Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-27
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Considering Changes of Punish
ment for Military
4 0ffenSeS. -

Two proposed changes in the method of
Furnishing enlisted men convicted of military
offenses are under consideration by the
general staff of the army. One PROPOSE
ton is to require by sentence of court-mar-
tiaI that certain classes of culprits deposit
a specified portion of their monthly pay
with the army paymaster. 1t will undoubt-
edly be rejected on the ground that de-
posts by soldiers must be voluntary and
the soldier is entitled to good interest for
the time his money remains In the pos
session OF the government He cannot
draw on this saving until he leaves the
service by honorable discharge other
wise. 1t would take an act of Congress
to make the change indicated
Another suggestion is that a certain class
of culprits be sentenced to hard labor
without confinement. 1t is said that there
is nothing Illegal in sentence OF
that kind. but 1t is realized that its
application would be attended with some
difficulty. For one thing 1t would be diff
ficult to separate the period of hard labor
from virtual confinement.
Wireless Telegraph in Miniature.
Naval officers are investigating the practi-
cability of a pocket wireless telegraph
device weighing about two pounds which,
ii is claimed, Is capable of accurate serv-
Ice over area OF thirty miles. The APP
paratus. as designed, includes a balloon
of thin rubber similar material easily
collapsible and capable of being minated
into an obloid three feet across Its greater
diameter. The hydrogen gas will be pro
duCed by patent compact cartridge, which
is light of weight and occupies little space.
1t is estimated that this balloon will sup
port go feet of fine copper wire to act as
antennae and at the ground will have a
detector larger than the bowl of a
- he
same size and the whole apparatus will be
capable of being packed in small case.
Now a Purely Military Prison.
Gen. Bell. chief OF, staff, has directed that
hereafter the United States military prison
at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., be designated
as the place of confinement of all general
prisoners who are sentenced to terms of
confinement of one year or more, ex-
cept such as are sentenced to terms In
the penitentiaries. Under that direction,
general courts-martial Will hereafter des-
lgnate the Leavenworth institution as the
place of confinement of convicted prison
ers instead of guard houses at the various
army posts. Until recently the military
prison at LeaVenworth was used as a penn
tertiary for civil convicts. under the juris
diction of the Department of Justice. 1t
was transferred to the jurisdiction of the
War Department because of the growing
demand for such an Institution by the mil
itaTy establishment.
Retirement and Promotions
Rear Admiral Thomas Perry, president of
the naval examining and retiring boards
in this city, was placed on the retired list
yesterday on account of age. His retire
ment makes Capt c. S. Sperry a rear ad-
miral, Commander James II. Bull captain
Lieut.. Commander F. c. Bieg a commando
and Lieut. William d, Brotherton lieu
tenant commander.
Rear Admiral Sperry has gone to Geneva
Switzerland. as delegate to the Red Cross
conference. Capt. John p. Merrill. recently
detached from command of the battleship
Oregon at the Puget Sound naval station,
will succeed him president of the Naval
War College at Newport, r. l.
Prospective Naval Assignments.
Three important naval stations will be-
come vacant next month and considerable
interest attaches to the assignments which
will be made in a few days One is the
OF the navy yard Norfolk now
filled by Rear Admiral p. F. Harrington
who will retire for age on the 9Th prox
Another Is the command OF the navy yard
Mare Island, Cal, now held by Rear Ad-
mtral B. II. McCalla, who will retire for
age on the 10Th prox. The third assign
ment is that of detail officer of the bureau
of navigation. Navy Department, TO succeed
Commander N r. Usher, who is to take
command of the new cruiser st. Louis in a
few months
The Midshipmen's Itinerary
The itinerary for the midshipmens sum
mer cruise on the monitors Arkansas, Ne
vada, Florida and the cruisers Newark
Denver, Cleveland and DesMones begins
this year on June 10 and will extend to
August 81, when the midshipmen will re-
turn TO their studies at the academy The
itinerary viii include Newport News where
visit will be made TO the shipyard and
New London, Conn, where the ships will
visit in rotation the torpedo station at New
port, and on the return to the Chesapeake
visits will be made the latter part of
August to Indian Head proving ground and
the naval gun factory at Washington
Capt. Colvocoresses, commandant of mid
shipmen, will be in command of the New
ark during the summer cruise.
A Combination Building.
A board of officers, to consist OF Lieut..
Col George Ruhlen, deputy quartermaster
general; Lieut.. Col. William l. Marshall.
Corps Of Engineers; Maj. Edgar Russell,
Signal Corps; Capt Gustave w S. Stew
ems, Artillery Corps, and Capt. Lawson NJ
RULER. Ordnance Department has been
appointed to meet in this city to prepare
ana submit tentative plans and specihca-
tons for a single building to contain office
and storage facilities for the work and ma
terial pertaining TO artillery, engineer, ord
nance and signal stores at coast artillery
posts.
Candidates for Military Appointments
AS a result of recent examinations at the
Army Medical School In this city the fol-
lowing named contract surgeons have been
declared proficient and will be examined
next month for appointment as assistant
surgeons In the army: Albert G. Love.
Harold w. Jones, Omar W. Pinkston. Her
mon L. Hasseltine, Henry ]. Nichols. Mat
thew A heasoner, Oswald F. Hennina
Lucius L. Hepwood, Charles E Freeman
Ferdinand Schnlitter. Laurence p. Des-
mond, Henry B. Mcintyre, Howard A.
Reed. Thomas F. Duhigg
Hospital Corps Detachment for Boston
Col Hazard, acting surgeon general of
the army, has arranged for the attend
ance of the ffty-seventh session OF the
American Medical Association at Boston
next month of a detachment of thirty men
of the Hospital Corps from Washington
barracks, commanded by Capt. b. H.