New-York tribune., 1908-07-20
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
rrrcm IN. Tribune Bur.an.I

e4fy balloons already In the possession OF the
army signal corps at For. Myer. virsnia. where
in the next few weeks there win be the ac-
ceptance trials Of Captain Thomas Baldwins d.
ngible balloon and the Wright brothers aeroplane
Special interest attaches both OF these devices
but the experts chiefly interested in the Wrfent
brothers vehicle The drieble balloon has already
asserted itself and found q place in military aero
nautics 1t In simply a question Of development
and tho extent Of the to which that type OF
air transport may be employed in connection with
the operation of armies in the field.
With the aeroplane tho situation il quite differ
ent. fer that Is comparatively question. al
though more than a year ago the army board OF
ordnance and fertilization allotted a considerable
TO Professor Langley OF the Smithsonian In
stitution. for experimentation with the heavier
than-air machine. Professor Langley before his
death was the subject OF much bitter criticism
and heartless ridicule because he had not
ceeded as some thought he should succeed but he
made some important discoveries Of which it Is
understood the Wright brothers have taken ad-
vantage
The balloon plant at Fort Myer Is not intended
to be the important outfit In military balloonins
AT present It consists OF frame balloon house
and portable hydrogen plant which can De trans
ferred wherever the balloon ascension Is desired
This balloon house is large enough to accommo-
date one of the small balloons There Is also
being purchased under contract a canvas shelter
or tent house for the larger military balloons
This will be made of army duck and will be so
supported that 1t will offer unobstructed interior
Of sufficient dimensions to accommodate the oal-
loon bag when it is filled
Special ARRANGEMENTS being made by the
army signal oficers for the acceptance trials OF
the new dirzible balloon and the Wright brothers
aeroplane There possibility that the President
will witness the test of the latter or AZ ieast
attend one of the subsequent trials when II has
been demonstrated that the aeroplane is sue
cess concerning which result there is great diff
ference of expert opinion. II Is desired to have
these tests conducte, without previous notice. 20
avoid such attendance of the curious as VIII
interfere with the operation OF the machine
THE NEW FLEET CoLIIERs-It has been
practically decided by the Navy Department 10
construct one of the two fleet colliers authorized
at the last session of Congress at the Mare isiand
navy yard. The law required that one OF these
colliers should he built at navy yard on the
Pacific coast and inasmuch the Mare Island
ward was equipped build the collier Fronetheus'
the sister ship Of the collier Vestal. building at
New York II is considered that there VIII DC
economy in having the new collier oulit at 'hd'
plant instead of at Puget Sound The people VINO
interested in the latter yard are ANXIOUS 70
obtain all the work possible for that estaoiish-
mont hut IL the collier built at Bremerton "
world necessitate the expenditure of quite a sum
out of the available appropriation OF sl.o'N'"" 10
obtain the necessary outfit and plant. Inc gov
ernment will spend s. 10000 for these feet coihers
IT Is evidently the beginning of government cen
structon of its own colliers. for which there mas
been great need. 1t has been figured out tnat III
the end the Navy Department will save money
by maintaining its own means OF Transporting iuei
m shins ar sea The government will then be IN
dependent of the shippers OF fuel. VINO are 700
often inclined TO take advantage OF the necess'-
ties situation to increase the freisht rates
The other collier will be built under CONTRACT ana
bids will be invited about two months 1t is
considered that there Is need OF hurrying the
matter II being more important to get out the
&C ntract FOR the new battleship Utah and the con-
tract for the ten destroyers- Bids for the latter
type will opened on September l.
ARMY MEDICAL REsERvE.-The frst of the
officers to form the commissioned personnel OF the
army medical reserve corps have been commissioned
as of the date of July :. There feo officers on
the list who will actively employed some t"eiVe
additional will be known as inactive ofncers anu
will be employed their services are needed at
some of the remote army posts and stations The
IN active officers include four who have been found
professionally qualified in the recent examination OF
candidates for appointment to the regular medical
corps in which these four will be commissioned
when they have passed final examination AFTER
course of instruction at the army medical school
This is the beginning of the army medical reserve
CORPS which for the present consists OF those VINO
have been employed as contract surgeons Arrange
ments are being made for examinations or
civ surgeons
have commissions in the reserve corps ana De
called in service in time Of emergency. 1t Is hoped
TO obtain the applications of leading members OF
the profession in the principal cities. that this
new branch of the army medical department may
profit BY the names and influence Of these civilian
physicians
FILLING NAVY PAY CORPs-f Is oeheved
that all of the vacancies existing in the junior
grade in the navy pay corps will be filled lhere
are seven of these places. and " looked az one
time as II tn. thirty candidates who were oris1-
nsIlv designated for competitive examination "oud
all fail either physically mentally II turns out
however that seven of them have been reported
as qualified with one candidate to be heard from
He annes red before the board which was convened
~ Mare Island. California. for the benefit OF some
four candidates who reside on the Pacihc coast
and who could hardly be expected TO go 70 the e1-
nense If coming to Washington TO appear before
.L .x.r,;,ire hoard which met here. II the board
had failed 10 find enough candidates TO I'LL all the
vecsncies IL was Intended to have another exami-
nation in the course of the next six months. when
a special effort would be made 10 interest coiese
graduates this in the prospects OF appoint
r,ent and the chance of service in the commits
s,oned personneI of the naval staff. II is. there
fore very gratifying the paw corps authori-
.i.s that the places lled that there is
.rcb good prospect Of all the vacancies being
filed
EXAMINATIONS FOR DOCTORS--Th- largest
examination which has been held under the
r.rices of the army medical department will take
place In New York and the other principal cities
If ,ha country August g. There are neariy sixty
vacancies in the regular and medical corps. and ~
:. boned TO MI at half of these result of
the coming examination. There have been enough
,nnlicstions received D show that hundred and
aftv candidates will be before the various ex
aminine boards 1t intended that applications