New-York tribune., 1908-08-16
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Disagreement as to Importance OF
Key Vest, Fla.
From Tn. Tribune Bureau.1

Washington. August Is
STRATEGIC VALUE OF KEY WEST The
army engineers having charge cf the preliminary
examination of the harbor Of Key West reported
favorably having a thorough survey made OF
.the locality, and expressed the opinion that the
naval Importance of Key West Harbor 1ustlhed
expenditure for that purpose. 1t was held that
the commercial interests of Key West did not
require improvement OF the harbor. but the sus-
gestion was made that IT might be worth whiie.
from military point of view, TO make the en-
trance available 10 deep draft vessels OF war
The suggestions of the army engineers were re-
ferred to the Navy Department, and that branch
OF the service considered that the naval lIhpor-
tance of Key West is entirely problematical ana
contingent, and did not feel that at the present
time In fact. in the near future. th5 maximum
Importance of that locality. from naval point OF
view. justified the of obtaining the required
channel dimensions No action taken by Con-
gress authorizing any such work this year. and IL
is hardly likely under such difference OF
opinion, that Key West will blossom out as
great naval station.
NEWPORT TRAINING STATION.-The Navy
Department at the next session of Congress will
renew its recommendation in favor of the devel-
opment OF the naval training station at Newport
now in command of Commander w. F. Fullam.
United States Navy, who is applying himself in
characteristic to the needs of the institution
Commander Fullam will again appear before the
House Naval Committee in connection with the
The place has been wofully neglected. es-
pecially in the matter of buildings, and this sum-
there has been developed a definite plan
which can be carried out logically year by year.
looking the extension of the station and plac-
ing it the model basis for the training of the
apprentice seamen and the preservation OF their
health.
MARINES TO WATCH CUBA.-The officials OF
the marine corps have under consideration the con
struction a marine barracks the naval station
at Key West This is in expectation of the need OF
additional marines to form expeditionary force
for emergency in Cuba the isthmus or any
place in the West Indies Central America 1t is
purposed- keep a regiment of marines at Key
West, the strategic position of which is Increasing
all the time. 1t is appreciated that Key West must
be the base from which marines may be sent and
where supplies may be obtained whenever there is
occasion operation of the navy and marine corps
the neighborhood. Sooner or later Key West is
bound TO of the principal war bases of this
government and the preliminary plans have already
been made, largely through the persistence OF the
conmandant of the station, Commodore W. H Beeh-
Ter, L. s N retired
SURGEONS ABOVE CIVIL AUTHORITY.-An
act was passed during the last session of Congress
for the reorganization of the medical corps of the
army 1t provided. among other things. method
by which the fitness of officers for promotion was
to be established. An officer is compelled to pass
an examination before he be promoted 10 a
higher grade, and such examination IS nelO De1OTe
an army medical board consisting of three officers
Of that CORPS Should an officer fail pass the
auired examination he is not allowed a second ex-
animation but his is referred to board OF
review consisting Of three officers Of the medical
corps other than those who composed the exaHin-
ing board The act of Congress authorized the
Secretary of War to appoint his board of review,
but the judge advocate general of the army has
held that his authority does not extend to an ex-
animation of the proceedings of the board nor can
he approve or disapprove its findings His act in
creating the board held to be ministerial. and
the board of review is the final authority in deter
mining the status OF officer who fails TO pass
his examinations from other than that Of
disability contracted in line OF duty
NAVY WILL BUILD COLLIERs.-The prospec-
tive sale of three steam Collers 10 the Navy De-
partment by the New England Coal and Coke Com
nany seems to be very slight, although there is
little doubt that the Golfers owned by that COM
panv and now at the yard of the Fore River Ship
building Company in Massachusetts were the ones
intended to be purchased The price at which they
were held and the fact that they did not meet the
wishes of the of construction and repair OF
the Navy Department caused the Secretary OF the
Navy TO obtain ruling from the Controller OF the
Treasury as TO his authority under the act passed
b, Congress and whether the amount to be ex-
pended was a permanent appropriation TO De used
until expended. or an Appropriation "hlcn must
he used during the present fiscal year The de-
oi.iop NJ the Controller is in effect that although
the appropriation is annual one II will be avail
ab1e until expended II a contract is made for the
purchase Of the class Of vessels named by the act
u-i+bin the present fiscal year This gives author
INV to the Secretary of the Navy to contract for
the building of three colters, and fhey Will
not only meet requirements Of the naval ser
vice but will be obtained at much less than the
| nrice demanded for the ready made Golfers
| ORDERS ISSUED-The following army and navy
/ orders have been issued:
I5.ut.nant Colonel DAVID l. BRAINARD, Deputy com
| roissarv General Atascadero Ranch vice captain
HENRY T FERGUSON, conmssary-
Following changes medical corps ordered; Flrst
| ant EART II BRUINS to Fort Monroe. vice Captain
4 RORFRT NJ CULLER, to Fort Logan n Roofs
! second Iieutenants ROGER G. ALhNNANLE1 LE1ft ana
JAMES A. OCONNoR, engineers from Fort oneFl
| SECOND Lieutenant MAYNARD A WELLS. 10Th Infantry
to Fort Ieavenworth September l. examination lot
promotion , - ,,.r-rr L,.s,
| corps months from September / FIRST l1eutsn en-
ant RALPH ". DRURY. 10th Infantry. extended two
months.
1iA,t.nsnt W. T CONN Jr to the Montgomery.
Ensign \. H WRIGHT. detached the Dubuque 70 'ne
Ensign F. G oBERI.IN commissioned
Assistant Paymaster q A. HEIM1CkS TO the Facli'c
! station September > , ..,t
| san Juan. home. await orders - :
Majors y H. HALL and H e. DAVIS captains r
| WILTZE. F. A. RAMsEY W BRaSkE-! t /, w E,; -,
I5eutenants r. II DAVIS and H b. PRATT. com
| rnissioned in maTne corps.
MOVEMENTS OF VESSELs.-The following