Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-08
New Paw for the United Service.

The army and navy officers who have
been charged with the arrangement or the
details of the pay tables for the JOINT
services to be proposed to Congress at the
next session, in connection with the Dick
Capron bill. have completed their work
They are now addressing semi-contidental
communicate embodying the results or
their labors to large number or ofhcers
and public men who are expected TO render
valuable assistance in securing the desired
legislation. The reasons for the changes In
the existing law proposed are thoroughly
presented and altogether the circular Is
calculated to strengthen the movement,
which. IL IS understood, has the unqua'lneu
support OF the President and Secretaries
TAFT and Metcalf. for better compensation
OF the rank and file of the army and navy
and the revenue cutter service
The bill Is not framed with any purpose
of adjusting existing inequalities IN pay pc
tween performing the same KIND or
service or even equivalent service; that was
found to be a hopeless task. and It's very
suggestion led to the development of so
many diverse and conflicting statements
and claims that it was evident that any at
tempt to reconcile them would greatly en-
danger the prospects of the bill as whole.
Therefore in section OF the bill 1t was
proposed that the pay of officers should be
based a sliding scale providing for an
increase of 10 per cent in the highest grade
and - per cent in the lowest. The effect
OF this legislation, as stated in the circular
on the active list Of the army (which is the
basis OF naval pay) at the following rates:
Base pay-Cieneral. S1i.S5o. lieutenant
general, S12.1oo; major general, ss62o;
lieutenant colonel $500; major, $1,000;
captain. mounted. $500; captain, not
mounted. s.. 30 first lieutenant, mounted.
S2.OOO. first lieutenant, not mounted. S1.sI5;
second lieutenant, mounted, Sl,Sio; second
lieutenant. 81. $50
The pay on the retired list is as follows:
General. Sll.13I.5e; lieutenant general.
S9OT5. major general. S4.6SO.i5: brigadier
general. S4T43.T5; colonel. So, $50; lieutenant
colonel. 500; major, $50; captain,
mounted. S1.STJ; captain, not mounted,
81 GST-H. first lieutenant. mounted. $1,000:
first lieutenant. not mounted, S1.ii6.25; sec
ond Lieutenant, M ounted. %; second
lieutenant. not mounted. sl.3l2.o0
Cadets. midsh!pmen and warrant officers
are to receive % per cent increase on pres
ent pay.
The tables are worked out for all periods
of longevity from five to twenty years.
Wireless Telegraphy in Alaska.
For several years the Signal Corps OF the
army. which was charged with the mainte-
nance OF communication in Alaska, in
despair over the difficulties experienced in
keeping in order cables connecting Cape
Nome with the outside world. The trouble
was with the ice which did not affect the
ca bles very unfayorIbly in the months OF
hard frost in the winter. but which made
short work of them soon as with the re
turn Of spring and the beginning of the
drift along the coast the great Ice masses
began to griud over the bottoms of the shall
low bays and inlets
Last season. after much experimenting.
wireless system found that would, as
required by the chief signal officer. work
seven days week. and this gave great
satisfaction in the polar re ion. II is the
intention of the War Department to consid-
era5ly extend the system. and TO that end
adveFtis ements were some time ago issued
for the necessary apparatus II was found.
however that 1t would not be practicable 10
Install the plant this year. owing to the
lateHe5s OF the season. and IT was feared
that the apparatus would rapidly deterlorat t.
IF kept idle in storage plans are now being
drawn for reimbursement framed as u
secUrc the apparatus early next spring and
I'm time to be installed before navigation
closes
Consideration of Big Guns
Advocates OF the wire-wound gun are
counting somewhat confidently upon the
completion OF the prolonged experiments
that are going on at Intervals with the
Brown and the Crozier guns of that typt