Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-02
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS


| submarine boats for naval uses has had
/ several meetings and IL making fair
| progress in its work. 1t Is intended to de-
wise a means OF testing the relative qualities
| OF rival submarines with a view OF obtain
| ing In the next lot of boats Of that type
purchased for the naval service vessel
| which shall represent decided improve
| ment over existing boats. The board is
preparing to go into such questions as
structural features and the special equip
| ment. such as the method Of observation
when the boat Is below the surface Of the
water.
Another subject which is to be taken up
Is that Of machinery. in the hope that some
motive power may be devised which will
increase the radius of action. 1t will also
be determined whether the ability of the
submarine to maintain itself at sea away
from the base of supplies may be increased.
Still another question to be taken up Is
that which has to do with the accommo-
dations for officers and crew on board, to
the end that there may be greater comfort
while the occupants of the submarines are
imprisoned within the hull. The use of the
submarine in connection with the coast
defense has added to Its practical value.
and the board will make a special report
with a view to the employment of the sub
marine as an adjunct to submarine mining
and other forms of underwater defense OF
the harborS.
Finger-Print System.
The ffnger-print system of Identification
adopted by the War Department for the
army will be applied also to the navy. The
system will not be 80 extensive in the navy
as In the sister service. for the reason that
there are no special funds out OF which to
establish an elaborate means of photo
graphing subjects. The print Of the fingers
nd will ha "a Onlv in the case
of new recruits and in the case of those
who re-enlist. 1t Is found that there exists
more or less prejudice among the enlisted
men in the navy to subjecting themselves
to the record, but it Is expected that this
prejudice will be removed when 1t Is fully
understood that the enlisted men of the
army submit to It without question and
without feeling that they are In any way
! Inundated. An examination will be shortly
held in the bureau Of navigation Of candi-
dates for the places Of $500 clerks. who
will have charge Of the system In Washing
ton and who will be intrusted with the
work Of filing and classifying the records.
Rifle Experts.
Maj. Gen. Grant, commanding the Depart
ment of the Gulf. has issued an order an
| nouncing the qualification of the following
| named enlisted men Of Troop F of the 18th
Cavalry stationed at Fort Myer. Va:
As sharpshooters-First Sergt. Charles F.
Mller, Sergt. Marion Rlchmono, corp. JOHN
W. Burns, Privates Columbus Conner,
David w. White and Roy Wycof and
Blacksmith Charles L. Mostyn.
AS marksmen-Corp Richard J. Cairns,
Farrier Louis schott and Privates Peter J.
Dempsey, Eber L. Lizotte. Clarence H.
Murphy. Samuel D. Rogers and Luther
Simpson.
Sentences Approved.
Gen. Grant, commanding the Department
l of he Hos bac ha
posed in the cases of three enlisted men re-
Gently tried by court martial at Fort Wash
| ington, Maryland.
Private Albert A Latray Sd Battery.
Field Artillery. was convicted Of desertion
and sentenced to be dishonorabIy dis
| charged, to forfeit pay and allowances and
| to be confined at hard labor for three years.
Private John J. Caldwell, Company A,
| Hospital Corps, convicted Of being absent
without leave Zone previous conviction hav-
Ing been considered) was sentenced to con-
| fnement at hard labor for thirty days and
| to forfeit $50 Of his pay.
Ffrst-class Private John A. MCGOWAN, Cd
Battalion Of Engineers, was acquitted Of all
criminality In connection with the escape
! of a prisoner and was ordered to be re-
leased and restored to duty.
New Cooling Apparatus.
The new naval golfers, plans for which
4 OIL iiOW oOiiS PiSPdItO, Will Do equipped
| so as to allow them to take on board fuel
with the least possible expenditure of time
and also to coal at sea. The mechanism
| for that work will be Of an entirely new
plan, the naval constructors having in
charge the drawing up OF the specifications
| not being satisfied with the systems now
used by two or three other countries. The
naval officials appreciate the fact that an
| efficient system Of coaling naval ships at
| sea will add to their efficiency on the firing
| line. 1t will save time and represent econ
omy In other respects II they can replenish
an exhausted bunker supply from the COL
| liers without going far from the scene Of
operations.
Submarines Improved.
| The Navy Department has been advised
| that as a result OF the changes which
were recently made at the New York navy
| yard the efficiency Of the submarine boats
Sharp and Porpoise has been very much in
| creased At Newport recently 1t was seen
| that the alterations had added materially
| to their facility in maneuver. They can now
| be turned around In quicker time and are
! otherwise more prompt In responding to
| the wishes of the navigator AS that Is an
| important consideration. the department
has decided to make similar changes in the
other submarines, and these boats will prob
| ably be taken to the New York navy yard.
| where the alterations will be made. The
submarines under construction at Quincy.
| Mass. will contain the features which have
| been of such decided advantage to the
| ST. * and Porpoise. The next experiments
| will probably be with view to directing
| the submarines by means of the periscope
of which no entirely satisfactory device has
been furnished.
Tailors Ask Questions.
Although 1t Is the duty of the state and
| territorial authorities to choose the uniform
which the members of the militia shall
wear, the War Department has found 1t
necessary to render several decisions re-
Gently instructing the manufacturers of
| these uniforms in regard to the insignia to
| be placed on them there being no authority
| of law for placing the United States coat
| Of arms on either caps or buttons, nor for
| the use of>the letters "U. S." or the national
| coat-of-arms in the coat collar of militia
| uniforms.
Looking Over the Nero.
| The Navy Department is awaiting with
| much interest the result of the inspection Of
| the collier Nero. which was recently or
| dered to the New York navy yard. The
| Nero ran aground off Block Island about a
month ago and the preliminary inspection
| made by experts did not fully convince the