Evening star., 1907-09-01
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS

1t happens that II was the idea of President
Roosevelt himself to pick out for this I'M
| portant work some of the youngest oncet
| in the service and to direct that such be
| selected for the board, not that he was
dissatisfied with the report OF the BOARD
which Investigated the fatal accident on the
Geoi gia, which led to the inquiry, but be-
| cause he found upon looking into Its COM
| position that few of the members were men
| who had had any recent experience In
modern turret work. They were or such
| high rank that 1t was their business 10
| stand on the bridge or elsewhere on deck,
| leaving to men of the rank OF lieutenant
or below to direct the firing Of the guns
| inside the turrets.
Now each of the members of the present
board has lived a good part of his official
| life in the tu-rets: in fact, one or them
holds the record for target work with the
twelve-inch guns so they know exactly
what they are about and are able to supple
| ment the departments theoretical Ohowl-
edge with good p. actical experience. There
fore satisfactory results are expected from
their work.
Practical Training of the Troops.
The War Department, upon the recon-
mendation of the general staff has found
it necessary to make considerable changes
in the regulations governing the practical
training of the troops, especially In the
matter of the endurance marches and other
severe exercises. Therefore. 1t has issfed
an order declaring that hereafter the prac-
tical training of the cavalry, infantry and
field artillery of the regular army will be
divided into two distinct phases. namely,
garrison training and field training.
Garrison training will include gymnastics
and outdoor athletics. bayonet and kindred
exercises, the details Of tent pitching and
striking. close order drills. ceremonies,
guard duty. riding, horse exercise, the pre-
mechanism of extended order drills, the
hygienic care of the person, of, buildings
and of grounds. swimming and generally
all such needful instruction heretofore pre-
scribad as can protitab.y be impaired on
limited ground and under the conditions
imposed by garrison life.
Field training will include range firing,
practice marches, camping and in connec-
ton Herewith drills and exercises Of every
kind calculated to instruct and prepare the
soldier in peace for his actual duties in war.
These will embrace advance and rear guard
formations, attack and defense of conveys
and of selected positions, outpost duty, re-
connaissance and patrolling by day and
night, night operations, road sketching, the
making of reports. the use of intrenching
tools, individual field cooking, etc.
AS part of this training there will be.
during that period of the year assigned
especially to practical instruction, one
march In each month of not less than three.
nor. ordinarily. more than six days, and
during such period commands will take the
field for not less than twenty-one consecu-
tive days.
Whenever practicable a reasonable num-
Der of marches will be by battalion, squad
ron, or regiment, the annual march to be
always by regiment where all organizations
of the same are at one post or so near to-
gether that they can be readily combined
While actually engaged In the prescribed
range practice organizations may. in the
discretion of the departm mt commander
be excused from practice marches.
Recommendations for Clemency.
Upon an opinion by the acting judge q /
vocate general of the army, Maj John
Bddle Porter, an amendment to the army
regulations has been adopted which re-
vokes the authority heretofore exercised
by department commanders with relation
to soldiers under sentence of a court-mar-
tial Hereafter all recommendations for
clemency must be sent to the War Depart
ment regardless of the fact that the pris-
oner may still be In temporary confinement
under the control of a department COM
mander. Officers who have ordered a court
martial will no longer be permitted to eXer-
else the power to pardon or mitigate pun
ishment adjudged by such court.
Can't Be Sent to st. Elizabeth.
The wife of a non-commissioned officer
of the army, when adjudged insane, is not
entitled to treatment in the government
hospital in Washington unless she has a
residence in the District of Columbia, ac-
cording to a decision just reached. The
case arose through order sending a non-
commissioned officer at Fort Leavenworth
Kan, to the Philippines. His wife was in
sane and he desired that she be sent to
this city. If the state of Kansas declines to
permit her to enter an Institution in that
state she will have to be sent to her home
for whatever care as may be accorded her
there.
Exemption From Jury Duty.
The War Department has decided not tc
interfere to secure exemption of retired of.
ficers and enlisted men of the army from
jury duty under state laws. 1t is said
| however. that retirement does not change
the status of such men, for they still re-
main part of the army and are entitled to
exemption on account of being on military
duty. The state courts, II is believed may
be depended upon to determine what dutie.
are to be performed by retired soldiers
when the requirements do not interiors
with military duty.