Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-28
Desertions in Time of War.

nv general court-martial under charge
of desertion. the statute of limitations was
nleaded in bar of trial, although the record
showed that the accused deserted in time
of war The plea was sustained by the
court and the proceedings in respect there
to were approved by the converting au-
thority.
1t has been the view of the war De-
partment for many years that the statute
of limitations is not applicable to case
of desertion in time of war. The oftense
of desertion, it is held, has been commit
ted when an officer or enlisted man mas
absented himself from his command or
post of duty with the intention of not re-
turning The department holds that such
an offender remains subject to punishment
because by reason of having aosented
himself he has not been 'amenable to
justice, within the period mentioned III
the 1U3d article of war.
In conformity to these views, which have
received the approval of the Secretary OF
War and have regulated the practice OF
the department for many years in respect
to the application of the statute OF lnlta-
lions in desertion, Gen. Bell, chief or stan
has directed that reviewing authorities De
advised, in cases involving desertion in
time of war in which a plea based upon
the statute of limitations has been sus-
tanned. to withhold their approval and re
turn the case to the court-martlai with
instructions to proceed with the trlal.
Targeters to Test Rifles.
BY authority of the Secretary of War, a
limited number of men to serve as target
ers will be employed at the various
national armories and arsenals. The duty
of a targeter is to fire at targets the new
rifles manufactured by the ordnance de-
partment in order TO accurately adjust the
sights thereof. The special requirements
are those of an expert rifeman and the
general qualifications are sobriety, industry
and good character. The employment OF
these tarGeterS Will be permanent ana
they will be paid at the rate of 80
day for eight hourS' labor. He will be
entitled to pay for legal holidays and will
be allowed fifteen days leave of absence
a year.
Commanding officers of troops serving in
the United States have been asked to GER
tify the names of men of their command
possessing the required qualifications. who
desire employment as targeters with
view to their being ordered to duty at the
Springfield armory, Massachusetts, or to
the Rock Island arsenal, Illinois
Improving Submarines.
To guard against the repetition of the
terrible disaster in the Mediterranean when
the French submarine boat Lutin sank to
of the crew had expired, the naval con-
structors are now fitting the Pike and the
Gramnus two submarines at Mare Island,
with large hooks fastened to the sides, to
which a diver can easily attach cable and
enable the boat TO be hoiSted to the surface
if her own machinery fails.
Bilge keels also are being placed on the
sides of these boats so that the sailors VIII
have more liberty of movement, 1t now be-
ing dangerous for any of the crew 10 move
about while the boats are submerged and
under way lest they cause them to dive TO
the bottom.
Experimental Balloon Station.
As preliminary step toward the creation
of a large governmental station for testing
army balloons. the War Department has
n1arad q contract for the construction OF a
hydrogen generating plant at Fort omaha'
Neb. This will be one of the largest hydro
gen plants in the world. capaoie Oh prouuc-
ing five thousand cubic feet OF gas per
hoI1r and will be built by the Gas Machln-
erv Company of Cleveland. ONO, whlch mas
heen awarded the contract at a cost or
S21 100.
Private Gunmakers to Assist.
The rush of work at the Washington
naval gun factory and the necessity for
quick supply of large guns for the arma-
ment of the new ships approaching comPie-
tion has determined the Navy department
to ask bids from private gunmakers LOT
supplying twelve Pinch guns ana three
Inch guns instead of furnishing the rough
forginps TO be finished and assembled at
the Washington yard.
An Oil-Burning Naval Vessel
The Navy Department has finally decided
tn convert the monitor Wyoming at the
Mare Island navy yard, San Francisco, into
faI oil rni vessel.
end she will be equipped with tanks capable
of carving about 800 barrels of oil and
sDecfaI apparatus for burning that hu1d. IL
is estimated that the proposed work VIII
cost about S2o,oOO.
New Naval Cap Ribbon.
Cap ribbons are to be supplied to enlisted
men of the navy who are employed or
navy ward or naval station craft for which
cap ribbons bearing the name of a snip are
not supplied. Upon the order of the paymas
ter general of the navy hereafter only cai
ribbons will be ordered for the navy when
bear the name of a vessel preceded by th'
initials l., s. S or the designation Indicated
above.
improvements at Fort Monroe.
A board of officers to consist of Brig
Gen. Arthur Murray, chief of artillery
Lieut. Col. George I.uhlen deputy quarter
master general; Lieut.. Col. George F. 4
Harrison. Artillery Corps, has been ap
pointed to meet at Fort Monroe, Virginia
to consider the questions pertaining to thu
selections of sites for school and Other
buildings at Fort Monroe and other ques
lions bearing the approved scheme fol
the consolida ton of the school of submarine
defense and the artillery school at tina
post.
Lighting the Statue of Liberty.
The statue of liberty in New York har-
Dor is again to be provided with lighted
torch. Plans for the work have been APP
proved by Quartermaster General Hum
phrey, and the contract will probably be
awarded early in June. The improvements
include considerable grading, an electric
elevator, a winding stairway to the top, and
the installation of electric lighting, includ-
ing eight arc lights in the torch of the
statue.
Canvas Uniforms for Troops.
BY direction of Gen. Bell, chief of staff.
general orders of April 25 1906 providing
for the gratuitous issue of the brown can
vas fatigue coat and trousers to mounted
and coast artillery troops has been modi-
| fed so as to provide for the gratuitous is
sue of such clothing to all troops, the issue
| to foot troops to be the same as that now
made to coast artillery troops.