New-York tribune., 1908-12-21
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES
House Nauol Committee to Consdcr
Status of Marines.
From The Tribune Burazu-I
1rn,E-% n,


MARINES up IN THE AIR.'-The members Of
the House Naval COMMITTEES who are interesting
themselves IN the welfare Of the marine corps nave
determined special sessions, probably aIter
the holiday recess. ascertain what shall De done
with that branch in view OF the executive order
withdrawing marines from ships OF war A SUD-
committee has been appointed, with Congressman
Mudd at it's head. and this COMMITTEES viii give
special consideration 10 the whole question OF
marine corps destiny. The hearings will include
the commandant OF the corps and other officers
who interested. II is not intended TO call many
naval officers, It being deemed that such an OF
fetal as the chief OF the bureau Of navigation VIII
give the navy side the situation There Is no in
dication what the subcommittee VIII recommend
Various plans have already been submitted. but
is prospect at least Of the transfer Of the
marine corps to The army. either toT & 10 "a s
independent body under the Secretary Of War,
navigation has enphatcalIy stated that ths trans
fer OF the marines to the Navy DePsrn1nt = $50 3l
mates before the committee Il was ascertained thar
marines from ships Of war viii amount to about
half q million dollars
ORDNANCE DUTY DETAILs--GeneraI William
Crozier. chief OF ordnance Of the army has dis
covered that there is q fatal defect in the detaI
system it applies obtaining the service OF une
officers IN his branch Of the army STAFF and ne has
submitted to the Secretary OF War proposition
which has the approval Of the President changing
the system far as IL relates 10 the ordnance de-
tailed duty IN the ordnance department IN the
grades OF captain and first lieutenant required
70 return for year the branch OF the service
from which detailed, after tour OF four years IN
the ordnance department If again detailed 10 the
ordnance department upon the expiration or tneir
years service out OF that department. and 70 a
grade higher than that which they held out OF tha
ordnance department, tha date OF their rank n thar
grade IS that OF their last detail thereto, notWth
standing the fact that when previously serving IN
the ordnance department they may have had rank
in accordance with the cate OF the earlier detail
The result OF this condition IS that officers serving
in ordnance department leaving that department
for the statutory interval, and then returning %
it. are continually shifting about their respective
grades to the prejudice OF good administration u
the department The desigp OF the legislation M TeiSa
rank OF officers IN the different grades of the
o9cers weF Deranetiy assigned 70 that depart
1ent. No increase OF expense ts involved IN this
legislation.
'IIBELs" ON NAVAL OFFTCER-The surgeon
general OF the navy IS much tncensed over the
stories contained In dispatches from Washington
alleging that trouble existed between the naval
medical officer Surgeon Charles F Stokes. who has
been IN command OF the naval hospital ship Relief
and the civilian who is employed that vessel as
the sailing master prominent but unnamed
naval officer quoted saying that the sailing
master had advised against proceeding 20 sea, and
that Dr. Stokes had overruled him, with the result
that the Relief caught IN destructive typhOon
and has now been declared unseaworthy and per
manently withdrawn from cruising service 70 serve
as a station hospital the Oaorgapo CP. u sta
ton The stories made Il appear that Surgeon
Stokes had exercised IN a disastrous degree his
right OF command and the incident was made 70
appear as Justification OF the criticism made OF
the President a year ago. when the Keller was
placed IN commission and Surgeon Stokes was de-
tailed TO the command Of the vessel There has
been a denial on the part Of the Assistant 6ecre-
tary Of the Navy the chief OF the bureau OF navt-
cation and the surgeon general OF the stories and
Surgeon General Rixey has asked the Secretary
TO conduct an investigation with the idea OF ascer-
taIrfnx where the statements originated Il the
source can Be located Surgeon General Rixey Pro
poses TO have the officer officers tried by court
martial Congressional end 10 the situation IS in
the determination OF q prominent member OF the
House Naval COMMITTEES 20 have the matter inve5ti-
gated IN some form with view 70 discourag1ng
what he describes as '1bels' upon certain branches
OF the naval personnel
NAVAL. ExPLORATIONs-The Navy Depart
ne1t has not done very mucn II the way OF survey
IN the last year. The most important work has
been on the southern coast Of Cuba and the west
and south coast OF Hayt- The unexplored condi-
ton OF those waters has rendered hazardous tne
cruising which naval vessels constantly obliged
70 perform in those regions, and the reports re-
cetved from Haytian surveys impressive in
5fca+iou OF the Importance Of the work which Is
being performed by the gunbOat Eagle The sur
veys on the southern coast OF Cuba will be pushed
TO completion as rapidly possible. Numerous r.
ports received from the commanding Officers OF
shfus in Cuban and Eaytian waters call emphatic
attention TO the need OF extraordinary rrecautton
possess an accurate chart Of the waters which are
so much travelled by American ships The survey
ing in the Pacific is limited the completion OF the
photographic survey OF American Samoa