New-York tribune., 1907-12-14
e oil. Secretary Metcalf has been inqu'rine

use OIL Secretary Metcalf has been inquirlng
whether il will be possible TO convert the ola
destroyers that they may burn oil. 1t IS oeheFeo
that this cannot be done, since those NesSeis ar
probably not oil tight distinguished from water
tight. for what will keep the wate' out VIII not
necessarily keep the oil in. The next destroverS
be designed will burn oil instead OF coal aho
in order provide for this situation IT VIII
be necessary obtain the means of establishing
storage places on shore This will be done py the
construction of tanks at convenient bases of sup
ply and probably by the of hulks. which can
be towed after the fashion of colliers to deliver
oil to destroyers remote from the oil tank statioh
II the destroyers burned oil Il would not nave
been possible for them to have made the trip
which some of them are making. to the Pa
cific This requires chain OF stations WheIe
the supply liquid fuel may be periodically
obtained. Special provision slso will have to be
made in the designs of the next destroyers TO pro-
vide for the carriage OF this oil. which not be
kept tanks deck since that would present
vulnerable object of attack on the part OF the
enemy 1t will be necessary have places where
the material may be stored In order 10 protect the
government from the high price which would be
asked by dealers on any sudden call for oil 10
emergency.
CIVIL WAR SERVICE-The War Department
has had under consideration this week the request
of a colonel who desires to retired brsadier
general on account of service in the Civil war.
1t proved examination that this service con-
sisted Of duty a midshipman at Annapolis IN
1864 and a cruise in the summer OF thal year oi
the sloop-of-war which was used as practce
vessel for the mdshpmen. 1t is held by the war
Department that this does not entitle the ofhcer
TO he regarded as having served in the Civil War
The law which provides for advanced rank on ac-
count of such service especially exenpts service
as cadet, and of course midshipman is ldehilcaI
with the cadet when II to classification of
service 1t was decided last week that an army
engineer was entitled to the advanced rank on re-
tirernent although his service was rendered as
cadet at West Point In this case, however, TIE
cadet obtained permission 10 serve and did serve
with the Army of the Potomac during the summer
furlough.
NAVY IN NEED OF NURSES.-The naval hos
pital corps is POI short OF It's needed nufneri
cal strength and the service is correspondingly
crippled. Every effort will be applied by the naVa
authorities for the enactment or the bill whcn mas
been presented Congress for the increase of the
hospital corps establishment of its pay and
other conditions a. to make the branch attrac-
tiye to the young men who now prefer other de-
partments of the navy and who find much better
prospects offered them by service in the hospital
corps of the army. The bureau OF medicine ana
surgery will have two other bills before Congress
this session. one providing for women nurses and
the other for dental surgeons Respecting the
former there is some doubt entertained by num-
Der of medical officers to the value Of such aids
to the surgeons, but women nurses are peileFed 10
be valuable in connection with the work at hos
pitals
ORDERS IssUED.-The following orders have
been issued:
ARMY
Lieutenant Colonel HARRY l. ROGERS depus paymss mas
ter general, relieved assistant TO pa!nasIer ger
6n @ r asss9s6 to dasy si sSf II
payrnaster general, Office Of paymaster general
CONTRACT Surgeon WILLIAM J. ENDERS. from Philade-
First Pn1 Leu5ehant FRANK w WEED surgeon
second raetE Lieutenant RoBERT NJ CAMPBELL I2th Cav
airy TO Atlanta as aide-de-cemp staff OF Brsh-
der General JOHN NJ. X DAVIS
NAVY.
BIDDLE. completion of examination to
Surgeon MOORE. detached from recruiting station
Chattanooga: 10 the Kansas ,.o,- ,-,,
navy yard. New York; 10 navy recruiting STA
PASSED. " Assistant Psrmaster w c FITE
naval station. New Orleans TO ayait ordersl , ,i,
Assistant Paymaster 8 l. BF'l-HEA to na'a station
New Orleans, December 81
MARINE CORPS.
Second Lieutenant w L. BURCHFIELD. TO Mare Island
examination for promotion - = .n,,,c =
oSTERMANN H G JTDsON. r. F LUDLOW.
\. NJ. SUMNER and w F. BEVAN detached from
brigadier general commandan;.
Second Lieutenant H. 5. GREEN, to resume duties On
the Kansas.
movements of war vessels have been reported to
the Navy Department:
ARRIVED.
Dec 1.-THE Nebraska San Francisco: the St Louis.
Island.
Dec 12-The Dahgren. Norfolk.
SAILEr
Dec 12-The Adams. Bermuda fer League Island;
the Florida Annapolis for Norfolk; the Whipple.
Hopkins. the Hull the Stewart the TIuNtun AMI
Lawrence. from san Juar for Trinidad: the Por-
nav yard New York: the Wasp, Newburg.
y y. Poughkeepsie-