New-York tribune., 1907-08-05

the Philippine constabulary. They have been
drilled 10 high state Of military capacity by
coxswain stationed at Pango-Pango and naval Off
that station are emphatic in their praise
of their work and the excellent influence they eX-
They do not have have much in the way of
uniform, wearing usually tUrban. a sleeveless
shirt and an abbreviated skirt. They are without
shoes or stockings and In this way unencuul-
bered in the way of apparel. which has its advan-
ages i'll the climate which prevails in the islands
The men superb in physique, hardy and OF
great endurance They so through the drills with
great precision, and natives who DO not belong TO
the organization regard ti>e ihentoe'S VIZ" Etea'
respect and envy To enlist in the company is .
mark Of distinction 10 which princes OF the royal
blood aspire, and throughout the islands such
is the respect they command. no disturbance
has been recorded in the last year. The photo
graph here printed is that of one or the coTpordiS
of the company. a young man whose father - one
OF The principal chiefs OF TItuila- Tie loyalty Of
all the natives the Stars and Stripes Is most
nrnnounced and the Fourth of July is nowhere
more enthusiastically universally celepTateu
than in these islands the only territories Of the
United States which lie south of the equator
MILITIA SURGEONS QUALIFICATIONS.-Th
surgeon general of the army is sending out circu-
lars 10 the militia authorities calling attention 10
the fact that there has been an important modih-
cation in the regulations which govern the adrnis-
sion OF such the medical school IN
washington. Hitherto only militia surgeons
have availed themselves OF the privilege of attend
ing the institution. One was present at the last
session and another one attended the previous
course. IL mas Deei iuuId 'iidt NlIN
surgeons. who are mostly practising pf~ysicLd.s ~
who belong 70 national guard. DO not wish Z"
subject themselves TO the entrance examination
which has hitherto been required ihey coIlS'der-
Of course. that being in the practice OF their pro
fession and connected with the natl"ndi Suard as
surgeons they may be considered as quaIhed 20
,aka the pnsr graduate At the army nedicai
school This view has now been accepted oy ths
Usr De,artueut authorities. and the militia sur
geons will now he expected 10 produce mereN d
certificate OF graduation. with certain other ihlor-
nation their character and position IN 'LtI'
profession II is expected that the niitia sur
5aons vii be more literally represented at the
washington Institution next winter.
NAVY GETS CIVIL ENGINEERS the idSt
week there were appointed TO the CORPS o. c'E
engineers five assistant civil engineers "Ho W.
fill all the vacancies in that corps LAtie NeiS' "
decd an additional qualified candidate as result
Of the examination held I'm New horh ptsl''"i''N
on July . The naval authorities did not expect
that the vacancies IN the corps "o3d 70 Heu ~
Hitherto the examinations have produced no ca'
ditlates Who qualified and It Las p'tH
serious question now the Nacdii'I's 49, I,,-,4
filed especially when there was suyi ue -.
for civil engineers in connection with the coii'lfut
tion OF public works a. navy yards ana St'tt4p'''
The vacancies could have been hIled IE 't.'HSleI
from the line As many junior HeuteuantS anu
senior midshipmen have applied Tor appoilttn,i''
as assistant civil engineers. but the demand TOT
line officers made IL impossible u spare blt9e
officers Besides. those who We're appointed IN 'IlS
way had take two years course at TROY y. -, ,,
before tnev qualified for duty Tho itdNah'iSe
in getting qualified candidates from civil HE was
that they could at once report for duty
RAILROAD RATES FOR TROOps.-The War
Department has obtained from the Interstate COM
rnerce Commission authority for the railroads 10 re-
gard as the equivalent of cash the Transportation
reouests" which are issued by the army quarter
masters who have charge OF the rahrodu Trans
rortatiou Of rroops has been found that the
rarroads NAV make reductions in fare when parties
are travelling but the railroads nave held th;it
tb,s can only be done of a cash transaction
OF course the government authorities carnot pay
cash but il has been held in the War Department
that the transportation request was practc,IN tue
same, thing, and the Interstate Commerce tonirhlN-
ajon has now decided that this arrangement IS
within the railroad rate law and that the railroads.
will be safe in being governed accordingly indeeu
there Is nothing in the law to prevent q SP'tid'
rate being given to the government IN the trans
portation of troops
PORT ROYALS USELESSNESS.-arra ngements
have been made for the sale 10 the highest bidder
~ the drvdock pumping machinery at Port Royal
: {, where ia located the abandoned naval sta
ton This material Is about the only thing which
will yield the government any return IN the way
of sales OF the costly equipment which was N
stalled at Port Royal. The drydock there is ST'i-
uav going 20 pisces. and most OF the buildings IN
time of course. will become useless. The depart
ment authorities have always cherished the notion
that something may be done with the Port Royal
statteu and il has been held with the idea that It
couId be used as isolation place in the event of
an epidemic in the service, principally a one OF
the training stations. Everything that coUld 5s
moved and would he of use has been transferred
10 the new plant Charleston : e About the
only material which can be sold Is the machinery
whic! installed with view 10 using the dock
That structure. however. inaccessible To large
ships. except on the most favorable conditions Of
tide.
MILEAGE FOR MIDSHIPMEN-An old law Eas
been discovered by the Navy Department author-
ties which will hereafter operate give midship-
men mileage whenever they are travelling under
orders WITHOUT any of the doubts denials and dis
putes which have attended any attempt in that d-
hitherto of the policies of the
Treasury Depa rtment authorities that rn,d hipmdn
under instruction at the Nava! Academy. when trav-
cling under orders. could not receive the mileage.
while mdshIpman who had been graduated and
was performing the years service
,eived mileage under the circumstances the
discovery of the old law will enable the payment
OF mileage all midshipmen when they trav-
elIipg under orders This includes, for instance. dt
nresent the members OF the Naval Academy rifle
team, and it would relate To the midshipmen who