Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-02
ARMY AND NAVY GOSSIP

Gov. Smith has cabled from Manila that
agreeable to the instructions of the war
Department he has caused TO be shipped
to her sister. Mrs. Jackson. at Crete,
Neb the body of Miss Anna F. Hahn,
the American school teacher who was
killed at Batangas January 20.
Persons who knew the murdered woman
are convinced that the motive for the
crime was robbery. as she was known to
have considerable money and lived alone.
Relief to Go Into Commission.
The naval hospital ship Relief will go
into commission in a few days at the
navy yard. Mare Island. Cal. in command
of Surgeon Stokes of the medical depart
ment of the navy. with civilian master
and merchant crew. Orders were issued
to the department yesterday assigning to
duty on the Relief Assistant Paymaster
Walter ID. Sharp. now on duty as assist
ant to the general storekeeper at the Nor
folk navy yard. He will he the only COM
missioned officer of the navy outside of
the medical corps subject to the orders
of Surgeon Stokes as commander of the
Relief. Assistant Paymaster F. P. Will
liams of the West Virginia was originally
selected for that assignment. but dis or
ders to that effect were recently revoked.
The crew of the Relief numbers about
sixty men, nearly all of whom have pre-
Tiously served under civil masters on ma
nal Golfers. n number of men of the
Hospital Corps at Washington barracks
were recently transferred 10 San Fran
cisco for duty on the Relief That vessel
Is being fitted out as rapidly possible,
and when put into commission will at
once start for Magdalena bay for sefv-
ice with the battieship fleet commanded
by Admiral Evans, now on its way to
that place for target practice. In case
there are many men with the battleship
fleet requiring hospital treatment they
and taken to the nearest point where
there is a naval hospital.
New Army Rations.
On the recommendation of Commissary
General Sharpe. the President has ordered
an important change in thte composition
of the army ration 1t involves an increase
In the articles of potatoes, by one-quarter
of pound. milk by one-half of an ounce
butter by one-half an ounce, lard by two
pounds to one hundred rations. Reduc-
tons are made in some of the other COM
ponents of the ratiOns. including green
coffee. vinegar and pickle. These changes
involve an increase of . cents in the cost
of each ration and it will be necessary for
Congress TO provide for this extra ex-
pense for army subsistence. 1t has been
decided also to establish a haversack ra-
ton composed of bacon. hard bread cof-
fee and sugar. and possibly canned beef
The haversack ration will be used for
emergencies and will be similar to the
marching ration used during the civil
war.
Trial Of Scout Cruisers.
Advices at the Navy Department are
that the scout cruiser Birmingham will be
ready for trial March 2. Before that date,
probably February "a, the scout cruiser
Chester will be taken on it's trial trip
Interest attaches to the trial trips of these
cruisers. of which there are three in ALL
as two OF them are equipped with turbine
engines.
The Next Major General.
1t is observed that while the President
has provided for the vacancy in the
brigadier4 generaIship March %, when
Maj. Gen. A. w. Greedy will retire, there
Is no announcement concerning the brig
adler general who will be promoted at
that time. That issa subject in which
the army is much interested. The senior
brigadier is Frederick Funston, and
those who are recognized as also eligible
are Gems w. II. Carter. T. H. Bliss,
T. III. Barry and A. L. Mills. compare
lively young sofficers of the grade.
Retirement of Capt. Stevens.
Capt. Raymond r. Stevens of the osd
Infantry at Madison barracks. New
York, has been found incapaci-
tated for active service and will be placed
on the retired list. Capt. Stevens was
from the District of Columbia second
lieutenant. I'D Infantry. in October, 1884
lie reached the grade of captain in Oc-
tober 1892
May Be Appointed Constructor.
II is probable that Midshipman A. ].
Chantry Of Iowa. member OF this years
graduation class at the Naval Academy,
who has been found disqualified for DUTY
In the line or the navy on account of de-
fecuvc eyesight, will he appointed an
assistant naval constructor for winch
service he is regarded as well qualified.
Military Leper to Be Discharged.
The authorities OF the War Depart.
ment are somewhat perpiexed over the
case Of Sergt. Charles o. Mix Of the
9th Company of Coast Artillery. That
soldier is afflicted with leprosy and for
many months past has been in u,aran-
tine on the military reservation at Fort
Screven. near Savannah. Ca. The diff
Guilty in his case lies in the fact that
his term of enlistment will expire in a
short time and he will then no longer
be under the authority of the War De-
partment and cannot be detained in case
ne uesires 70 IestNe the reservation. His
relatives. who live in Texas, have ex-
pressed desire 10 have him return to
his home. They give assurances that
necessary provision will be made for his
isolation. II is realized that there will
be some difficulty in arranging for his
transportation, and II may be possible
that objection Will be offered TO his enter
ing the state of Texas. On account of
its unusual features this case has at
tracted much attention in the army .
Experiments With Submarines.
The Navy Department is about TO under
take set of experiments to demonstrate
The utility Of The snhn,a zinc % o. "a