New-York tribune., 1906-04-16
ARMY md NAVY NEWS.
[Frou, The Tribune Bureau

Washington. April Is 1906
MlDsHIPMEN QUIT HAZING.-Secretary Bona
parte is much gratifed at the reports which have
come from the Naval Academy in regard to the
discipline OF that institution. He finds that hazing
does not exist. The board of officers which has
charge OF affairs at the academy. and which served
rs a sort Of grand jury the court martial OF the
hazefs, has teen investigating the situation by
means of questions put to various midshipmen
The inquiry has been searching. and the young
men have given every evidence OF candor In their
replies. II is reported that hazing has BEEN aooI-
tshed and that the mdshipmen have now agreed to
own code Secretary Bonaparte is inclined 20 be-
Ieye that something should he done in behalf OF
but one or two cases he feels that this punishment
Was was excessive aud that the navy has lost the ser
new regulations which have Just been printed at
the Naval Academy greater consideration is shown
the r9idshipmen. who Placed upon their
own hono% and are free from the ironcad restric-
FOOD FOR THE ARMy-The army commits
saries greatly embarrassed by the prospect that
congress has made too great cut in the appro-
prlatiOn for subsistence. II estimated that IL
would require S. 25Nena to furnish the army with
subsistence supplies. This based the
her of r2tions which would he required, and in
making the calculation ii taken into account
that the enlisted force of the army would not he
maintained at its maximum strength. and that
economy could practised IN that direction. The
total was derived also from the current market
prices for tho articles which enter into the COM
position OF tine ration It is found that these
fiscal year the cost Of such commodities will be
6s Condition eanronng % the VAR
the army commissaries likely to find themselves
facing deficiency! while the service itself IS apt
10 be seriously embarrassed by the lack of funds
of the year considering the fact that in the sum
mer there apt 70 he encampments in which the
militia will take part.
WIRELESS VERSUS CABLE-The navy hopes
ny the use of wireless telegraphy to avoid the need
OF a cable which the War Department has esti-
mated would cost ss27. co. TO connect Key West.
Guantanamo Porto Rico and Panama. A cable Of
this size. costing large of money is consid-
cred as inviting disaster at the hands OF an enemy
since indispensa BILE means of communication
easily be ruined II s maintained by the advocates
of wireless telegraphy that that system is pro-
tected against such destruction, and that it would
sort to wireless in place of the cable. 1t is mat
ter of policy. however; and the mperfections OF
as reason for abandoning the Cable. although +:
is admitted aSn that the worst that can happen TO
enemy-to whom, however. they would mean little
nothing If the messages in cipher. as
would always ne the case in time OF war. The
proposition is TO make use of the existing naval
be increased in power and duplicated in number TO
meet the requirements Of the situation.
MILITARY PISTOL. .COMPETITION.-There will
he test of revolvers pistols at the national
arrnory in Springfield in September. The chief of
ordnance Of the army is making arrangements for
this competition and it is expected there will be
some interesting developments. The only condition
imposed upon the competitors is that they shall
service ammunition including the cartridge de-
signed by the ordnance department. The test will
be conducted by board of army officers 10 NEE.
on September l2, at Springfield. The composition
of the board will be designated by the Chief of
Staff time before the date of meeting and
certain rules for the government OF the competition
will be formulated at that time. There will be
several weapons presented. and already a
number of freak types OF ordnance have been
afforded for examination. A so-called magazine
pistol. of which type some experiments have been
conducted III our army, and which has met with a
certain amount of success abroad will probably be
tested. although il is not expected that there has
heen any such development of that type of weapon
as would lead 10 its adoption by our service.