New-York tribune., 1907-12-21
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Liuely Official Comment ON Bnls for
Vines and Cigars.
IFrom 7, Tribune Bureau.I
Nachinpton- Dece


rNTEpTA1NNENT OF FOREIGNERS.-It is
not often there is lively official comment as
that made by the Controller OF the treasury re-
specting the decision OF predecessor Secoho ooii
troer Butler 1t ali comes about on account VI
the disallowance by the present Controller OF an
item amounting to $1s5 which the Navy Depart
ment wished to have authorized as a draft on tii9
contingent fund for the entertainment or loreSi
officers the incident being that OF the VISIT ot .
St Louis to Rio Janeiro on July A. The accounthS
officers had dissuoved the claim being Illegal
whereupon the Secretary of the Navy dug up t"e
decision of Controller Butler in 1883 and pointed OUT
that he had allowed a similar cialm' eAcildiie'
however. the items Of wine. liquors and cigars
The Controller says:
have copy of this decision before me-. II h;ei r.
truly remarkable document IL bere is ei'Irs M
found the authority to restrict these payments
as exclude payments for wines 4q1or9 EntoT9
tanments, especially in foreign countries m like the
out wines VII Gg3Ts % or Ggaf fG eannhoV Dane left
out of the lines CONTROLLER Butter poss&sSseo & n no
prop proprated 10fe for such purpose as admitted By
Controller Butler. he utterly without auth'rty
St w TO It i is he snsa Of cenee
take care Of consequences and the were
within the fair scope of the language OF the con
there was authority of law to pay for the enter
tanments, and such authority as to MAKE ms IT. IT,
for wines. liquors and cigars ridiculous might
stronger words if expressed my True 0pU P th,S
rejecting parts of vouchers which as clearly
legal the parts he allowed
The Controller finds the language of the appro-
priation at present to give the Secretary of the
Navy authority, and he holds that when Congress
has reposed discretion in the Secretary nelther
courts the accounting officers may presume 20
question this exercise of authority The ControlIer
has, therefore allowed the expenditure in the case
of the officers of the st. Louis to be applied 10
the payment of the entertainment adding that the
Secretary the Navy and his officers are the sole
judges of whether wines, liquors and cigars shall
be included parts of such entertainment III
so included" says the Controller, they may be
paid for as any other part of the entertainment L
have neither the inclination nor the authority to
prescribe the of entertainment.
INTERFERENCE WITH WIRELESS-The
pers I'm wireless telegraphy have had an experience
which convinces them that II Is necessary to have
laws enacted with the least possible delay which
shall permit governmental control of wireless com
munication. This disclosed in practical way
TO some army officers at Fort Monroe on Monday
in test of the wireless telephones for the military
service. When they tried TO use the instrument
they encountered carnor which made 1T impos-
sible to distinguish voices receive messages
This was due TO the fact that there were sixteen
battleships in Hampton Roads. all using the wire
less at once. in addition to which all the wireless
stations along the coast were contributing their
signals. The result that message could be
received, and the confusion valuable only
wireless communication. This will be necessary in
time of
ORDERS IssUED.-The following orders have
been issued
ARMY
First Lieutenant BRUNO T scHER, frosn Sd 10 18th
FIRST IIentsnant CHARLES c. HERMAN. Jr.. from
First lieutenant CLARENCE LIE r. COLE assistant
surgeon from Fort aonias TO Jefferson Barracks for
Dental Surgeon HUGH G. VOORHEES,. Fort L-even-
worth.
amining board candidates for appointment as
j. p. PARKER. detached the Florida: home.
cornmander f. F. FLETCHER additional duty. general
Lieutenant R P GRAFT detached Navy Department. to
= , the No Montgomery; yS;,rrr,p ,..a,h., , ..z 90.
tion Newport detailed assistant to inspector Of ord
Paymaster BROOKS. to naval proving grounds. Indian
Paymaster P. G. kENNARD. placed on retired list.
MARINE CORPS.
Brlgadier General G. C. REID retired). leave OF ab
sence for year. with permission to leave United
First Lieutenant H GIBSON Ge,iredD. relieved from
Second Y Z P5yA e s New
an r. F. LUDLOW detached headquarters marine
SSi dSdnant ~ wM isd 10 sne
racks navy yard. Mare Island. for examination foz
secoad Isasnans II 6 1URsoN and ADAMS
so,ons gaskf nayy yar s0sISn WfYrNc; ta,sc,o
tiers marine corps: to the West Virginia.
second = H. detached marine
barracks yard Norfolk: report brigadier gen
comnandana-
MOVEMENTS OF wARsHIPS-The following !
movements of vessels have been reported to the
Navy Department:
ARRIVED.
ana The A@ &ap at at s has sa New York the Prairie
Dec. fsThe California from Francisco for MaEda-
Bay.
Dec 19-The Wasp from Yonkers for navy yard New
York
ORDERED OUT OF COMMISSION
The Florida. yard. Norfolk and tho Adams navy
yard. League Island. ''
PLACED IN RESERVE
rbo GRAY smha 4