New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-03
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
IFrom The Tribune Bureau.I


usual incident will next week. when Lieuten-
ant General H. c. Corbin goes on tho retired list
He will be succeeded by Major General Arthur
Macarthur lieutenant general. leaving a vacancy
IN the grade Of major general. which will be filed
by the appointment OF Brigadier General Jesse ~.
Lee who time the STAFF OF General
Nelson A. Miles. who belonged the old Fighting
STU Infantry. ana who is now in command OF one
OF the military departments In the Philippines 7.
was expected that Brigadier General J. Franklin
Bell. the chief OF staff Of the army. would be pro-
NOTED to the grade OF major general. but, as he Is
the senior brigader. General Bell preferred 10 stand
aside in favor of Lee. VINO once Bells senior
respect and admiration Without some such met
dent, General Lee could not become a major gen
not another vacancy General iP Be VIII 1 be made
maJor general on the retirement of General L..
comment in the army The vacancy in the grad1
Captain John J. Pershing OF the 18th cavalry AMI
the general staff. who is duty az Toxic. Japan.
as our military attaehe. and who has fine record
AFTER THE NAVAL REvIEw.-There will be
general reorganization Of the Atlantic fleet after
the period Of target practice off the New England
coast which follows the big review at Oyster Bay
The ships will. upon completion of the firing the
ranges be sent the various navy yards for dock
ing and an overhaUng. with such repairs as are
found TO be necessary TO put the vessels in condi
and the record target practice near C;uantanamo
BEFORE the fleet goes southwark the composition Os
win be at least three new divisions. made up Of the
rev shi9S; Conolned Win some OF the older ones
battleship sguadrons, armored cruiser squadron and
serving tactical units of command will be continued
IN the organization OF the Atlantic feet and there
viii be used the same programme Of operation in
which ships Of identical displacement win be assO-
ciated in manGuyres
AN UNDERPAID ARATY.-Army officers who
are agitating the question OF increased pay for
themselves and for the enlisted force in the an
baf,or
partment, will probably find that their suggestions
are ignored in the consideration Of subjects
worthy of special attention ar the next session
or congress. There is a feeling in the military
service that something ought TO be done in this
Tesrect. but those who are the best informed
the situation in Congress know that II r. not
MOTIF WINE attempting to accomplish anything
one of economy rather than any Increase in tho
nent. Recommendations Which have in view any
such radical changes as increase OF pay are des-
Hbed 70 De nled without much ceremony. The
General star will take up a number OF subjects
matters which have been before Congress all aIon
mittees.
TESTS OF THE SUBMARINES.-The first OF the
new submarines win be officially tested at Quincy
Mass soon, and the other three ships OF that type
under construction there for the government will
be tried out shortly afterward The test will be OF
advantage in suggesting what may be required Of
the next submarines to be built for the government
The principal defect existing in regard the sub
marine IS in the difficulty Of observing while under
the navigator may be less nterfered with. but this
whatevSr device is adopted is likely to- be befogFed
by spray or atmosphere and rendered correspond
insy indistinct. IL is felt too. that with the
largement o. the submarine and its probable great
accommodations for the officers and men attached
10 the boat The submarines which are now ap-
progress in the type and IT is hoped to make fur
Their advance in the next boats authorized by the
del hn nd hi
showing some activity, as the board has been az
work preparing a programme OF tests and estab-
fishing standard TO which the next boats must
attain
UNTITLED NAVAL BILLETs-It has been de-
cided by the Navy Department TO make no trans
cers To tie corps Of Clvr engineers from among
the midshipmen who members Of the class OF
1907. and some eighty-hve will be graduated preTna-
turely on September 12. There is great demand for
officers in that corps. where there eight
cance5. which II seeTs Impossible to fiE. IL ons
may Judge of the negative results of several ex-
aninations held during the last tive three years.
IN which Civilian uIidates invited to COM
pete. II had been recommended to the Navy De-
partment that TIE vacancies might he filed by
transfers from Naval Academy classes. and no less
than six OF the members of the class of 1907 had
applied TO- appointment assistant civil engineer
which carries with it the rank Of lieutenant junior
grade The refusal Of the department to do this
IS based on the facts that there II 2 great demand
specially trained at considerable expense for that
duty, and the need of them at sea is shown in the
fact that certain qualified mdshpmen Of the class
Of 1907 are graduated nine months in advance 81
the corps of civil engineers from among the rid-
shipmen it would be necessary to SEMI tn m TO
tute for supplementary study and training, at I
which institution there are under instruction /
two recent appointees 10 the corps II will De nee /
essary. therefore. 70 depend upon civilian candi-
dates with little prospect however that the vacan-
cies in the corps will be flled.
WEST COAST SUPPLY BAoE.-One of the !
largest projects which viii be undertaken in the
Of construction this year is the beginning
OF general depot for the supply departments OF
the military service Fort Mason. Cal When the
depot is completed it will have In the neighbor
hood Of 100000. and during the next few months
contracts will be awarded for buildings for which
there is available $4,000. The plans which
have been prepared by the army quartermasters
contemplate the erection Of stOrehouses Offices
shops. stables sheds powerhouse. quarters and !
other buildings, together with wharves for the ac-
commodation Of at least four ships OF the army |
transport service and the installation Of sewerage
water supply and electric light systems some
question has been raised whether this work would
come under the chief Of ordnance or the quarter
master general OF the army owing 70 the fact tha+
the item authorizing the new de5ot and a1rr GsC
ating the initial fund placed IN that part 90
Ordnance Department This appears "a 6sv 20 IN, tne
an error in the arrangement OF the bin In Con-
original estimates and prepared the pians n E me
Pected that the Secretary OF War. who was authaT-
the army Quartern1asters TO obtain bids and sy1ss
struotion- WI
BRIDGE BUILDING LBSSON.-rhe army .ng+
neers are engaged in the construction OF new oriap.
as permanent feature the military ressrvatto1
at Fort Riley. The structure win replace a bridge
which was destroyed by food some time axo r,
has been arranged that this work shah b. dor.
while the militia Is encanped az Fort Riley 10 IN.