New-York tribune., 1910-03-30
In ARMl AND NAVY
Hin COurt NCrtial Has I'm
usual Features.
iFlom The Tribune Bureau

Washinctcn. March p
TROUBLE ON THE nARIETTA.-A de-
oisiun of tEe Navy Department To Try by
court martial Ccmmgnicr Frank ~. I'M.
tie commanding officer II the Iagie,sa,
sad Lieutenant j. r. psnpman. the sn-
Sinscr "i7icer ~ tire same ship, mas
attracted considerable attention among la
Val officers because Of some unusual IS
poets of the case. in the avs, place, there
has heun no preliminary count Of inquiry.
es is ssual IN a sep toward the detail .;
d court martial Tee charges with which
Commando liig ana Lieutenant Dsmpman
are ,on-r,H:ed are based ga a report made
boy the regular hoard of Inspection Tor ships.
Nh.ch iccsnt,r examined the Nlsr.et;a at
the Porthmou:h Havy HaTd following tour
of service in Central American waters.
Ths; vessel Nc among those assigned 10
duty with lie A!cSTdSuan CApesitloh2ry
squadron, bat Nas excused from Joinins on
account uf the representation ot COM
maHGcr liill shat Tie ship VS. IA iaec of
repairs snG must b cNsriiauled before go
in- Ca su,h active Juty.
The beard or inspection found that the
ship Was IN a dirty" condition. TO employ
a naval phrase. The main trouble seemed
10 come nom an accumulation Of ashes.
which had been ,arclessly dumped in Nari-
Gus places in the IRE rooms and allowed 10
remain. with ne result that The buiSheads
were c5rrodcd. The board observed holes
in several places in these metal par
titions- Another object uf criticism vas
the condition ~ the shaft alley" which
was IN 2 bad state from the aCcumu
lation OF dirt and refuse II was not de
termined by the hoard whether commander
Hill or his predecessor in command Of the
sHrn
action of the Navy Department in ordering
the court martial Without the formaliiy Of
a court of inquiry. tho naval authorities
appear tu have entertained no doubt as 10
the responsibility II las not been pos
sible ~ estimate the amount OF damage
which has been wrought by this condition.
but all ofhsnd estimate places the injury
a; shout N.fGi 1t is not. however. ques-
ton Of extent OF damage or cos> of restora-
ton The Navy Department Is moro con-
cerned with sscertainng what sort Of al
ministration prevailed on board the Mari
eta 10 bring about such a state Of affairs
as has been reported py tine inspecting Off
Gers.
Commander Iim has been counted a good
line Officer, noted for his vigor. and lie has
engaged i'm several technical controversies
notably the argument with the chief OF
ordnance some years ago, when Hin vas
on duty Ia the Bureau Of Ordnance. at
which time he found much fault with the
lack Of provision for torpedoes and torpedo
tubes. lie has peeq known as 2 prominent
member Of the SmaHs' "a the officers
who affiliated with Commando y. :. Sim.
the leading critic of naval design and con-
siruction, were called. Another incident
which has lately attracted the attention Of
The authorities 10 Commando Hill was the
mysterious disappearance Of FIVE men from
the Marietta last November. while the ship
WAS m central American waters. These
men took q vhaleboat and engaged in
race Rith another craft. The occupants of
the former boat disappeared. and the only
trace Of them ever found was the dis
cOvery Of The boat. bottom up. on the
shore few days after the race.
The lates; incident which involves the
trial of Hill and Dsmpman will probably
require the testimony OF members Of the
board of inspection. as the causes of Criti-
cism have undoubtedly been removed, and
y is imagined that the ship must by this
Tine have been thoroughly cleaned. II Is
rarely that j vessel IS reported for being in
such a condition as that of the Marietta.
and naturally great interest attaches 10 the
result OF the trial.
ORDERS IssUED.-The following orders