Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-11

The Army signal office will make ar
rangements for the installation of wireless
stations at Fort Leavcnworth and Fort
Riley, where steel towers go feet in height
will be erected with a view to communi-
eating with the army wireless station at
Omaha. II is appreciated that the wire
less stations at those posts will be OF prac-
teal value In the way Of demonstrating
the use OF that medium of communication,
especially in view of the presence at those
posts of so many officers.
The army signal corps officers have pur-
chased for experimental purposes a Ger
man portable wireless set mounted on
wheels. The army has been using a por-
table set which is carried on the backs Of
animals and which is capable of cxchanE-
ing messages at a distance Of twenty-five
miles. With the larger wireless set from
abroad the communication is possible for
a distance of from 100 to l6 miles. The
apparatus is mounted on a vehicle drawn
by four horses and equipped with an eX-
tension steel mast which may be elevated
to a height of sixty feet. 1t is proposed
to try out this type of portable wireless
apparatus, with a view to ascertaining
whether it may be advantageous to add IL
~ NV tQulIiltil VI Alt army Slkndl NOIIS
in the field.
The Brownsville court Of inquiry held its
first formal session on Tuesday in the
quarters which it occupies at 1908 New
York avenue. 1t will be necessary for the
court, Of which Lieutenant General s. b.
Nj. Young is president, to go over the
volumninous records in the case involving
the discharge without honor of enlisted
men of the Twenty-fifth infantry as a re-
suit of the Brownsville affray In August
of 1906. 1t will probably take two months
or more for the court to acquire all the
information, which 1t is possible to obtain
from the printed and the documentary
records, when witnesses will be called
and there will be hearings of the dis
charged soldiers who desire to be rein
stated under the terms of the law, for
which Senator Foraker is responsible.
The general staff of the War department
is making progress with its tentative plan
for army reorganization and increase with
the prospect that the proposition, at least
in general terms, will be ready for the CON
sideration of the secretary of war in time
for its Incorporation as a passage in the
first annua report of Mr.. Dickinson. The
aim is to have a comprehensive scheme
of line and staff organization based on the
needs of a regular establishment of 135, 600
enlisted men. That force is considered neces-
sary as an army in time of peace and con-
templates, so far as the cavalry and in
fantry are concerned, of three cavalry
divisions of two brigades each and nine
infantry divisions of two brigades each.
An important proposition is the revival of
the plan for a consolidated supply branch,
the head of which shall be an officer of
the rank of major general, under whom
shall be three divisions now represented,
respectively, by the quartermaster' de-
partment, the subsistence department and
the pay department, the heads of which
divisions shall be. as they are now, of
ficers of the grade OF brigadier general. 1t
Is hoped to have this plan in readiness for
the consideration of congress at the regu-
lar session, which begins in December.