Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-06
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
important Naval Changes of
the Next Few Months.

1t is announced that Rear Admiral
W. II. Brownson. commanding the Asiatic
station. will assume the duties of chief of
the bureau of navigation Navy Department.
about the LIST of May next as the relief of
Rear Admiral G.. A. Converse retired Ad-
miral Brownson viii retire for age in July.
but will continue at the head OF the navi-
cation bureau. in spite of that fact.
Capt. w. z. Potter. assistant chief Of the
bureau, will take command of the new bat
tleship Vermont in March and will prob
ably be succeeded by either Commander c.
j. Badger or Commander W. II. II. South
erland.
1t is generally understood that If the pres
ent Congress provides for two vice adj
mirals recommended by the Secretary of
the Navy, the offices will be filled by the
promotion of Rear Admiral r. ID. Evans.
commanding the Atlantic feet. and Rear
Admiral BrownSon, comma nding the tic
fleet
Rear Admiral Charles NJ Thomas COM
mandant of the second naval district and
superintendent of the naval training service,
with headquarters at Newport. will be as
signed to the command of the first squad
ron of the Atlantic fleet and Rear Admiral
William II. Emory. now on waiting orders.
VIII be assigned to the command OF the
second squadron of the same fleet. Capt
A. C. Dillingham;, commanding the receiv-
ing ship Franklin at the navy yard. Nor
relinquished by Rear Admiral Thomas.
New Militia Regulations.
The War Department will shortly pro-
mitigate as additions to the army regula-
lions certain very important amendments to
the regulations for the government of the
organized militia. As a result of two years
experience at the War Department with af-
fairs pertaining to the militia Assistant
ha rad ba
regulations which will be found OF
the utmost Importance by all mill
tia organizations. He has recommended to
the House committee on military affairs
that a provision be incorporated in the
forthcoming appropriation bill for arming
the militia with the new type of Spring
field magazine rifle now used by regular
troops. The new regulations define clearly
the conditions under which the militia may
be used for the national defense and its
relations to the regular army.
To Restore Adjutant Generals De-
partment.
An effort will be made by the War De-
partment during the present session OF
Congress to obtain legislation authoriz-
ing return to the army OF the office of
''adjutant general instead OF "the military
secretary and similarly "adjutant gener-
ais department" instead OF 1.-The MILL
tary secretary's department" The term
in the army and there is now a strong
feeling in the War Department that the
old, time-honored office of ''adtutant gen.
eral" should be re-estabshed. officers Of
the military secretary's department, IL Is
believed, would welcome a return to the
offices of adjutant general and assistant
adjutant general, which is now favored by
the War Department.
The Dolphin's New Duty.
Lieut.. Commander w. A Edgar has
been detached from command of the dis
patch boat Dolphin and ordered to duty
executive on the battleship Ohio at the
New York navy yard. No one has yet
been detailed to succeed him in command
of the Dolphin. That vessel is now re-
ceving extensive repairs at the New York
navy yard preparatory to service between
this city and Hampton Roads during the
jamestown exposition, 1t is understood
she will be used in the entertainment Of
distinguished foreign visitors during the
exposition.
To Organize Volunteer Regiments.
Secretary Taft will soon send to Con-
gress the draft of bill for the organiza-
ton of volunteer regiments in time of war.
similar to those organized in 1899 for serv-
ice in the Philippines which were differed
by officers of the regular army. The
measure is a most comprehensive one and
is intended to eradicate the plan of having
Differed by incompetent persons appoint
ed because of their political influence
rather than because of any special ability
they have shown for military duty.
Uniformity of Naval Nomenclature.
In order to establish uniformity in naval
nomenclature Secretary Metcalf has de-
cided that the designation of ships of the
navy shall be confined to the words
United States Ships" which for conven-
fence may be abbreviated to "U. S. s."
Recently the practice became general ir
the service of referring to receiving ships
as ~. S. r. S." and of fiagships as ~.
S. F. S. Torpedo boats are designated as
"U. S. T. s." and destroyers as ~. S. 7.
d. These initials appear on the cap RIB
bons of the bluejackets, the regulations
requiring the enlisted men to wear on their
cap ribbons the name of the vessel to
which they are attached. These designa-
tons are irregular; all of the ships are
United States ships and the flagship of
the Atlantic fleet is not "the United States
flagship Connecticut but ~. 5. 5. Con
necticut, Flagship. These small detais
doubtless appear to the civilian OF little
Importance, but in the military service
uniformity in such matters counts for
much.
Army Identification Tag.
By order of the SECRETARY of War, an
aluminium Identification tag, the size Of
silver half dollar and of suitable thick
ness. stamped with the name, rank, COM
pany, regiment or corps of the wearer, will
be worn by each officer and enlisted man
of the army whenever the field kit is worn.
the tag to be suspended from the neck, I'M
derneatt the clothing. by a cord or thong
passed through small hole in the tag. 1t
is prescribed part of the uniform, and
when not worn as directed herein will be
habitually kept in the possession of the
owner. The tag will be issued by the
quartermaster's department gratuitously
to enlisted men and at cost price TO officers
New Officers Elected.
The American Society of Naval Engineers
at an annual meeting held in the bureau
of steam engineering last week elected Off
GERS and executive council for the ensuing
year. The president is Commander B. c.
Bryan U. s. N; the secretary-treasurer is
Commander T. C. Fenton, L. s. N, retired,
and the executive council consists of Capt
A. F. Dixon, Commander R. s. Griffin and
Commander II. P. Norton, U. s. n.
Army Orders.
The following named officers will report in
person to Col. Edward s. Godfrey, 9th Cav