New-York tribune., 1908-02-10
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
Target Ranges IN Cuba-Ne7c Bat
tlesb;ns--Notional Park Protection.
rIrom The Tribune Bureau-l

Washington. February u
GREATEST OF TARGET RANGES.-lmproSe-
nents are steadily going at the naval station az
Guantanamo. Cuba. These relate eh'rey 10 .ie
increase in the facilities of the target range at tat
place and have to do with the preparation oi
campground which will accommodate lou''ee"
thousand men, Skirnish and light artillery pfactce
fields have been set aside. and con,modiols ana
comfortable club has been erected for the oeneh'
of the enlisted men, The telephone communications
have been improved and the tunneiied approaches
the butts have been Installed me
Guantanamo ranges will be the most coInpie'eiS
equipped % their in the world. In other re-
specs the government is spending no money at
Guantanamo Indeed, no appropriations have Deeh
made for that station for two years, OUTSIDE or te
allotment for the ranges for small arms praciice-
The project for establishing there dockyaro anu
naval base may be said to have been abandoned
The critics have pointed out that the place cannot
we'll be protected In Of and there is every
likelihood that the naval base viii nave 10 pe
located elsewhere in that quarter or the Wollu'
Guantanamo as a repair plant and naval recu-
cuperatng station, seems destined TO pass INTO HIS
tory along with Olongapo.
NEXT TWO BATTLESHIPS-The engineering
experts of the navy will soon apply themselves 10
the problem OF the machinery OF the next two cal-
tleshps which will be built for the naval service.
The House Naval Committee will have further ses-
sions next week the increase of the navy. with
the prospect that the appropriation bill will carry
provision for two battleshipa which shall be dupli-
Gates OF the Delaware. The displacement Will pe
placed at 10000 tons and it is proposed to give the
Secretary of the Navy discretion to increase TINS
displacement in of the tendency of the de-
velopment in naval design There are those VINO
believe that the time is not far distant when the
battleships will have a displacement OF 30Do tons.
but this is not likely to be realized in the plans
which will be presented bidders this year There
goot reasons, say the naval authorities. why
the Delaware should be duplicated in speed, arnla-
ment and protection.
MIDSHIPMEN FOR COAST DEFENCE.-Three
midshipmen who are members of the final grad
uating class of the Naval Academy are to be per-
mitted to resign from the naval service, and Will
be authorized to take the examination for appoint
ment second Heutenants of the coast artillery
This is transfer which is favored by the artillery
authorities and is authorized at the request of the
Secretary of War The midshipmen believe that
they gain by the transfer in their associations with
a branch of the military service where promotion is
better than it Is destined to be in the AZ the
same time, the naval authorities are opposed TO
such action They believe that the mdshipmen
who have been educated at government expense at
the Naval Academy for four years, followed by
two years sea, should be retained In the naval
service for commissions ensigns.
NAVY FINDS LUMBER SCARCE.-The Navy
Department IS confronted with the serious stua-
ton of being unable TO obtain lumber in the guam
titles desired for the naval service and Of the high
grades which have been the requirements of the
amend these requirements so to nearly
comply with the commercial conditions, and espe-
cially offset the difficulties obtaining the
terial Some of the lumber dealers have fecently
been complaining TO the Navy Department that
the system of inspection is unjust, especially in
that the inspections are held at navy yards. where
the reflections in material made after the con-
tractor has gone the expense of transportation
1t has been requested that these inspections be
held at the points Of shipment, where the rejec-
tious will not involve the contractor in the cost Of
freight to and from the navy yard 1t will be
necessary, If this request is complied with, 10 en-
ploy additional inspectors and to change the
method Of inspection. The Assistant Secretary Of
the Navy, who has charge of this detail has the
matter under consideration and is expected to
render decision in a few days This is of great
importance to the dealers who have contracts with
the Navy Department, which has been purchasing
a large quantity of lumber and which is in
the market for about 100000 feet, one-quarter Of
which is for white pine to be delivered at the
League Island yard, near Philadelphia.