Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-12
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Matters of Interest in Both
Arms of the Service.

Three graduations instead of one will be
held at the Naval Academy for the class OF
1907. Secretary Bonaparte has decided that
the first of these exercises shall occur on
September r. when all the midshipmen
who have made an average of 10 per cent
for the period from February to May and
have averaged 10 per cent in the entire
academic course will be graduated.
The second graduation will be held In
February of 1907, when all the midshipmen
who have averaged rs per cent for the five
months preceding that time will be gradu-
ated and the final graduation will take place
in June, 1907, when the remainder of the
class will finish
Records for the academy show that there
will be many more midshipmen in the sec
ton which graduates In September than
expected. Elghty-seven young men
have attained the high grades emitting
them to finishing in the honor division 1t
Is believed that the second section, if there
be any at all, will be very small.
This plan of graduating the midshipmen
In sections according to their merit Is nee
essary because of the lack of officers in the
navy and the urgent demand for men at
sea
The 1905 Battleship.
Navai constructors are in quandary
about the 1906 battleship provided for by
Congress at its recent session. The appro-
priation act makes provision for zone first
class battleship. carrying as heavy armor
and powerful armament as any known
vessel of its class to have the highest prac-
teal speed and greatest practical radius Of
action The question Is Immediately raised
as to what Is the known" maximum which
must be equaled Is it the English Dread
naught which has been much discussed,
o. the italian monster, concerning which so
little Information can be had? This word
ing of the Jaw Is so indefinite that construc-
tors must guess at what standards were In
tended by Congress.
Ammunition for Artillery.
The War Department will issue a general
order in short time prescribing the
amount of ammunition for the Artillery
Corps during the next year. The allowance
for the coast artillery will be Increased to
sixteen shots for the heavy gun battery.
EVERYTHING else will be on the same basis
as last year.
New General Hospital Here.
Plans and specifications for the new gen.
eral hospital at Washington have been COM
pleted and the contract will be awarded
about October /, bids having been invited
by the depot quartermaster. The building,
which is to be on Brightwood road will
cost about 100000, and is to be of brick
with a stone foundation. II will be the best
example of military hospital construction
and equipment In the world, as the su geonS
who assisted in planning the building have
inspected and Investigated hospitals in all
countries and have utilized this informa-
ton in formulating plans for the new in
stitution in this city.
Galloping Ambulances.
Galloping ambulances used in the instruc-
ton camps at Fort Riley and Chickamauga
have proved very successful. and the sur
geon general of the army has requested the
quartermaster general to provide fifteen
more ambulahces of this sort with the idea
of issuing to each cavalry regiment.
The ambulance is so arranged that any
available cavalry horse may be hitched to
II and may proceed at full speed. Under
the observation of surgeons the vehicle has
been shown to be of great practical value
in the field, and 1t will doubtless have
permanent place in the medical depart |
ments equipment.
Volunteer Translators.
Volunteer translators among army officers
have done work in the past year which |
would have cost the War Department $50
900 II paid for at the regular rate charged
by professional linguists. More than 700
various documents, varying in length from
a few pages to entire books, have been
translated by the officers without cost 10
the government. total of J15 officers
have contributed their services to translat-
ing works for the files of the military in
formation division.
Mr.. Kelly's Claim.
J. NJ Kelly, who had a contract for
dredging at Dry Tortugas. called at the
Navy Department yesterday to support his
claim for $500, which he alleges is due
him for work completed before the for
fixture of his contract. Mr.. Kelly under
took to dredge a thlrty-foot channel at Dry
Tortugas for the accommodation of naval
vessels coaling there. He completed $4,000
yards of the 310OO0-yard contract taken by
him. Then his dredge was libeled by his
creditors and the work completed by
another contractor. At the time he quit
work the government owed Mr.. Kelly
$500. He took the contract at the rate of
fifty cents a cubic yard and 1t cost the
government $50 cubic yard to finish the
work which Mr.. Kelly was forced to aban-
don. He now maintains that the govern
ment should pay him the money due him
and should not apply 1t to meeting the cost
OF the uncompleted work in excess of fifty
cents a cubic yard. Secretary Bonaparte
has the case under advisement.
Bids for Power Plant Building.
Bids were opened yesterday at the bureau