New-York tribune., 1908-03-16
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
Latest Type of Warship -1ddcd to
american NaUU.
From The Tribune Bureau. :

Washington. March =.
FIRST TURBINE sCoCT-The scout cruiser
Chester is a record breaker II has exceeded in
speed anything Of the type in the navies of me
world or an ything it's afoat. On the recent
trial trip IT made more than 2S.5 knots. while the
requirements for "a knots only. The Chester
Is equipped with Parsons turbines and IS ~
three ships of Identical dimensions lines the
others being equipped with the Curtis turbine ard
the ordinary reciprocating engines respsCtivey-
This will afford In due time opportunity Of com
parfson and II is probable that the scouts viii ~
PIT through series of PAGES to demonstrate Spe@t
and ascertain coal consumption With view - ss1
ting the question OF endurance and the other
qualities considered as necessary IN these vessels
representing type which introduces new &c
in naval strategy. The Chester will be com
rnanfed when placed in commission in about
month. by Commander Henry Is Wilson
POST GRADUATE WEST POINTERS -TheTs
appears be doubt entertained by regimen
tai commanders in the army respecting thf quail
hcations which must be possessed by captains %
the lire who considered as eligible % duty as
student officers at the postgraduate institution a.
Fort Leavenworth, Kan The question has been
-aised whether those officers who not graduates
of West Point may b- selected for this variable
course Of instruction. The orders on the suci"nt
have been volun1fnous. out they DO not appear 80
be sufficiently specific and the chief Of staff Of the
army Il circular the subject has replied 70
SPECIFIC inquiry TO the effect that officer may
from the Military Academy and still possess those
qualifications which eutttle him admission 70
the Leavenworth school 1t still rests with the
reginental commander TO exercise his best judS-
ment in this selection and 10 designate for the ad-
vantage of study the officers VINO give the best
promise of ecqufttinE themselves with credit IN
the competitive examinations and who are most
likely profit by the experience Il Is made
known that the West Pointer should have no dd-
vantage In this respect In fact. most army officers
said he StC
OF the officer who has had preliminary acyau-
tages at West Point elsewhere. which would
make IL all the more necessary for him TO avail
himself OF the instruction at Leavenwo-th-
VOLUNTARY RE7IREMENTs PERMANENT
The Navy Department continues TO make adverse
reports on those bills which have been introduced
in Congress with view 70 the restoration 70 tne
active list of naval officers who were retired upon
their own application There are some three or
@,rr of these cases row before Congress. and the
Navv Department is resisting the legislation On
the ground that il is unfair advantage 20 give
any officer who voluntarily retired and mas been
able TO avoid duty since his retirement
Such an officer now returns to the active list II MS
old nosirio1 and 10 that extent blocks the promo
tion of the officers who have been serving during
the period Of his retirement The Navy DepdTI-
n1eut authorities do not consider II any more
worthy the officers TO be carried as ~ dd0llIo.A
numbers for that would be a form OF increasing
rho cor7n7i n7issfoned personnel and likely to invite
opposition from Congress
NAVAL. MEDICAL NEED5--Much interest has
haar attracted to = document which has oeen sdI-
r,i++ad 70 the Secretary of the Navy BY Surgeon
General Pixey and sent 10 Congress as an ald 10
enacting the three bills which have Tor thelr puI
pose respectively the establishment or q WOMEN
nurse corps the reorganization OF the present
naval E7nsUfraI Co-ps and the employment OF dental
surgeons Surgeon General Rtxey says that II MS
recommendations had been observed IN the last
TWO or three years there would have oeen pre-
vented some OF the disease and deaths which nave
occurred The statement IS emphatic form or
calling attention TO the needs OF the naval medical
corps. and officers Of that branch entertain the
hope that something will come Of the recoulrnenda-
tons.
r->-HrcEssARY ARMY SCRGEONS-The army
medical officers do not expect and will make no
effort to obtain the enactment OF the OlA whicn
has been introduced n Congress by Representative
Cocks Of New York This measure IS understood
10 be the one which has been prepared BY Major {
7. / Seaman Of New York City. who served n /.
the volunteer medical department during the war .
with Spain and who was an interested observer .
on his own account and at his own expense N .
AIanchuria during the RUssiau-Japanese war. Major .
seanan's proposition is regarded as providing a
medical department which is altogether out or I
proportion 10 the rest OF the army. II would be .
oDuosed on that ground alone and would make the .
medical denartment the most important branch .
or the military establishment For this reason The
War Department authorities, including those cor
nected with the medical department, will take no
steps to have the bill brought up. In fact If II Is
referred to the War Department for comment the
will be against the enactment o.
the measure.
MARINE CORPS EXTRA PAY.-MarIne officers
who are in command of stations are 70 De deprived
y the privilege Of ordering enlisted men OF the
marine corps TO extra duty. which carries with It
-.1Fr1 1a zf7~-- or Ics-