Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-02
Controlling the Mileage Fund.

|
fund by reason of travel of officers UNI
! ward the end of the fiscal year the fuhd
/ has been exhausted, to the great emhar-
| rassment of the military administrator.
| With the issue of orders by various de-
! partment commanders. as we'll as from
Washington. it has been found Impossible
| to keen track of or control the volume
| of travel necessary under orders. In
| some instances commanding officers have
themselves engaged in long trips of in
SpectiOn which have caused unexpected
drafts on the mileage fund. 1t is hoped
| to devise some method by which the
amount of travel calling for the payment
af mileage to army officers may be resu-
lated from Washington, where a close
track will be kept of the amount of
money available in order to see that
there is not an exhaustion of the funds
at time when there may be some I'M
expected call upon the service.
Handling of Rifles in Practice.
Adjt. Gen. Alvord has notified the COM
handing general. Department of the
East at Governors Island, n. Y. for his
information in the conduct of rife COM
petitions that the Secretary of War has
directed that during skirmish runs in
rifle range practice and competition
pieces should not be loaded until empty,
and then only by using full clips. He
adds that the loading or manipulation of
the clip to have one cartridge in
the chamber and five in the magazine is
not authorized.
Practical Test of New Army Shoe.
The new marching shoe for the army is
to be tried at one of the western posts
where there is large force of troops,
the members of the military command
representing naturally variety of shapes
and sizes of feet Great care has been
taken in the development of this new
marching shoe. which is of the russell
type, with top not so high as that of
the old marching shoe. The shoe is made
| on last which gives the greatest freedom
for the foot being of square toe and of a
shape which has, by inquiry. been found
to represent the greatest comfort to the
wearer in walking. There has been much
criticism of the army marching shoe. es-
pecially from those on duty in the Philip
pines, where there is a good deal of walk
ing to be done and some of the marching
is over the toughest country. The changes
which have been made embody suggeS
tons from various sources, and it is b.
lieved that the objections have been com
pletely obviated.
Government Gets Laundry Profits.
The controller of the Treasury has de-
cided that the profits resulting from the
OpeTdtloHS VI the government Id uHuIieS
at military posts must be turned into the
public treasury and placed to the credit
of the military establishment, and cannot
be applied for the betterment OF the
plants or for the reimbursement of officers
and enlisted men for articles destroyed or
damaged in the laundries The estab-
lishment of laundries at army posts was
authorized by Congress at its latest ses-
sion on the strong recommendation of
medical officers. who represented that the
health of the garrSonS would be greatly
promoted by having the laundry work
done under military supervision. 1t Is
realized that at large posts such as those
at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley the
laundries would yield profit, and it was
the desire to utilize this profit that caused
the submission of the question to the &C
counting officers of the Treasury.
Army Deserters in Canada.
The fact that many deserters from the
army and navy have taken refuge in
Canada has suggested to the officials of
the War and Navy departments the ad-
visibility of negotiating with Great Brit
ain for the privilege of going after these
deserters. This will, of course, necessi-
tate a new clause in the extradition
treaty between this country and England.
1t is all a question whether the pursuit
would be worth while, and on that point
the military anu ndNdI authorities amer
in opinion. 1t is appreciated that deser-
ton cannot be stopped. and hat, in any
event, there are few deserters who
leave altogether and those who do leave
are not likely to be worth the expense of
long chase. However, If il is decided
by the military and naval officials that
the extradition of deserters from Canada
is necessary, either for the punishment
of the offenders or as an example and
warning to intending deserters. the State
Department II
with the British authorities
Retirement of Admiral Cowles.
Rear Admiral William s. Cowles, chief
Of the naval bureau of equipment and
'brOther-in-law of President Roosevelt.
was yesterday transferred to the retired
list of the navy by operation of law on
account of age. He will, however con-
tinue his present duties indefinitely, with
the active list. Admiral Ccwles repre-
sented the United States Navy at the
recent Quebec celebration and is now
on the battleship New Hamp.hire en-
route to Newport. He will return to the
city the latter part of this week.
Naval Maneuvers on the Lakes
Final arrangements have been made at
the Navy Department for participation in
the naval militia maneuvers Of the states
bordering on the great lakes These are
to take place at South Manitou Island, on
Lake Michigan from the 18th to the 18th
Of August. Five lieutenants have been
assigned for duty with the militia during
the maneuvers; also Naval Constructor
Daniel {. Nuttins, jr., and Commander
A. T.. Culver in charge of the naval
militia work in the Office of Assistant Sec
rotary Newberry. The lieutenants who
will accompany the militia are Francis S.
Written. James r. Combs, David c. Han
rahan, Ralph f. Pope and George j. My
ers. The Ohio militia will embark on the
Hawk. the Michigan on the Don Juan de
Austria the Minnesota on the Gopher and
the Illinois on the Dorothea.
To Receive English Instruction.
Maj. William II. Hart of the army SUBJ
sistence department has been authorized
TO attend the school of instruction of the
army service corps at Aidershot England.
Lowest Bid by Local Company.
Bids were opened at the bureau of
yards and docks of the Navy Department
yesterday for the construction of a quay
wall pier and coal shed at the Key West
navy yard. The bids were as follows:
The Penn Bridge Company, Wa5hing-
ton, D. c.. $253.439: w. w. Lindsay &
Co. of Philadelphia. 1854 800; Grant Will
kins of Atlanta. Ga, $27O.6OO: the Con-
veying Machinery Company, New York
S49O.1SS, and the Snare & Triest Com
pary, New York. $262, 800.