New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-04
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.
SURGEON General Condemns the
Naval Physical Tests.
From The Tribune Bureau
i-;1-


HEALTH OF NAVY BETTER-The
health of the American navy was better
If, 1909 than in any other year of the last
decade and the death rate was the lowest
ever recorded for that arm of the service
according 70 the annual report OF surgeon
General Stokes TO. the Secretary of the
Navy. The record death rate was five in
thousand. The percentage of sick from dis
ease and injuries in 1909 was 4.619. as COM
pared with ten-year average of 5.2lS
From disease only in 1909 the percentage OF
sick was 3 e52 which Is lower than any
other year since the SpaIish-Anlerican War
The present annual physical test for
naval officers. consisting Of walking or rid
ing a prescribed number of miles within
time limit according to the consensus of
opinion of medical officers. the surgeon gen
eraJ saws. has utterly failed to accomplish
the design TO encourage regular daily ex-
e-cise Very few have derived any real
benefits. while considerable real harm has
resulted. DR. Stokes recommends that more
-ec-ea+ive end continuous exercise ne sub
stituted. and for the younger personnel of
the navy he urges the adoption Of the
Swedish system of physical training, which
is followed in the British service.
SHOT BEATING ARMOR.-The shot ap-
pears TO be getting the better Of the armor
in the never ending contest for supremacy
between Notwithstanding 10 Rear Ad-
r1iraI \. f Mason, chief of the Naval
Ordnance Bureau. In his annual report he
says that the conditions and outlook with
regard 10 armor piercing projectiles. for
rnerIy unsatisfactory. have improved much
during the year the quality of the shells
supplied by certain firms is better and the
outlook is more satisfactory than for sew
eral years past though the lack of an ade-
ouate supply Of large calibre shells con-
tinues TO be a matter of serious concern
On the other hand, the advance in arn1or
has not been entirely satisfactory, so far
as thick plates are concerned, and certain
new processes. while giving promise Of ulti-
mate Improvement. have failed to lend
themselves 20 the installation of the armor
on shipboard. In the mean time the older
processes are being left behind by the i'm
provement in projectiies.
CHAPLAIN REPRIMANDED. = The
War Department has reprinlanded Chap
Ian Joseph H Sutherland, Esd Infantry,
on duty at Fort Bliss. Texas. and recently
in the Philippines with his regiment He
was appointed 10 the army from West Vir-
ginia- and belongs TO the Presbyterian
Church. He took an enthusiastic and &C
tive part in the affairs of the regiment
when II was stationed at Plattsburg Bar
racks, New York, some years ago, and
later when il was on duty at the Jamestown
exposition He has been instrumental in
deTising means for the entertainment OF
TIE enlisted men, and one of the products
Of his activity has been a little paper which
was called the "Lantaka, after one Of the
weapons of aboriginal warfare The paper
appeared occa sionally. and much of its con-
tents were derived from Chaplain Suther-
land. He freely discussed army subjects,
and the paper gained some reputation for
Independence OF expression While the
regiment was DUTY IL the Philippines,
Chaplain Sutherland enlivened the columns
of the 'Lantaka" with some illusions 10
official conditions which did not meet with
the entire approval of the commar ding
general at Manila. General Duvall felt
called upon 10 direct the attention of the
Wa Department TO Chaplain Sutherland's
comments and took exception TO the criti-
cism of the headgear worn by troops in the
islands. The incident is considered closed
with formal letter of reproof to the
chaplain from the War Department
ORDERS IsSUED.-The following orders
have been issued:
ARMY.
Major FREDERICK s RUSSELL, medical
corps. to Boston. to deliver address on De-
cember at Medical Library on anti-typhoid
vaccination.
Captain EDWIN G LONG coast artillery. de-
tailed 10 I'll vacancy IN quarterrnasters de-
partmenS
Leave Of absence; First Lieutenant CLARENCE:
II. KNIGHT. corps of engineers. two
months
Rear Admiral V. L. COrTMAN. Captain I.
Sk0NDEN. Lieutenant Commander q. C.
SWEET and Chief Carpenter z. l. KEMP
TON, commissioned
Lieutenant Commander NJ ]. MCCORMACK de-
fsched the Tennessee: 10 home, await orders
Lieutenant G A. BI.AKELY. detached command
the Msedonough, 10 navy yard. Charleston,
IN connection with establishing school for
machinizts mates, and duty in charge when
estA nlieheo.