New-York tribune., 1910-08-30
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES|
Western Coal To Be Thoroughly
Tested on Warships.
IFrcm The Tribune Bureau ]
Washington, August 20.

| the last few months to purchase Western
coal for naval use, instead of shipping this
| fuel from the Atlantic sources of supply to
vessels on the Pacific Coast and in Asiatic
waters 1t has been insisted that the coal
| there is equal in all respects TO the coal
obtained in the East The naval authori-
ties entertain a different view, basing it on
the reports of the experts of the Geological
Survey. While the Pacific Coast coal meets
all the requirements for commercial use. it
is held by the naval authorities that it is
| necessary in the interest of efficiency of the
fighting force that the best obtanable coal
shall be used on vessels OF war or pur-
chased for the reserve stock to be drawn
upon in time of emergency. Otherwise
| there is a loss in speed and in steamins
radius, both of which are very important
factors in naval mobility and endurance.
The Navy Department will undertake to
ascertain whether there are any Goals on
the Pacific Coast which will answer the
purpose of the naval service. and to this
end it has arranged that one of the armored
cruisers of the Pacific fleet shall be as
signed during the next five or six months
to testing out the samples which have been
represented as equal to the coal now pur
chased by the department under contract.
| If such a coal can be obtained it will be
| Of economic advantage in the item of fuel
for the navy, and the Navy Department is
anxious to have the test conclusive. If
there is no such coal, then the department
will be in a position to reply to the critics
who have been attacking the administra-
ton for alleged discrimination IN favor of
the Eastern sources of fuel supply. In this
test of the Pacific Coast coal care will be
exercised to have the conditions identical
in order that there may be a comparison
of the various samples with the Eastern
product.
The quality of Alaska coal is such as to
commend it to the Navy Department. No
coal is being mined In Alaska. but the Of
icials of the Navy Department are hopeful
that at its next session Congress will pro-
vide for the opening of the Alaska fields in
some practical way which will encourage
development. There will be a big saving to
| the department in freight charges when
Alaska coal is available for the feet.
WILL FILL GENERAL STAFF VA
| CANClES.-Five generals of the army are
| holding meetings at the War Department
to select officers to fill vacancies on the
General Staff. Only two vacancies exist at
| present. but during the coming year the
details of eighteen members of the staff will
cessors TO these officers, who are leaving
for other assignments. The board picking
officers for these choice assignments is COM
posed of General Leonard Wood, chief of
staff, and Generals William H Carter, AL
bert L. Mills, Charles L. Hodges and Will
lam W. Wotherspoon.
ORDERS lssUED.-The following orders
have been issued:
ARMY.
Captain ERNEST VAN D. MURPHY from 9th
TO 2lst Infantry TO San Francisco, thence
from army and navy general hospital. Hot
Springs, TO Fort Smelling, examination for
Second Lieutenant FREDERICK RAMON GAR
GIN. coast ia, artillery. from 18th to sd Com
| Chaplain FRANCIS B. DoHERTY. from 18th
Infantry. to Porto Rico regiment of infantry.
LER, assistant quartermaster general.
month and fifteen days: Captains HARRY
scHEL -TUFEs,. 1st infantry. and, PARK
RTTER nv ". sPRTSGER' Coast artillerH, two
lnnnihs Chaplain HALSEY c. GAVIIT, 1st
Cavalry, twenty days
NAVY.
Lieutenant Commander !. T. TOMPKINS. de
| tached Naval Academy; to the Iowa.
Lieutenant r c. DAVIS. detached bureau of
steam engineering; TO the Mississippi
Ensign p. l. HOWARD. detached the Dolphin;
the Hartford
Surgeon W. 3: GROVE, detached naval training
station. Newport; TO naval medical school
| Surgeon J. F. LEYs. detached Bureau of Medi-
cine and surgery. TO naval training station
Passed Assistant Surgeon d. c. GATHER. de-
taehed Nayal Acadsmy: laden, to the y, lowa o,,>-
ING, detached Naval Academy; to the Mas
sachusetts.
taehed Naval Academy: 70 the Iowa.
MOVEMENTS OF wARsHIPs-The fol-
lowing movements Of vessels have been re-
ported to the Navy Department:
ARRIVED.
Aug o6.-The Tennessee, at Portsmouth. n. II.
Aug. 2T:-rhe PatuHent. at Norfolk; the GLACIER
Aug 2s-The North Dakota. at Montauk, N.
Y: the Castine. at New London; the Prince
ton. at san Francisco; the California, the
Colorado, ths Pennsylvania and the Wash
ington, at chfmbote. Peru; the Iowa, the
Indiana and the Massachusetts,, at Annap-
SAILED
Aug 25-Ths Dubuque. from Bluehelds for
Guantanamo. route for New York.
Aug 27.-The BagIey, from Annspois for Nor
folk; ths Tacoma. from cristeha for Blue
Fort Pond Bay. n Y: the Penaceok. from
Portsmouth, n H for Portland Nc the
ieonfdas from Norfolk for New York; the
cestine; from Boston for New London.
Bremerton; the Cuttlefsh. from Annapolis
for Norfolk; the Iowa. the Indiana andsthe
Massachusetts, from Solomon's Island for
Annapolis.
Orders 10 the Prairie 10 proceed to the West
Indies revoked The vessel will remain at New
The potomac and the Pontiac. assigned to
Outv with Atlantic feet tenders during COM
ing target practice of fleet
The frst torpedo division tthe Macdonough,
tie Stringham and the Bailey now at Newport.
has been ordered 10 Boston, to remain from
September to IS for patrol duty IN connection
with the Hsrvard-Boston aviation meet.
All mail for the Charleston should be sent 10
navy yard, Puget Sound
The first submarine division Of the Atlantic
torpedo feet tthe Cuttlehsh, tn. Tsrantula and
the Viper). has been sent to Norfolk and viii
later ion the third submarine division in Chesa-
peake Bay for drills ana exercises
TOW DRIFTS INTO COLLISION
He'll Gate Tides Garry Tug and Two
Gcours Ont of Course