Evening star., 1906-04-08
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
General Grant Sharply Rebukes
an Army Court.

''In the opinion Of the reviewing authority
these facts show that the majority of the
members of the court are below the stand
ard of intelligence requisite for the trans
action OF court-martial duty in the service"
This language was used by Mai. Gen.
Grant. commanding the Department of the
East in reviewing the case of Recruit Hen
derson E. Stanley, mounted cavalry serv-
ice, who was tried by court-mar-al con-
vened at Fort Monroe. Virginia, and found
guilty of absence without leave. The SEN
tence OF the court was that the accused
should suffer stoppage of $50 of his pay,
the amount paid for his apprehension"
Gen. Grant disapproved the sentence on the
ground that the pay was to be stopped ''as
reimbursement for the cost of appreheu-
sion. Notwithstanding that it was found
that this man was not apprehended.'
Won by the Missouri's Team.
The annual rife match between the ships
constituting the battleship squadron of the
United States Atlantic fleet was recently
held on the new ranges off the naval reser-
vation at Guantanamo bay, CUBA, and re-
suited in a victory for the crack team or
the battleship Missouri, in charge of Lieut..
Thomas l.. johnson. The teams were con-
fined TO the enlisted men, and it was
noted with satisfaction that the shooting
was far above average excellence. The
Missouri's total was 1919 points. while the
Illinois followed close second with a score
OF 1914. the Iowa being third with GIFTS to
its credit.
Punishment of Captain Cox.
The War Department is informed that
Capt Walter Cox, assistant surgeon, was
convicted by court-martial at FIT Reno
Okla, of gross neglect of duty to the pre-
tudice of good order and military disc-
pline and sentenced to be reduced ten files
in rank and to be reprimanded. Col NJ.
B. Hughes 1st Cavalry, commanding the
Department of Texas, said that the SEN
tence. though light, was approved and will
be executed.
THE evidence IN this case" said Col.
Hughes, lays bare the fact that this Of
hcer was guilty of a continued neglect of
duty seldom equaled In the army. 1t is
hard to conceive how the commanding Of
fcer of a troop. battery, company or de-
taChment can attempt to Justify himself in
turning over entirely to an. enlisted man
the instruction of his command under the
plea that it Is "a matter OF routine duty
1T is further to be remarked that when
the officer attaches his signature to an
official paper he assumes the responsibility
for the correctness of such paper no mat
ter who performed the clerical work in
VOWED. Orders have already been issued
releasing Capt. Cox from arrest
Batteries Inadequately Manned.
Gen. Mills. chief of artillery. recently pre-
pared statement to show that the pres
ent authorized force of coast artillery is
utterly inadequate to properly man and
operate the guns, mines, range-finders, etc.
actually installed or authorized for the
coast defenses of the United States. The
statement was accompanied by a table
showing the number of coast artillery Of
dcers and men required to man the works
and the number of men now available
for the various harbors of the United
States. According to this table the force
available for the fortihcations on the Poto-
mac river includes fourteen officers and
32S men, whereas the force required Is
fOrty-eight officers and .054 men; In Hamp-
ton Roads the available force is twenty
one officers and 736 men. whereas the mum
Der required is seventy-five officers and
l,Tg1 men: at Baltimore the available force
js twelve officers and 32S meu. whereas the
force required is sixty officers and 1903
men.
To Control Army Cooking.
BY direction Of Secretary Taft. and on the
reconmenda ton of the general STAFF, Com
nissary General Sharpe VIII hereafter con
troll the purchase of bake ovens, field
ranges field bread ovens. camp kettles and
mess pans. articles heretofore purchased by
the qudrtermaster general Of the army
under contract. The latter official opposed
the transfer Of authority. but the Secretary
Of War decided that II was in the interests
Cf better administration for the subs stence
officers who purchase the food for the army
to purchase the ovens, ranges and para
phernalia for cooking the food and have
control of them in garrison and in the field.
Proposals for 16,OOO-Ton Battleships
The Navy Department has issued circu-
lars to the principal shipbuildlng firms in
this country inviting proposals for the con-
s-ruction of the battleships authorized by
Congress last year. This circular gives the
chief characteristics Of the newly designed
ships OF 10000 tons displacement. the gem
eral description Of which has been already
published. The most notable departure
from the usual design is in the chance given
bidders TO submit designs for turbine in
stead OF the ordinary reCiprOCating engines.
The circular Is labeled CONFIDENTIAL" the
first adoption Of that term by Secretary
In connection with such information by the
Navy Department The policy Is evidently
borrowed from the British, who have main
tanned the greatest silence concerning the
DreadnoUght
Selecting Army Team for Rife Match.
About thlrty-six officers and men of the
army VIII be assembled at Fort Niagara,
y. Y. early in June for the purpose of
selecting a team to represent the infantry
In the national match at Sea Girt, n. J., I'm
September next Major Gen. Wade. com
maudlug the Atlantic division has directed
the commanding officer at Fort Niagara to
give the officer in charge of the detach-
ment every assistance possible to facilitate
the work OF selecting the team and to fur
nish him with such supplies, range equip
meut and range parties as he may request
for the successful execution OF his orders
Matches for Artillerymen.
The big knife known as ''rnachete," which
figured so prominently IN the campaigns in
Cuba and In the Philippines, has been
adopted part Of the equipment of the
United States light infantry. About 5000
Of these implements have been issued to
soldiers in the Philippines, and have proved
Of great service, especially in cutting paths
through thick and tangled underbrush. on