New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-25
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES
Secretary Meyer Has Approved
Plan for Purchasing Supplies.
tF-rou The Tribune Blr-au.I
ahfr.cs4~a, A.

washington. April "a
BUSINESS METHODS FOR NAVY
The Secretary OF the Navy has approved an
important change in the netnod OF obtain
ing bids and making awards for the sum
ply OF fresh provisions. ice and other
perishabe articles required in the naval
cOmmissary.
Every year these contracts have been
made after considerable controversy win
the competitive bidders. The orders have
been placed annually and they are o. A
volume and involve a sum Of money sur
cient TO arouse keen interest among the
bidders. II has now been decided TO place
the contracts on a quarterly basis and 20
conline the competition % dealers In The
vicinity Of the navy yards and stations az
which the deliveries are % be made.
In this way general competition viii -
avoided and the disadvantages Of that sys-
tenn overcome. IL has been the practice Of
some bidders 50 10 arrange their bids as 20
make them. In the aggregate. the lowest
This IS accomplished By making a unit
price ridicClously low on certain articles Of
which very small quantity IS called for.
and a correspOndingly higher price on the
articles certain 20 be called for in large
quantities. The average obtained in this
ingenious fiction has established what -
known as ictiOnal bids.
In addition 20 this the firms which sub
nit proposals are obliged. under the Unit
system. 10 anticipate the price OF provisions
for whole year. and as the bids are sub
mittvd in advance OF a fiscal year this an
ticipatiOn must be for even more than
twelve months. There Is a great fGctua-
ton in some of the articles, and a great
amount OF speculation is INDUCED IN.
apt 70 give the Navy Department consider
able trouble by trying 20 get out OF thu
contract. 70 which end he makes use CT in
nuence. or else he furnishes articles not
in accordance with specifications. 1t re-
CURES. therefore, much vigilance on the
part Of the inspecting officers TO protect the
service from this irresularity on the part
Of the losing contractor.
Secretary Meyer believes that a more
businesslike system should be adopted and
that IL is unreasonable to expect any firm
to anticipate prices for fresh meats, ice.
etc. for more than year. II this is done
IN a perfectly legitimate way, the govern
ment must in the end pay tor the risk III
CURED by the contractor. II IS. therefore.
decided that the annual contract shall 10
longer exist. but that one shall be awarded
every three months
ORDERS IssUED-Ths following orders
have been issued:
ARMY
Colonel WILLIAM W. ROBINSON, Jr.. PLACED
on the retired list with rank OF brgatisr
The following officers have been detailed 70 enter
the mkt class al the Army War College. and
viii report to the president OF the coliegs a.
Washington on The dates speei1e1- S SsEs .
4th Field Artillery: Majors AJ,IC SIS =
BLOCKSON. 9th Cavairys JACCB Q. SAL-
TO.b cavalry SAMSON L FAISON. 24th n
fantry. ard JAMES Il N RAE; ,l In on IN
fantry; Captains MARCUS D CRONIE. 2tth
Infantry; JAMES + Dean. Igth Ins infantry
EDWIN v. B90h - ~ 1 ~ t-.-''' "a
JOHN H. WHOLLEY. "a infantry, 40
ORRTN r. WOLFE. I'D Infantry august
t5-Captains GEoRliE y. lLSs ~ I5l7v
ARD r HICKOk, 18th Cav2lryi C4AT-
BELL K1N+ 5+ Is, iaIaIry MILAN r
WALDRON. I'D Infantry: WlLsl.lAe-41 =
PENCE. coast artillery. ana tI.. 1890 =
Captain OLIVER l. SPACLDlNG. IT. 'tn
,fai6 reg SrI4RI.ES n RURTCH 18Th Infantry.
and Captain THOMAS z MEhRIlsL- Zen
eral star detailed 70 attend sumner 5oris n
erce Of officers az Nayy w ar 'olle-s .aa{ p
Captain CLARENCE II. N NEIL coast as-A- ~;
~ coast aTtiirerv az Washfngt0n. Nav =
Captain THOMAS II. DWTER. coast artlletS,
detailed 70 IN vacancy in quarternl-is'sI .
FIRST lieutenant DONALD D. HAY. from an
First Lieutenant Lieut. CAMPBELL B. HODGES from
Goth TO 18th Infantry. -
First Lieutenant JACOB Y. S WCESI. from
First ~ IieTt Ss,i RICHARD C. MOORE. cerps
OF engineers. from the orlcc or me e-'.et ., oL
TO Lieutenant Colonel HENRY c. NEW
CONFER. corps Of engineers, Tor duty under
his Immediate orders
First lieutenant SEcELEY A. wALLEN. lstn
r eaTes 81 absence-NIAJ6R ERNEST L. RI Fl
NER. medical corps two months; captain
AUGUSTUS IL. WAKEFIELD. 5th Fled NJ
tiIerv three months from November l. First
Lieutenant GEORGE c. MARSHAL pr.
oath infantry. four months upon re-le- Lio--
army service schools. Fort LeaVen"1ilA
NAVY
Captain w : BENSON. detached naval exam
ming and retiring boards. WashiilsOoi' Fl"
c,o,11aniier + CR&TFN. % the navy yard
Boston. as captain OF The yar1- a.. -.
office of naval intelligence; To duty IS n-'4A
attachs at ToNio and PeSing- ...--,- L..
Lieutenant COrnruanier r. y. HASBEtoJ = = u
tached from the Michigan. 90 the 0uiea1 -
ordnance Navy Department - -.
Lieutenant W. y. JEEFERS. detached from IL
Lieutenant H. f. SHOEMAKER. detached I'm
the Montana; 10 the naval hospital W
7 .,s,.ie5sn- ". E. WHITEHEAD detached rom
the Indiana. To the navy ward Wv Wv, -
DifaI Marc island: leave Of three months
Ensign L. g FARLEY. detached from the ''e''-
Ensign a. S. F&RQTH&R. to The louisiana
Ensign J. NJ SMEALILE: 90 tne t'e9l3 So, ~,
Nidshipmau ". q. OWEN. detacnc- -l--N -
Maryland; TO the Albany , II
Midsbfpulcn y w PICKERING and y -
CLARKE. detached from the lnLi''.''' ~
temporary duty on the L1nra-ttI. ,.,.4
Assistant surgeon A. r.. Davidson, qe. ~.
from the naval hospital. Mare I7'-'-.-' "
Assistant Surgeon G. " HOLMAN. dotacne-ss
from the Iris: ~ duty in co1necti'n "'-'
ASSISTANT Surgeon f. v vNLZ. to The naEy
ward. Portsmouth. and additional dH'y d. us
naval prison. -.,.-,, o., -
Passed Assistant Paymaster r StENN' ~
Naval Academy.
MOVEMENTS OF WARSHIFS.-AN &c A0-.
lowing movements OF vessels nave
reported TO the Navy DepA. lnlSH'-