New-York tribune., 1908-07-12
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Topics of Interest to Both Services
IFrom The Tribune Bureau.


IFrom The Tribune Bureau
Washington. July Il
NAVY ENGINEER BILLETS-Consideraoie m
terest attaches to- of the changes which have
been made by virtue of the appointment as engineer
in chief of the navy Of Rear Admiral John h Bar
ton. rival candidate for the place was Captain
A. F. Dixon who was the efficient assistant during
the administration of Rear Admiral c. W. Rae as
chief of the bureau OF steam engineering The
traditions of the service permit Captain Dixon 10
select the duty which he would be engaged ana
5 he is Immediately senior Rear Admiral Bar
ton. who Is really captain in the he cannot
well his assistant. Captain Dixon. there
fore, has chosen the important place of general in
spector of machinery for the Atlantic Coast. with
headquarters in New York City. where he relieves
Rear ADMIRAL John A r. Smith (retired). of
the officers of the old engineers corps. who has
been for many years on duty at the 81 Ooklyn navy
yard in New York City Rear Admiral Smith
will be retained active duty. IL being the
policy Of the Navy. Department 70 relieve rap
idly possible from outy these officers who are
on the retired list. Another change among the
naval engineers of interest is that which takes
Commander B. C. Bryan away from his duty in
charge of instruction of junior officers WIZ
assigned to engineer duty He will be succeeded
by Commander Gustav Kaemmerling- II was a
question time whether any junior officers Of
the navy would be Immediately assigned to this
special course in engineering. There no classes
here now all of officers having joined the ships
of the Atlantic fleet where they continuing
their observations under practical conditions An
other class would have been formed IL it had not
been for the great need of officers with the feet
The fact that Commander Kaemmerling has been
selected for this duty is taken indication that
the Navy Department will probably early in the
coming year designate additional junior line Of
hcers for this special instruction
NO SEA PAY ASHORE-The chiefs OF the bu-
reaus of the Navy Department and their principal
assistants expected to receive an increase OF pay
of about 500 year in each case, but the wording
of the which increased navy pay does not
affect them except in their ordinary compensation
The law reads that chiefs OF bureaus and their
assistants shall receive the highest pay OF the
grade of officer who is serving as chief or as
sstant chief. 1t became a question whether this
highest pay included the 10 per cent additional
which is paid to naval officers on sea duty II
was maintained by the Navy Department that this
additional pay went TO make up highest pay The
Controller of the Treasury has been considering
the question. however and has decided that the 10
per increase given to officers who are serving
at sea is merely an allowance, and Is not pay in
/ the that it may be regarded as affecting the
income Of the bureau chiefs.
WEST POINT vIsITATIoN-Thers will un-
doubtedIy be introduced IN the next session OF
Congress bill for the relief OF those members Of
the abolished Military Academy board of visitors
who incurred expenses in travel 10 West Point
the occasion of the last graduation and have been
be entitled to the expense of the trip It
happened that the Military Academy appropriation
act contained provision aboishing the board OF
visitors which had been appointed jointly by the
President the president and the Speaker OF
the House as had besn usual for many years. The
act was signed May Is and went into effect at
once so far the composition OF the board was
concerned The who had been appointed, some
of them residents the Pacific Coast. were well
on their way West Point. and several of them
had arrived at the Military Academy. before they
received the teegraphc notice that they were no
longer members OF the board II decided that
the members could be reimbursed only for expenses
incurred UP to the date when the President signed
the act A Congressman who IS interested in a
member of the board has written to the War De-
partment asking If there is any way to reimburse
the members for the expenses they incurred in
good faith The War Department authorities, how
ever cannot go back Of the Controllers decision.
and IT will take action by Congress 10 accomplish
this. There is however. Justice in the claim. and
undoubtedly suitable provision will be made Here
after the Military Academy board of visitors will
consist Of members of the House and Senate mill
tary committees.
NAVY WANTS LABOR-sAvING TOOLS-The
manufacturers Of pneumatic tools in various parts
of the country interested in another test. which
is to take place in the next month at the
navy yard in Brooklyn A similar test was held
last year with a view to providing this class Of
implements for all the navy yards. Much COM
matte tools the Navy Department adopted a meth
cd which did not allow proper competition, and
that the government placed at corresponding
disadvantage compared with private shipyards
An investigation held, and 1t was found there
was some basis for this assertion The result has
been that when the last contract awarded II
was made general instead Of for specific navy
yards and the material purchased was sufficient 70
meet the requirements for the entire year. There
was some expectation that the last years compett-
tive test at Brooklyn would settle the question of
the type of pneumatic tools which would be used
by the navy. but the manufacturers have been
Unfortunate ard it has been decided IN awarding
the contract for the next year that there shall
be another opportunity for competition in a prac-
ticaI way board Of experts will accordingly be
detailed to meet at the Brooklyn yard and test
the sample tools which submitted with pro-
posaIs by the manufactures The contract is suf-
fciently large to be eagerly sought by the makers
of these tools The incident is part Of the sys-
TEN which has been adopted by the Secretary OF
tbe NAVY TO invite bids for contracts which are
made sufficiently large TO be worth going after.
not only with the prospect that the government
will obtain better articles for smaller price. but
because of the opportunity for ascertalning the
product Of the private plants
ORDERS ISSUED--The following orders have
been issued:
The following in the medical corps have been
TER, from Fort LeavenWorth 10 Fort shsri an vice
Fort Leavenworth. instructor
Major HENRY :. T. HARRIS TO Fort Leaverworth-
Major EDGAR Russell signal corps. from Washington
70 Fort Leavenworth. August 15 assistant com
mandant army signal nal - school. ,--. -, u.,uo.-. -
competitor Atlantic rife competition Fort
E,rst IJeutenants JOHN A BRoCKMAN 18th Infantry.
nd ASA L SINGLETON, 5th Infantry from army