The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-03-22

appropriation. Last year, it will be
remembered, the appropriation was
something like $30,000,000 less than
the estimates, and the reason given at
that time for keeping the figure down
to the normal rate was that, while
large increase in fertilization work
and equipment was highly desirable,
such an investment would not be adj
visable until Congress should authorize
a sufficient increase in the Coast Ar
tillery Corps personnel to properly man
the defenses.
Last year an estimate for large
amount was submitted for the FORTH
cation of Pearl Harbor. The commit
tee deemed it unwise at that time to
appropriate for batteries at that point
while the harbor was in such poor con-
dition. Congress instead authorized
the extensive drydock and harbor work
that is now under way at Pearl Har-
Dor. The appropriation for fortified
tions in the Hawaiian Islands is a lit
tie less this year than last, being $337.-
200. Almost the entire decrease in
this years total from that of last year
is in the appropriation for our insular
possessions. which is about 5000, 900
less this year.
Expiration of General Bells Detail.
Under the law establishing the gen
eral staff of the Army the detail of an
officer to the office of the chief of staff
terminates with the expiration of the
term of office of the President by whom
the detail was made. Consequently the
detail of Major General J. Franklin
Bell as chief of staff expired on the
18th of March. There is every expec.
tation that General Bell will be rede-
tsiled as chief of staff by President
Taft, to continue in that office at least
until April. 1910, when he will have
completed his four years tour of duty
Owing to the intimate official relations
between the Secretary of War and the
chief of staff, action in the matter is
suspended until the new Secretary of
War assumes charge of the War De-
partment. In the event of a change
in the Office of chief of staff it is init
mated that the assignment may go to
Brigadier General William III. Carter,
now in command of the Department of
the Missouri, who, like the incoming
Secretary, is a native of Tennessee.
Reorganization of Atlantic Fleet.
The battleships of the Atlantic fleet
have been reassigned to the various di-
visions. The Connecticut remains the
flagship of the fleet, being at the head
of the first division. The others in
that division are the Kansas, Vermont
and Louisiana. In the second division
are the Minnesota, New Hampshire, the
/ T1ohc ha Msccicciy,y,, ~
the New Jersey. the Rhode Island and
| the Nebraska compose the third divi-
| sion, while the fourth division consists
| of the Virginia, the Ohio, the Missouri
| and the Wisconsin. The Connecticut.
| Minnesota, Georgia and Virginia are
| fagships.
| Retirement of Paymasters' Clerks.
Paymaster's Clerk Henry E. Mink
Ter, recently on duty at the navy yard,
Pensacola, has been placed on the re-
| tired list of the Navy on his own APP
plication after thirty years service.
He is the first paymaster's clerk to be
retired in accordance with the recent
| opinion of the Attorney General, that
paymaster's clerks are officers of the
Navy within the meaning of the act
of May 13. 1908, and as such are eli
| gible to retirement
To Command Next Hospital Ship.
| Surgeon George Pickrell, u. S. N.
) will probably be assigned to command
the new naval hospital ship Solace
when that vesesl shall have been con-
verted to its new uses and added to
the Atlantic fleet The Solace is now
/ 81
! Charleston Navy Yard, where it will
arrive in the course of the next week
or two. Surgeon Pickrell is now on
| duty at the Naval Academy.
| Out-turning Screws for Navy.
| An important order issued by the
| Navy Department last week is that
| which directs a change from in-turn-
| ing to out-turning screws in the cases
| of the Louisiana, Virginia, West Vir-
| ginia and Maryland. This places all
the big ships of the Navy on the out
turning screw basis.
Promotions in Pay Corps.
The retirement of Colonel William
| F. Tucker of the pay department of
| the Army has resulted in the promo
tions of Lieutenant Colonel Harry L.
| Rogers to the rank of colonel, Major
George F. Downey to be lieutenant
colonel, and leaves vacancy in the
grade of major in the pay corps. Col
onel Rogers is now on duty in this
city as post paymaster and Colonel
| Downey is on duty in the War De-
| partment as an assistant to the pay
master general.
Wireless Operators Commended.
| Secretary Newberry has requested
| Rear Admiral Sperrv, commanding the
Atlantic fleet, to inform T. F. White
| side of the Alabama and C. 0. Will of
the Connecticut, both electricians, of
the department s appreciation of their
proficiency as wireless operators in
| transmitting long message to the de-
partment regarding the organization of
the fleet brigade which took part
in the inaugural parade.
New Names for Monitors.
The President has approved the
changing of the name of the monitor
| Arkansas to Ozark and that of the
monitor Nevada to Tonopah, cities in
the States named These names were