Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-21
Increasing Hawaii's Defenses.

The War Department is arranging Tor
the establishment in the Hawaiian Is
lands of large military post. Ultimate
~ there will be detailed TO that station
a brigadier general, and possibly a major
general, of the army. This command will
he next in Importance to that of the
Philippines and will be made an indie
pendent military department. 1t VIII be
the defensive outpost of the Pacific coast,
and as such il is purposed to develop 1t
by the aid of d large garrison of troops,
a huge coal pile for the navy and dry
dock and repair plant for the greatest
battleships.
Already "a temporary garrison has been
established about ten miles from Honolu-
lu, and that will be developed into
permanent station next fall. To start
with there will be nearly regiment of
cavalry, in addition TO which there will
be four companies of the coast artillery.
employed in connection with the defenses
of Pearl Harbor. where powerful naval
base is to be established.
Torpedo Boat for Maryland.
Gov. Crothers of Maryland has made
formal application to the Navy Depart
ment for the transfer Of the torpedo boat
Somers for the use of the Maryland Ma
val Militia. The Somers is now in ordinary
at the Norfolk navy yard. The naval re-
serves now have the gunboat Isla de
Cuba as their practice ship, and the state
authorities wish the torpedo craft to be
used in conjunction with her 1t is
pointed out that the Isla de Cuba is in
adequate for the proper instruction of
the whole naval brigade, while the tor
pedo boat could be used for the practical
drills of the reserves, and could be
utilized to go on short trips at more fire.
ouent intervals. The request has been
approved and the torpedo boat will be
transferred when her repairs are COM
pieteo.
To Control Behavior of Soldiers.
To control the behavior of enlisted men
in the army in public places and to in
sure their appearing neat and soldierly
al all times, Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood,
commanding the Department Of the East,
has ordered that hereafter ali enlisted
men leaving army posts in the depart
mert on pass shall report to the COM
mander of the guard for inspection,
whether they be in civilian dress or uni
form They will also be required to
port TO that officer upon their return to
the post from leave granted.
Many appeals were made to the War
Department authorities by those inter-
ested in the service for an order which
would prescribe properly fitted blue
dress uniform of the new pattern. to be
worn by soldiers going on pass. The
colorless. slouchy appearance of the olive
drab service uniform. 1t was said, created
an unfavorable impression.
Army Corps of Civilian Clerks.
\ new corps will probably be estab-
lislled in the army. The personnel vii! be
Ine present civilian clerks of army pay
masters who TO become warrant Off
GERS instead of being commissioned, as
was originally contemplated. They are
to he known as army paymasters' assist
ants, and are TO receive certain allow
ances in the way of mileage. They are
not to receive, however, the allowances
for quarters. fuel and light, which are
confined by law to commissioned officers.
These assistants perform the clerical
work of paymasters and accompany those
officers their travels in making dis
bursementS at army posts and wherever
they are required To go in the discharge
Of that duty. 1t will require legisa lion to
establish this corps. but this has been
fsvorabiy acted ON 10y the military COM