Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-21
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS

portance but if the big battleships are to
go around the Horn it is believed that a
floating repair shop would be useful al
junct to the long voyage.
Bureau Chiefs on Inspection Tours.
Rear Admiral William S. Cowles, chief
of the bureau of equipment; Rear Admiral
w. l.. Caps, chief constructor of the
navy. and Rear Admiral r. c. Hollyday.
chief of the bureau of yards and docks,
will make inspection trips to the Pacific
coast this summer Admiral Cowles is go
ing to San Francisco and Admirals Capps
and Hollyday to Mare Island and Puget
sound
Naval tuberculosis Hospital.
Reports giving enthusiastic accounts of
the beneficial effects Of the climate have
been received at the Navy Department
from Fort Lyon, Col, where naval hos
pital and santarium has been established
for the treatment of tuberculosis patients.
Everything possible is to be done to equip
the institution with the latest devices for
personal comfort and methods of treat
ment. Officers of the medical department
express the opinion that there is no instr
tuition under the sugeon general of the
navy destined to be of greater benefit to
the navy than this hospital.
Prospective Retirement of Col. Ayres
III INC cHCHt llIdl llle OIL
the medical officers of the army retiring
board is followed by the favorable action
of that body Lieut.. Col. Charles G. Ayres
will be retired with the rank he now holds.
The law provides that where an officer
has had civil war service he shall be re-
tired with the next higher rank over that
which he holds at the date of his retirement
Col Ayres has not had such service.
Wooden Puttees for Soldiers.
The War Department has decided to
make an experiment with 1000 wooden
puttees to be used by enlisted men in the
Philippines. There is a demand for such
articles, especially among the troops In
Samar, Leyte and Mindanao, where they
encounter much mud and water and where
leeches are very troublesome. The soldiers
as protection have been making puttees
out of blankets and bandages and such
material, and there has been a preliminary
trial of a puttee made of wooden cloth
with results which are reported to be most
satisfactory.
New Glass at Naval Academy.
The records of the candidates fo- ad-
mission to the Naval Academy this year
have been practically completed. with the
prospect that the new fourth class will be
composed of about 30 members. more than
the fourth class of last year by some forty
midshipmen. The largest recorded fourth
class was that which entered the academy
in 1903, composed of 3lS members.
Surgical Lessons From Latest War.
Vital statistics of the Russo-Japanese
war operations in Manchuria. in the pos
session of the army medical officers, show
that of the total wounded three-fourths
were able t. march and that 40 per cent of
those disabled returned to the ranks within
three months Some preliminary d9duc
lions of conSidera BILE interest have been
made from these statistics. 1t was gener
ally expected that results would SHOW that
the modern firearm would prove more
deadly than those heretofore in use. That,
however, was not the case. Those who
were injured recovered quickly and were
soon able to return to duty
Ihese same deductions, however show
that the effectiveness of artillery fire has
increased. But the character of wounds
from the artillery fire was such that fewer
operations are required than formerly and
the grewsome spectacle of amputated limbs
once presented at first-aid stations were
not so conspicuous during the war.
Army Pay Too Small.
Capt Samuel Z. Lambert of the medical
department of the army has rendered his
resignation, to take effect July ~. In his
letter Of resignation he says that the fire.
quent and expensive changes of station and
the inadequate compensation given army
surgeons are the reasons why he has re-
signed. Col Hazard of the medical depart
ment in forwarding the letter. makes an
Endorsement likely to attract attention to
the conditions to which DR.. Lambert makes
reference. He says that the medical de-
partment is seriously embarrassed by the
increasing number of designations owing
| 10 low pay, and that the vacancies caused
thereby are not being filed, because 1t is
impossible to get competent physicians to
enter the service.
Torpedo Planter for the Potomac
The United States army torpedo planter
Maj. Samuel Ringgold. commanded by
George t. Patterson, Coast Artillery Corps,
| will proceed, upon the completion of its
| duties In connection with the joint coast
defense exercises, for regular iustruction
work to the artillery district of Potomac
| for work at Fort Washington, Md, from
| October 10 to November TO- 1907.
| Cannot Indorse Private Concerns.
| The War Department has declared that
il cannot lend itself to the ~