New-York tribune., 1908-09-21

willing overlook the technical distinction il they
refuse 10 do so It is probable the War Department
will ask Congress to relieve the officers from the
unjust situation
WOMAN COMMANDS" sACkETTs HARBOR.
The civil engineers who have charge of public
works OF the navy will give some attention TO the
long closed and almost forgotten naval station at
Sackett's Harhor. n. Y. The station is in com
mand' of woman. the widow Of the former care
taker and she receives 81 a day from the govern
ment for her work This amount has been for
years the only expenditure the part of the
Navy Department, and il is now represented that
some additional allotment will be necessary TO keep
the station from deterioration Civil Engineer F
r Harris. OF the bureau of yards and docks is
at Sacketts Harbor TO make inspection and re-
port upon the needs OF the place.
PAYMAsTER POTTER TO REsIGN-Paynnas-
ter David Potter Z 5. n. appointed to the
service from New Jersey, will resign from the
naval pay corps in December. and probabIy +aL.a
up residence in New York and engage in
literary pursuits He has already written one
novel THE Lost Goddess and has two more in
the hands Of the publishers Mr. Potter writes
over the name Edward Barron" and he has met
with SO much success in the work that he desires
to devote his time to writing
TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
NEEDED FOR EXPERIMENTS-Th chief Of
ordnance Of the navy will renew his recommenda-
ton Of last year in behalf of a special fund
amounting about 100000 TO be disbursed by the
Navy Department for purposes of experiment. The
department has never possessed the means of
conducting trials which held to be necessary
to settle all sorts of technical questions that are
matters of endless discussion. Rear Admiral " E.
Mason. the chief Of ordnance has prepared a list
Of some Of these problems, and he will make this
the basis of appeal TO the Naval committees
for allotment The questions include the in
vestigation OF the behavior OF suokeIess powder
in the gun. not only from the point of view of
ballistics but from that ot chemistry. the last
especially in connection with harebacks; the search
for an alloy which will resist the erosion of guns
the development of new forms of projectiles and
the effect of high explosives and other ammunition
at long range. to say nothing of work with ex-
perimentaI turrets mounts hosts, sights and tor.
pedoes.
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM CRITICISED.-The
system OF military education at the colleges and
universities as it has developed under the i'm
proved conditions Of the General Staff Of the army
Is subject which will probably be discussed in
the annual report of the Secretary of War II
other years there has been much criticism OF the
method, and some Of the official observers who
have had do with inspecting the work at vari-
GUS colleges have reported that the purposes OF
the system have not been realized. Greater care
is now taken in the selection of army officers for
the duty of instructors. and the attention to the
subject has led some of the colleges 10 ask il
more than one officer could be detailed to the duty
This is possible under the law. provided the maxi
mum number of officers engaged on the work does
not exceed one hundred Wherever the additiOna
officer is needed the War Department viii un-
doubtedly make the assignment.