart
ment has received the record in the court martial
case Of Captain L. M Koehler. 4th Cavalry. who
is duty in the Philippines. and who got into
trouble by making baseless charges against Major
II. L. Scott. the cavalry officer who has been dis
tinguishing himself at Jolo. who made fine rec
ord in Cuba and who of the old Indian
fighters. Captain KOehler appears from the record
TO have been lacking in tact and 10 have produced
a disturbance in the garrison where he sta
toned. He was sentenced 20 be reprimanded by
the reviewing authority. who chanced in this case
20 be General T. H. Bliss, who regarded the SEN
tence as altogether inadequate. General Bliss
added ''The evidence shows that Captain Koehler
has been guilty of conduct which indicates that he
is seriously wanting in those clean-cut and we'll
defined conceptions OF soldiers duty which should
ception of the standards of conduct and upright
ness ness as taeX exist IN the army are dist9rted to
administering the repTmand the reviewing author
cultivate those habits of true soldierly subOrina-
ton which the evidence in this case shows him to
MUST WAIT FOR CONGREsS.-The Attorney
General has rendered an opinion to the Secretary
of War in the case of the Hudson Highlands Bridge
& Railway Company in the matter of alterations
required In its bridge across the Hudson River.
The case has been pending for long time, and
involves important point The bridge. when
first built was erected before the enactment of the
and the company claims that alterations made in
the bridge still exempt from federal supervi-
sion BY virtue of the opinion Of the Attorney Cen
eral. the War Department must approve the plans
Of any changes contemplated in the structure The
Attorney General says:
The question of the right Of the company to
struct a bridge without the express authority OF
Congress, which may have existed prior TO the pas
sage of the act Of 169 has been conclusivey settled
by that act. The failure Of Congress to anticipate
from the provisions of the act like TINS. which
it had been held excepted from the act OF
1890 is controlling to the intent OF Congress- |
therefore advise you that you are not authorized
with the construction of the bridge until the con-
sent OF Congress to the building Of the bridge Is
first obtained
COALING AT SEA-American inventors Of
system Of coaling at are desrous of having
their methods tested on board one OF the colliers
attached to the Atlantic feet after the manner OF
experiments contemplated with English system
which has met with much approval abroad The
question Of coaling at is coming to be regarded
as an important factor in the maintenance Of fleet
efficiency. If a method can be devised for replen-
ishing coal bunkers of ships of when they
absent from port important service will be rem
dered to the navy. One of the devices which is to
be tried contemplates the OF water squirting
from pipes in such way as enable coaIing to be
done between ships side by side the water being OF
such volume and force as to act as buffer and the
collier and the coang ship being kept together by
hawsers. This is a brand new idea and much inter
is taken in the proposition il does away with
the long tow line and the requirement that the
collier and the coaling vessel shall both be moving
navy until after thorough trial of several
methods.