New-York tribune., 1907-12-18

ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
Delay IN Distributing Medals and
Badges to Soldiers.
IFrom The Tribune B-re1u.1


MEDALS OF HONOR DELAYED.-Many army
officers and enlisted men of the military service
are greatly disappointed because 1t Is not possl-
BILE for the War Department to distribute before
the new year the nearly fifty thousand medals
and badges which have been authorized by law
for those who took part certain campaigns In the
Civil War, the Spanish war, the Philippine insur-
rection and the Indian campaigns. Legislation au-
thorizing the issue of these medals was enacted
at the last Congress- and steps were Immediately
taken to obtain the names and addresses OF those
who under the terms of the law were entltIen 10
receive these enblems. The result was an accunnu-
laton of nearly fifty thousand names, not now
ever representing that many different officers and
men, because some of them will receive four or
five badges for taking part In that many cam
paigns for which the medals were authorized Inc
accumulation of names was made by the adJutailt
general of the army, and the quarteTTnaster gen
eral was instructed provide for the badges Ihis
was done by arranging with the Treasury Depart
rlent for turning out the badges at the United
States Mint in Philadelphia. and New forK ar
tist was employed to design the medals The Work
has progressed far that there are now on haho
in the War Department nearly seven thousaho
badges only enough to furnish commissioned of1-
GERS with the medals for the Spanish war. IL
was intended 10 defer the distribution until all
the medals received, but, in view or the tact
that work on them the mint has been suspended
on account of other demands upon the faclltles Oh
the establishment, IL has been decided to send out
the Spanish badges before January !. as a
sort OF Christmas present from the ar Depart
TO officers Of the army.
BROOKLYN DRYDOCKS DANGERoUS.-The
Navy Department is in receipt os some information
concerning drydocks Nos. and the Brooklyn
navy yard. The latter dock is In condition which
requires vigilance that II does not be-
come impaired 10 such an extent as to be worthless
Il leaks badly. the concrete facing Is badly cracked
and portions OF II are missing Both docks would
be placed OF commission If II were possible TO
do So but It will be three years before Dock No.
is ready for use This is the dock on which work
has been suspended since August. 1906, because II
could not be determined whether the contractor
should be relieved from his obligations to the gov
ernment This was accomplished within a week
or two and bids have been invited for completing
the structure. II is not expected there will be
bids, for the that the risk OF completing the
dock is a great one, and is not likely to be sought
by contractors who understand the situation. the
work Of dock building at the New York Navy Yard
has been hazardous to all contractors. and costly
to some OF them. There have been great delays in
doing the work of the uncertainty of the
foundation II is this element also which gives the
officials much concern in regard to the two docks
which are now In They are being repaired
and put In condition not 10 place In Jeopardy
the ships which docked there Instructions
have been given to observe the situation carefully
WIRELESS TO COVER ALAsKA.-Special ar
raneements are being made for the extension OF
wireless telegraphy IN Alaska The army signal
Office in the market for large quantity or ma
teriaI which will be used TO establish powerful sta
tions at such PAGES as Nome Fort Gibbon. Fort Eg-
bert Fairbanks and Circle City. This may make it
possible TO communicate with the naval station at
San Francisco, and to ships well out on the Pa
cinc The increase of power will improve the eff
cheney of the wireless telegraph system in the ter
ritory The acquisition of the material will be
made so as TO have il shipped to Alaska upon the
opening of navigation in June. An army officer,
who is an expert the installation of the wireless,
will be brought from Cuba. where he Is
duty TO superintend the assembling of the appara-
tus at Seattle, and later go with it to Alaska and
See 10 its installation the stations selected.
ORDERS ISSUED.-The following orders have
been issued
ARMY.
Colonel WALTER s. SCOTT 18th Infantry, to Washing
Barracks. January Z, for examination for retire
First lieutenant CLARENCE I.D r. COLE, assistant
surgeon, jefferson Barracks.
Second Lieutenant PICkENS h WOopSON. sth Infan-
try. general hospital. Fort Bayard.
NAVY
Captain L C, HEILNER, to navy yard. New York.
Captain Z. d. TAUSSIG. detached from navy yard,
League Island. to duty commandment 9th naval
distrfc and yard Norfolk
Comnlander r NJ PORTS to command pes Mones
Lieutenant Commander F l. CHAPLIN, detached from
Navy Department January 2: to duty naval at
tache at American embassies at Paris and St. Pc
Surgeon r c. Ho1CoMB. commissioned.
Passed Assistant Psymaster E. s srALNAkER. de-
tached Naval Academy December 81 to duty
under Department of Agriculture in connection with
study and analysis of food products.
paymaster II. Fl. AlkIRE detached from the
Naval Academy.
Assistant Pa5master E. M. HACKER. to Naval Academy