New-York tribune., 1910-06-28
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.
Further Developments in Mari
eta Court of inquiry.
rFron The Tribune Bureau.J

from The Tribune BureauJ
Washington. June 81
MORE MARIETTA CRITICISM-It has
developed that there was much more in the
findings of the court of inquiry convened
to ascertain the responsibility for the con-
dition of the United States ship Marietta
than the criticism of Captain F. K HILL the
commanding officer, and two of hts asso-
ates in the commissioned personnel of thai
vessel
The court went fully into the condition
of the ship, which served for long time
in Central American waters ind has been
for some weeks at the Portsmouth Navy
Yard, where 1t was examined by the Board
of Inspection for Ships. and was the occa-
sion of comment which originally led to the
order for a trial by court martial of Com
mander Hill. The court was dissolved be-
fore it held any sessions, and the court Of
inquiry was instituted In fits place. This
court, as has been stated in these dis
patches, recommended the official reprimand
Of Commander Hill and Lieutenant WILDER
T. Smith, the executive officer. This rec
ommendatfon has been carried out. Lieu
tenant Paul E. Dampmann, who was the
engineer officer Of the ship. has received Il
letter of caution, as distinguished from a
letter of censure.
The testimony before the court, rendered
in defence of the three officers directly in
volved, alleged that Commander Hill made
repeated efforts to have repairs and changes
installed on the Marietta. and that these
efforts were futfIes In the findings of the
| court the inspection board comes IN for
criticism for making too much of certain
minor defects and not giving the officers
sufficient credit for work they performed
| under trying circumstances when the Mari
eta was engaged on hard service in 1909.
| The vessel was in very bad condition
when Commander Hill took charge, and
| much trouble was encountered with the ma
| chinery. The Marietta had three engineer
officers In succession, one of whom was so
overworiSed that he committed suicide On
board the vessel. The court crfticises the
inspection board for nagnifying in appear
ance the Importance Of minor matters 10
the exclusion Of other satisfactory items of
much greater Importance. such as that all
of the drills were found satisfactory, the
condition of the main engines and boilers.
her top hamper, her battery, the clothing
! and bedding, nfesses and food, precautions
against fire, safe navigation, etc.
More than this, the court criticfses the
Bureau of Navigation for 1.-The detachment
of all the officers of the United States ship
Marietta, except the captain and pay Off
| Ger, while she was In commission and re-
| fitting at a navy yard" This was pro-
nounced unusual and not in the interests
| of the ship" which fact "mitigates to some
extent the conditions found by the inspec-
| ton board. The administration of the navy
| yard is also criticised by the court.
| It has been decided 70 take no further
action and probably nothing more of def
| mite sort will be given out from official
sources. The friends Of the officers CON
cerned say that the naval authorities IN
Washington do not take kindly to the criti-
cism made by the court of inquiry so far
as that criticism relates to administration
matters especially the detachment OF Off
GERS from duty on the Marietta
! This Is in evidence In the Endorsement ap-
piled to the report by the Bureau of Nav1-
CATION, which reluctantly" concurred In the
recommendation that no further judicial ac-
| ton be taken In the cases of Commander
Hill and Lieutenants Dampn1ann and Smith,
| This decision to drop the matter with the
! letters of censure in the cases of two OF
the officers and the letter of caution in the
/ case of the third officer was founded large
| " on the fact that the professional reputa-
| ton Of the officers has already been injured
by articles in the public press. constituting
/ ir Itself punishment.
| ORDERS ISSUED-The following orders
| have been issued:
ARMY
! Lieutenant Colonel CHARLES ]. BAILEY, coast
artillery to Fort II. G.. Wright. June ~, tC
| witness joint army and militia coast defence
exercises in artillery district OF New r,l London
Lieutenant Colonel HUNTER T. LJGGETTZ Gh, Z lStt
| staff, and CARL REICHMANNs 24th In In,
! cavalry; EDWIN LANDoN. coast artillery
! and MAIIN CRAIG. General staff, on com
| t tsettysburg. to proper station in Washington
| Major JAY F. HOFFER, Ordnance Department
| office chief Of ordnance. July l. to New Yorf
Captain LEROY r. H1LLMAN. Ordnance De Pc
partment. to Atlantic city, to attend thir
teenth annual meeting American Society FOL
Captain inv WILEY HOWELL. eth Infantry, tc
tiutv at carlp of instruction organized militia
! Of Missouri, near Nevada Miss, July & to 12
| Captain JESSE C. NICHOLS and FIRST Lieu
! tenant IUCIAN 2. MOODY. coast artillery
| detailed in Ordnance Department. TO take
| effect July i; report to chief sf ordnance
The following changes in the Ordnance Depart
ment: Captain CHARLES M WESSON
from Waterylies arsenal ito, 10 ssna Matert3Ml HoDl
| proving ground to stations designated: Cap
tain BIRCIE o. MAHAFFEY, report to CHIEF
of ordnance: Captain CARR W WALLER
to Frankford arsenal: First Lieutenant
CHARLES q. METTLER, to Watervliet
arsenal; First Lieutenants MORGAN l.
BRETT and JOHN 3. ROSE. to WatertoWT
arsenal; First Lieutenant ARTHUR d
MINICK, TO Springfield lMass) armory; First
Lieutenant FRED II. COLEMAN. to Frank
ford arsenal: First Lieutenant THOMAS L.
COLES. to Picatinny arsenal
The following changes in the coast artillery have
| been ordered: Captain JOSEPH b. DOUG
LAS assigned to Goth Company: Captain
wy frnr n
10 unassigned list, to commanding officer
artillery district of Pensacola for staff duty
Second Lieutenant CHARLES T. RICHARD
SON, from goth Company TO unassigned list
to commanding officer. artillery district Of
Pensacola for staff duty.
| First Lieutenant ALEXANDER G. GILLESPIE
! Fort Monroe August 2S.
First Lieutenant WILLIAM F, n. GODSON
10Th Cavalry detailed for duty with TTooI
A list Cavalry, organized militia of Wiscon-
sin during practice march beginning at Mil
Waukee or August -.
| First Ltet,tenants CHARLES s. DONAvIN
ROLAND W. CASE and JOSEPH H
PELOT ordnance department, from Military
Academy, June 80 to New York City, anc
report TO commanding officer, Sandy Hool
proving grounds.
| tfllery 10 Watertown Arsenal.
second Lieutenant JAMES L. WALSH. coast ar
tillery TO New York City, and report tc
COMMANDING oficer Sandy Hook proving
grounds. -
| cooo,5 7 Jientenant LAWRENCE W. M'INTOSE