New-York tribune., 1908-02-24
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
Both Militia Services Suffer from
ParSimOny.
TF'rom The Tribune Bureau

.
| the accumulation of more than 100000 as a step
| toward establishing n reserve stock of uniforms
and equipment. which will be held for issue 10 ;i
augmented military force raised in an emergency
The War Department officials have been Tor some
time striving to obtain the means of creating such
/ a reserve supply to meet a sudden demand Moth
ing of this kind has existed, and, indeed t'e
government has been without adequate supply
o. clothing and equipment for the regular 1orce.
| Steps will be at once taken by the purchasing
cuarterrnasters obtain bids and award contracts
for nearly s7Oo0oO worth of supplies. 1t is estl-
mated that it will take about ten months to get
some of the material which is wanted.
| TORPEDO BOAT RENDEZvOUS.-The navy
general board has recommended that the new navy
yard Charleston, S. c. be made the pase Ior
the torpedo hotilla and Secretary Metcalf has ap-
proved the recommendation. 1t is held that IN
time of peace the training of the crews or torpedo
craft commission and reserve can best De ac-
complshed under head and at one place 1t
is also desirable ample resources for the re
pair of such vessels shall exist. 1t is likewise the
/ opinion board that Charleston possesses ad-
vantages which render il desirable for selection as
a base of the nature indicated. The climate OF
Charleston is well adapted for the purpose Ihe
navy ward at that place is approaching completion
In time of the concentration of torpedo cra1t
a any place would be inexpedient, and GER
tain number of vessels would have 10 be assigned
to each naval district. The general board recon-
n,ends that the Charleston yard be equipped Tor
torpedo boat repair of all sorts that sdli-
Gent number ships shall be built to provide for
torpedo boats in and for submarines. ana
that as soon the yard is ready all the reserve
torpedo hotilla both surface and submarine, shall
be sent to this yard, which shall thereafter be re-
Earded as a torpedo boat headquarters
PAY INCREASE OVERS1GHT-The army APP
preparation which contains the provision for the
increase of pay of the enlisted men of the army
as it is reported fromSthe House Military Commit
tee has engaged criticism of the army medical
officers because it fails increase the of ser
geants of the first class of the hospital corps An
effort viii be made correct what is regarded by
the army surgeons a serious omission. The
same condition, however. applies to certain other
non-commissoned staff officers. but in other eases
the officials consider that the men are sufficiently
paid and that those of subordinate place have an
opportunity of promotion, which ought to be re-
garded a of increase in pay in itself 1t is
pointed out by the army surgeons however, that
the hospital corps men dc not have opportunity
of distinction. since they are employed around the
field or permanent hospitals and do not gain the
extra pay of marksmen; while at the same time
they ought be entitled to pay on account of
their special training includes that of skilled
pharmacist with a thorough knowledge of minor
surgery first aid and hygiene. 1t is claimed that
the bill stands relatively these hospi
tai corps in pay, and the situation will tend
TO make the position much less desirable than 1t is
now, when good men very difficult to get.
ANTI-STAGNATION PLAN.-Those who in
terested in increasing the chances of promotion in
the commissioned personnel of the navy have re
vived the project for carrying extra numbers on
the active list those officers who formerly on
the old engineer corps at the time of its amalga-
nation with, the line. This will have the effect of
relieving the various grades of that number of
officers who former engineers and who
line officers by virtue of the naval personnel
act 1t is expected this proposition will encounter
objection in Congress, it increases the
Der of commissioned officers TO that extent, and this
is not considered warrantabie. While some of these
officers again eligible to duty. it is
sdered that there is nothing to warrant them being
carried additional numbers for the benefit
which would be derived by making promotion that
much quicker
UNFINISHED ARMY POSTS-The appropriation
included in the army bill barracks and quar-
ters at army posts is likely to hamper the War
Department authorities account of the restric-
ton which IS this year Incorporated in the pro-
visions of the bill. II is specified that more
than s0o0t1 shall be spent for new construction,
and of that than 100000 shall be
spent at any one post. There are many projects
the larger military garrsons where the expense
contemplated amounts to more than 100000. This
is especially in the of those stations of
which it is proposed TO make brigade posts II is
possible that this restriction will be removed from
the bill when it reaches the Senate. Otherwise,
much work that has been approved and
petion of which is important must be retarded.
NEEDS OF NAVAL STATIONS.-Secretary Met
calf believes that it is not worth while for Con-
abandoned naval station at Port Royal, for the
dockyards New Orleans. for the small station
at San Juan and the projected depot at Cuebra.
No money has been allotted for Port Royal for
several sessions, except amount which suff1-
cent preserve the property that place until
the Navy Department decided what should be done
with the old buildings and the machinery, most
of which has recently been offered for sale to the
highest bidder The station at New Orleans IS
equipped with floating drydock and shops on
bac baar oraH
In keeping the place entirely available for ships
of the navy account OF the In Mis-
sissipp River.
FINE CHANCES FOR YOUNG PHYSICIANS.
arrangements being made by the surgeon
general of the army for examination which will
occur May 4 the principal army posts
throughout the country wherever there are candi-
dates for appointment TO the junior grade in the
army medical department. This Is the preliminary
examination and there at present sixteen appli
cations file It is expected that there will be
thirty vacancies by rle time the examination is
held. and in the time notices being
sent out the medical schools and wherever it is
possible attract the attention of graduates of
medical colleges This year a new rule will bS
adopted. that of accepting the certificates and di
plomas in lieu of III" preliminary examination in
general educational subjects X is considered that
this may have deferred some candidates from pre-
senting themselves The examination will be
limited to physical and professional features.
NAVAL. ACADEMY VACANCY-Sixteen- year
old I<auis F. ByrneA who lives with his parents
No. % Summit avenue. Buffalo. has declined after
having had accepted for him. the appointment
first alternate to the credit of Senator Platt in the
Naval Academy appointments. Young Byrne wants
. the Naval Academy. and his father de-
sired have 1im become "A midshipman His
mother wants him to stay home and has written
to that effect to the Secretary of the Navy. The
youthful nominee also a letter which has
attracted the attention of the authorities fer its
manly and courteous decination of the appointment