New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-05
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
from The Tribune Bureau.l

From The Tribune Bureaul
Washington. February T.
BIG NETWORK CAMP.-The most important
provision in the army appropriation bill
ported from the House Military Committee so far
! as the New-YorlI National Guard is concerned is
the item Of 100000 which will pay the expenses of
the troops of that organization which may be
designated by the adjutant general at Albany 10
attend joint encampment of regulars and militia
proposed 10 be held in June, July and August at
PiattSburg N y. OF course the mil,tiamen can
not remain away from their occupations for that
period of time, but 1t is hoped that by means of
conference between the authorities Albany and
General j. F. Wade, in command OF the Atlantic
division, It will be possible for the New-York
militiamen TO spend couple Of weeks. at least in
camp with the regulars at Plattsburg. This is a
part of the plan to mobilize all OF the regular
army excepting the coast artillery, in six or seven
camps in various parts Of the country, the season
10 De for three months and the troops to march
from their regular stations TO the encampment and
back again. being absent in all about four and
half months One of these encampments Will be
Plattsburg barracks and arrangements will be
made while the regulars are on duty there TO have
present the New-York National Guard and such
militia organizations from the New Ems gland States
and possibly from Pennsylvania, may attend
There was some opposition to the idea of Joint
b b Is og om 0i feh 10 n 1e
vide for the encampment Of the militia with the
regulars this year.
bids the construction OF two new battleships
authorized at the last session of Congress viii
permit bidders to send in. usual, their de-
signs while asking for proposals on the depart
mental plans. In the class OF bids based the
private designs there will be opportunity for offer
ing to build one OF the batteships with turbine
chnery instead Of reCiprOcating engines. This de-
cision has practically been reached by the board
of construction the result OF a thorough investi-
cation Of the subject and the observation prac-
including those recently q
South Brooklyn and in course OF trips turbine
transatlantic liners. This is a notable departure
from the usual designs for naval machinery, and
mechanism Of naval vessels. 1t is possible that
time be materially Increased by this new mech
anism, although the naval engineers not claim
tain that the turbine system VIII furnish what is
known as economical speed
TROOPS FOR CHINA?-A large part Of the
troops which sailed from New York and San Fran
cisco on Thursday for Manila will be CHARTERED in
| a large camp near Manila. The principal camp
I will be under the command of Brigadier General
J. II. Lee, who has been relieved. at his
quest, from duty in the command of the Depart
ment Of Texas for duty in the Philippines where
he VIII serve until his retirement in January Of
next year. General Lee IS a member of the ia
nous fighting 9Th Infantry, and one OF the impor-
tant official papers which have never been pub
! lished is that officers defence of the regiment
against the criticism of its work in China and else
.
succeed w. II. Carter in command Of the De-
partment Of the EisaYas. but some other officer
| still much speculation TO the employment OF
the command of General Lee. No official in the
War Department. gratihes this curiosity in the
sent 10 the Philippines upon the urgent advice Of
LATEST TORPEDO PRACTICE.-secretary
Bonaparte has approved the plan for equpping the
navy with modern torpedo appliances. This is
work which has been practically ignored for some
time and in fact nothing has been done in the
last five years toward acquiring torpedoes
and appliances installing such a type OF arma-
| ment board the torpedo boats or the larger
vessels 1t is considered that the experimental
/ work has gone far enough and that something of
a practical sort in the way of installation should
| be achieved without delay. II felt that at
| least 10000 could be expended at In this d.
but the policy Of economy has required that
the disbursement in this direction be limited 20
| half that sum. Steps will be taken have
certain batteships equipped with new torpedo
! firing apparatus, and TO replace obsolete types
| board some thirty torpedo boats and torpedo boat
inert has adopted a new pattern Of torpedo, which
! iyn where the preliminary experiments have been
eminenty satisfactory II is this type that will be
installed on the naval vessels
STANDARDIZING SMALL ARMS.-The Navy
| Department is taking steps TO establish the uni
/ formity in the small and machine guns used
In the service, that the same ammunition
/ ployed in the army may be used in the navy
Estimates amounting to more than 100000 have
been prepared by the navy ordnance officers which
will carry out this idea. The change calibres of
naval guns hitherto has been without regard 70
what the army was doing. and it only after
a joint board was convened that it was realized
that it was poor policy have different cabres
| Of small arms in the two services. The navy has
! been using a rife Of about a quarter Of inch
in diameter while the army rife three enths
| OF an inch. is the plan 10 have the Navy De-
| partment buy all the navy rifles from the army
and to obtain machine guns using the
fridge from private firms The sum OF IlO0.GOo
viii equip all the vessels now completed with the
arms with necessary equipment and about
! years supply of ammunition.
! NAVY POWDER MILL CLOSED.-The navy
powder factory at Newport r. l.. will probably be
closed indefinitely. This is a small plant Of
| great producing capacity, and the other sources
! Of supply, governmental and by contract. are
sidered sufficient for meeting the needs of the
| navy IN this respect Besides the cost OF pro-
ducuon OF the small amount of gun powder made at
the Newport plant is greater than ii should be.
| cording 10 recent calculations made by the Bureau
Of Ordnance. It is. therefore. considered advisable
shut down the plant for time, although the ma
chnery Will be preserved from deterioration and
kept IN state Of efficiency against the time II may
be necessary 10 have additional source Of supply
QUERY FROM REAL ESTATE AGENT.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Having read in the papers that the State is
( going 20 pass law which will require tax OF
from $50 TO 500 for a license each year for a real
estate agent ! would like ask question / would
+ like to know what protection real estate agent