New-York tribune., 1911-11-17
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES
New Batt|eships to Have Three
14-Inch Guns in a Turret.
tFrom The Tribune Bureau.

Washington, November b
Washington, Nov. i6.-Three 1&ineh guns
will appear in each OF two turrets on tho
giant battleships Oklahoma and Nevada,
bids for the construction of which are TO
be received by the Navy Department next
month. This innovation is exciting con-
siderable interest in naval circles. No ship
now aioat has moro than two big guns
In a turret and while Italy and Russia
are building several vessels with this feat
ure they will use 12-inch rifles
II is explained that the primary purpose
OF concentrating guns in fewer turrets Is
to reduce tonnage. On the Oklahoma and
the Nevada the weight OF one great tur-
ret will be eliminated. as, Ynder the new
arrangement. only four turrete will be re-
quired fer the main battery OF ten l4-inch
rifles. The New York and the Texas now
under construction. and which. when COM
missioned will be the only craft In the
world with l&-inch main batteries, are de-
signed along the old lines. with their big
guns placed two in each Of FIVE turrets.
With the completion Of the New York
and the Texas the United States will
wrest from Great Britain the distinction
of having the worlds heaviest armed war
ship. At present Engiands 135-inch gun
ships hold this place. the American dread
noughts in commission carrying only 12-
inch rifles.
Peculiar interest attaches to the result
of the three-gun turret experiment because
Of the bearing II may have upon the size
of main batteries in the future Hereto
fore II has been held that the ls-inch rife
be practicable aboard battleship because
of the tremendous reco!l 1t is now be-
lieved. however. that a turret platform
that would stand the strain from the re-
coil Of three 14-inch guns certainly would
sustain the firing of two 1s-inchers.
OsTERHAUS THANKED.-The first and
second squadrons Of the Atlantic fleet COM
prising sixteen battleships. will set out next
Thursday from Newport and Hampton
Roads to play at the game Of war some
where on the Atlantic Ocean between the
two ports. For four or fve days the eight
battleships of one squadron will look on
the eight battleships of the other as
hostile feet, and the officers and men OF
the one will seek TO outpoint the officers
and men Of the other in the complex game
of war in all its phases, except the actual
firing OF guns. The game. involving
strategical situation and search problem,
has been arranged by the commander in
chief of the fleet Rear Admiral Osterhaus.
When It has been played the first squadron
will continue on its way southwark to
Hampton Roads. and the second VIII go
TO Newport, both arriving about Novem-
Der %.
The Secretary of the Navy has made
public a letter to Rear Admiral Osterhaus
ngratulating the officers and men under
his command on the recent mobilization
and review at New York The arrange
ments and management were perfect ne
said in the communication, 'and carried
out with precision. The handling OF the
vessels under difficult conditions was ad-
mirably done The whole review was
complete success, and the President was
particularly pleased with what he saw OF
the efficiency of the fleet"
ORDERS ISSUED.-The following orders
have been issued:
ARMY.
Lieutenant Colonel JAMES B. HOUSTON. dep
utv paymaster general. to Chicago, as chief
paymaster, vice Lieutenant Colonel THOM-
AS G. GOODMAN, to Atlanta. vice Major
BEECHER b. RAY, paymaster. from Atlanta
Captain RICHARD c. MOORE, corp. OF engi,
neers. from duty under Lieutenant Colonel n,
neers 10 Chattanooga. Tenn:
Captain WILLIAM ID. CHlTTY. auaIteIm,sster,
to transport DIX W,Ih HpSS s.S'oN al SocHIAN
Captain CHARLES c. Pulls. % Field Artillery,
to Chicago, as inspector-instrue'or OF organ
captain HARRY s. ROWLAND. quartermaster.
to San Francisco as assistant depot quarter
First lieutenant A. ]. MBRIDE, jr.. field artil-
lery, Georgia National Guard, Fort NcPher-
Retirement OF First Lieutenant GEORGE GAR
ITY. 30 Cavalry announced 90.
First Lieutenant JAMES Il. HENRY. IT.. lstn
Cavalry detailed general recruiting service,
to Fort Slocum December J. -.,,-.,.u ?,
Resignation Of First LieutenAnt ROBEkT H.
HETERICK. medical reserve corps ac-
First Lieutenant JAMES p; CAsTLEMA,NS, ,S.,.,a 10Th
Cavalry from Walter Reed General Hospltsi
to proper station. ar
Leaves Of absence; Second Lieutenant sthNo In
months; Dental Surgeon JOHN ID. MILL
KEN, two months.
NAVY.
Captain A. p. NIBLACK. detached Brazil. Bue-
nos Ayres. Argentine and Santiago, chile.
December / naval attache, Berlin, Germany,
Ideutonants 0unior grade) W. c. NIXON, II. 7.
H. HOWELL 7. H. HAMMOND and c. A.
JONES. Passed Assistant Surgeon II. II.
LANE. commissioned.
Medical Inspector r. p. STONE. from naval
hospital Mare Island. 10 naval hospital, New
York.
Chief Boatswain r. SULLIVAN. placed on re-
tired list December l. detached msssachu-
setts: to home
Chief Boatswain w. A. MACDONALD. navy
yard. Norfolk.
Hereafter mail address Navy Yard Mare leland.
will be Navy Yard. Mare Island Vallejo,
Cal
MOVEMENTS OF WAR VESsELS.-The
following movements of war vessels have
been reported to the Navy Department;
ARRIVED.
Nov. 1.-THE Roe OF Hampton Roads; the Ia
coma at Philadelphia; the Wheeling at Port
Limon.
Nov. i6-The oregon at Ventura. Cal.
SAILED.
Nov l5--The Roe from Norfolk for Hampton
Roads: the Mohawk from Washington for
Norfolk. the California. the Maryland and
the South Dakota from San Diego for San
Francisco.
Nov 1e--The Oregon from Ventura for San