New-York tribune., 1908-08-10
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES
Items of Ne5cs of the T1ro Military
Services.
Washington. August 3.

Washington. August
THE BATTLEsHIP cONFERENCE-Naval Of
hcers in Washington awaiting with much N
terest the return TO duty in the Navy Department.
of those officers who tave been IN atteniance upon
the conference at the Naval War College at New
port No information Of any sort has come from
the session The only thing that has been d1vulsed
is that the most emphatic orders have been issued
against public discussion OF the questions before
the conference The orders are explicit and deli
mite and permit Of the officers to mention any
the subjects those who are not OF the CONFER
ence In the mean time the bureau of co1struc-
ton and repair and the bureau OF steam enginssr-
ing have held uu the plans for the 5attles1tps
pending some information which IL IS understood
will come In the next week or two from Newport
as to the features OF the new battIeshIps Florida
and Utah.
ENLISTED MEN ENRIcHED.-The best tdea
obtainable concerning the advantages derived oy
enlisted men OF the navy from the legislation OF
the session of Congress for increase OF pay =
afforded by a calculation made by the officers OF
the bureau Of navigation. who are engaged IN re-
cruiting They took the case OF man Who en-
tered the navy at the age Of eighteen years ana
served thirty years. when he could be retired
with three-fourths of the pay he was then rece1v-
ing under the old pay table II was assumed tnat
he saved one-haIf OF his pay. which he could 90
with prudence and still have enough for diversion
II further assumed that this saving was put
out at interest at per cent. and IL calculated
that at the end OF the thirty years he would have
In bank s23 e2s which interest and with his re-
tired pay would give him an annual income OF
nearly 5000 The same man. under the same
conditions but with the pay rate now tn
operation. but without placing his savings al N
terest. would the end of thirty years have
capital OF $40 2 If put this out at interest az
AZ per cent his income from that source and his
pay the retired list would give him yearly
stipend S2.7I5 In arriving these figures moth
ing exceptional or extraordinary has been taken
into consideration II is average case in all
respects.
PINE PLAINS MERITS DISPUTED--The spe-
ciaI board which was detailed by Major General F.
D. Grant to ascertain whether it was advisable 70
purchase the Of land which has been used this
summer Pine Plains. N Y for the joint exsr-
cises Of the organized militia and the regular army
made report which was adverse 70 the PROPOSE
ton General r. s Oliver. as acting Secretary OF
War however. has decided that there are sufficient
reasons why the tract OF land should be purchased
and he has accordingly instructed the Departmental
authorities TO prepare estimate for submission
10 Congress with view 70 obtaining the necessary
appropriation for the purchase Of the large tract
The land be acquired VIII not be the exact terri
tory which has been used this summer for the
manceuvres but it will about the same amount
in area. The military authorities will not submit
to Congress an estimate for the purchase OF any
other tracts of land Some time ago the military
authorities practically came 10 the conclusion that
it would be better rent land needed FOR
n1anonuvre purposes than to purchase tract for
the exercises There was much 10 be said IN favor
of a new site each year.
BUREAU POWERS CURTAILED.-The secre-
tary of the Navy decided to assume control over
the allotments the various navy yards under the
different bureaus He will also exercise his au-
thorty in the award OF contracts which hitherto
have been made by the chiefs Of bureaus under
which the appropriations are disoursed- The aHot-
ments for the maintenance Of navy yards and sta
tions have been made by an annual distribution
They are now to be divided into monthly allot-
nents and the formal Of disbursement must
have the authority Of the head OF the Navy De-
partuent The same rule applt-- 70 the awards OF
contracts which formerly were made BY bureau
chiefs in many cases Hereafter the bureau chief
will make a recommendation. which will be acted
,Ipon by the Secretary OF the Navy In this way
complaining bidders will have an opportunity to DC
heard.
PACK ANIMALS NOT sUPPLANTED-The
War Department has not received the special re-
port which 1t is understood has been prepared by
army officers who attended the nnanzuvres at Pine
Plains N Y and who devoted some time 70 the
consideration the automobile as useful venicls
in time of war. It is understood IN " asnlnStOn
that the report was not entirely favorable to the
automobile and it is appreciated that the motor
car has IT'S limitations in a military way There
will still have TO be much dependence upon AMI
mails especially parts Of the country where the
roads are not good, and particularly where there
4
course the old pack animal. which was so much
depended on on the frontier, viii continue 10 be
used 1t has already been decided that the uac-
tion wagon is little value for military purposes
FLEET ENGINEERS sTATUs.-An interesting
decision has been rendered by the Controller OF
the Treasury-that navy officer who has been de-
tailed as feet engineer may not receive the extra
CONDENSATION which is oy law allotted 10 aids or
commanders in chief. This extra pay IS given 10
other feet officers who the stan OF the COM
mander in chief. such as the neet ordnance Oracer
the das lieutenant and the fleet athletic officer
II was felt that there no distinction between
those officers who received the extra pay and the
feet engineer, VINO has not been receiving IT, but
the bureau of navigation has made the point tnat
the duties are altogether different: that the feet
engineer Is an officer who mas to do with the ma
chiuery OF all the ships and * not strictly speaking
on the personal staff Of the commander IN cnleL
and does not have social duties TO perform The
case went 10 the Controller for nnal decision anu
that officer has sustained the view OF The bureau oE
navigation