Evening star., 1909-03-14

from the navy and were appointed second
heutehants III the army in 1908
Heavy Powder Purchases.
The naval ordnance bureau has nIaced
orders for a large quantity of smoke
less powder for the general use of the
navy. The contracts were awarded before
the enactment of legislation which re-
stricts the Navy Department as to price
and source of such material. The con-
tracts were placed follows: Latin &
Rand, 10000 pounds 12-inch. 40 caliber
T.. l. du Pont Powder Company, 10000
pounds Pinch, 40 caliber; International
Powder Company, 100000 pounds 12-inch
40 caliber.
Suicide Not in Line of Duty.
The War Department has decided that
the death of Lieut.. John j. MolIer, Sth
Infantry, was not incurred in the line
of duty. That officer was on leave of
absence at the time he killed himself. An
officer, whether absent with leave or with
ont leave, is held to be outside of a duty
status. An officer on leave who commits
suicide clearly does so outside the line
of duty. IL is held, unless it can be
shown that his Self-nf1icted death was
the result of condition of insanity which
arose while the deceased was on duty
status. There was no allegation of in
the case of an enlisted man who com
mitted suicide. it appeared from the med
ica reports that the death of the soldier
was due to dementia contracted in the
Philippine Islands while on duty. In that
case the death was considered to have
been in the line of duty.
Resignation of Lieut.. Mitchell.
The President has accepted the resigna-
tion of First Lieut.. Hiram f. Mitchell.
to take effect at once. Lieut.. Mitchell
is from Oregon and served as d cap
tain and quartermaster in the volunteer
army during the Spanish war. He was
appointed first lieutenant in the Artillery
Corps in September. 1901, and retired in
December, 1896.
Appointed Naval Constructors.
Several officers of the line of the navy
are to be transferred to the construction
depa rtment of the navy Among the
number are Ensign Arthur w. Frank of
the Yankton. Ensign Ralph T. Hanson of
the Vermont and Midshipman J. c. Hun
saker of the California. These young
officers have been ordered TO Boston to
take course of instruction in marine
architecture at the MASSACHUSETTS, Insti-
tute of Technology
Passing of Small Naval Boats.
The familiar steam launch which has
long served the navy is to be abandoned.
When il was adopted il was considered
the final Improvement in the way OF
water transportation. being modern
substitute for the boat pulled by oarsmen.
Ii is now decided that the gasoline boat
shall take the place of the steam launch
on all ships of war. This means greater
speed for that type of craft. The recon-
mendation in favor of the gasoline boat
was made by a board of officers attached
to the Atlantic fleet, and is in the line of
improvements suggested in small boats
generally. 1t is desired to cut down the
number of boats carried and to use as
few as possible of the type which must
be pulled by hand. In some few instances
the pulling boat will be retained merely
for aquatic contests.
Regulars With Maryland Troops.
The next encampment of the Maryland
National Guard will probably be held
between July 10 and 2S. Adjt. Gen War
field has asked the War Department to
detail a battalion of infantry, a troop of
cavalry and battery of field artillery
of the United States Army for duty with
the Maryland troops.
Scarcity of Army Surgeons.
There are more than one hundred va