New-York tribune., 1909-01-18
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES
prepcring Quarters for Troops for
the Inauguration.
IRON The Tribune Bureau.1
Washington January

t.snt t.. parts Of the country 1t Is proposed 10
ens them on the tourist sleeping cars in which
oD..n come TO Washington and in which they
re -. cant TO their stations This relieves the
Se e.,ent from providing temporary shelter under
0N ,r elsewhere. and gives the men the neces-
GU ornforts while they stay in Washington.
f-E has been some talk also Of furnishing tent
fhei,t for the four hundred cadets who will be
tso1P ,he inaugural procession. Ii has not been
hf"s,os how long they viii remain IN Washing
Sc -r.eir desire IS 70 spend more than twenty
l' so,,re possibly arriving here on the afternoon
'O- 'O,b : and leaving March s. II is possible
o. ,bsv will be Quartered in the corridors of the
fh@' +lo-tr,ent The corps OF midshipmen which
70 ,onne from Annapolis will probably return after
W. t-sururaI parade end not spend the night in
h,npton An effort is being made by their
s "a obtain permission for the midshIpmen
:, desire 10 stay in Washington until the morn
,ps following day The authorities who have
&c of the cadets and the midshipmen, however,
N. inclined to favor the plan, as 1t would inter
-. Win the discipline Of the academies
upRovING NAVY ORDNANCE.-The naval
s,snce officers are anxious that the approval or
-sngrass shall be given for an appropriation of
oaoa 10 defray the cost Of important experimental
-. N ordnance material. For two years ReaT
admiral y b. Mason. chief OF ordnance of the
= a,-x has recommended an allotment of public
trnss for this purpose. and some time ago Com
,aer " s Sims inspector OF rife practice for
M
- .5vantaze 20 De derived from such an employ
- of naval funds. There have never been tests
v4feb would show the effect Of projecthes and the
resistance OF arnIor at ranges and Veiocltles when
,ld ure-ail in battle. This requires special pro
,,rion in the way of mechanism and conditions
t,rb are not ordinarily obtainable at the naval
,-o,inr ground and otner places where experiments
8. conducted. Il has been pointed out to the
r,use Naval Committee that practical advantage
In accrue from the appropriation OF $10oeG0 for
fleS igh
.-rlosives ali in connection with the problem OF
,,tock on armor al various ranges. The naval ap-
n-onriatiop bill contains this item. but it is
pected TO be taken out Oh a point Of order.
fxsT-R0gDINATE PETITIONS.-The War De-
,,srtu,ent has taken decided stand IN the matter
of netitjops from army officers who do approve
OF rending legislation originating with the War De
,,artmeut = recent instance of protest is that
which is made subject OF petition on the part of
officers OF the 3lth Infantry, who believe that the
l providing for 6l2 additional army officers should
be amended in its phraseology so as 10 specify the
number Of officers apportioned to each arm and
grade The War Department does not favor any
such restriction by statute. and the military au-
tborit5es are likely remind the petitioners that
shy may intrus their Interests TO the Secretary OF
War and the President When Secretary Root
established the system Of staf duty by details from
-among line officers ne was not so hampered by law
and the system Of dividing the details among the
various arms and grades has been religiously OBJ
served tire only departures from the rule being in
instances in all the time the method has been
in vogue. TIE Secretary OF War and the President
DO rot view with favor the appeals which take the
form Of protests addressed TO the War Department
+. concerning legislation which is recommended 10
Congress- by the head Of the department In some
respects this attitude Of army officers who are OF
sghc~dnste position and not familiar with
thf 'oondtions is regarded as a species of insub-
orsustlon which in the interests OF discipline
should be discouraged
MILITARY MOTOR CARs.-The military authori-
ties. have been giving some attention the pos
fiblsies OF using heavy motor cars in army trans
5ortstien. This has been tried extent in
foreign armies. and II was believed that the trac-
ton engine could be utilized 10 advantage in carry
ing military stores of great weight. The General
STAFF has taken up the question, and has reported
that It is advisable 10 depend too much on this
method OF transportation. There would be no oues-
tcn the roads IN good order in all parts OF
the country but with the influence of weather on
roads 10 be reckoned with, and the fact that an
evenness OF country is not TO be depended on, the
experts have decided that IT is not safe 10 go very
far from the horse and mule d means OF trans
portation. The army wagon therefore is destined
10 remain, although 10 some extent the motor car
sno tbs traction engine will be utilized
MUST SHELTER HORSEs.-It is held by the
hcer required be mounted is entitled to shelter
for his horses at the expense of the government If
public quarters not available. A recent case
came 10 The attention OF the department. where
Captain r. p. Raymond. corps OF engineers
applied for shelter for two horses TO the quar-
termaster stationed at Denver. This was refused
on the ground that such quarters were not avail
able, anc the officer in charge was Of the opinion
ina the hiring Of quarters at the expense OF the
Government was not authorized by law. Captain
Raymond was compelled TO provide the necessary
shelter fer his horses, and submitted the bills
therefor to the quartermaster generals depart
met II is held that the failure OF the government
rte provide suitable quarters should not work a
hardship on the officer requesting such accommoda-
uons, and that il is proper charge 10 hire quar-
iers v hen public quarters not available.
Fructor Of the navy is al work his reply TO the
Complaint addressed 10 the Navy Department by
Commander A l. Key. who took formal ex-
cepoen 10 the references made to himself in the
snnasl report Of Chief Constructor Capps. He
Askes II necessary for criticism directed by one
the object Of criticism afforded opportunity TO
reply. Commander Key represents that he has been
injured by the publicity given TO certain passages III
Nmei Constructor Capps's report He also alleges
tasi ne did not have any opportunity TO examine
eae plans Of the North Dakota while on duty in
"eshhgton, as asserted by the chief con-
eUoctor, who declared that Commander Key did
0t make kneVn his discoveries OF alleged defects