New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-05
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES
| eoisIative Hearings on Navy
Personnel Indefinitely Delayed.
IFrem The Tribune Bureau.
Washington. Septembe

uAMPERED.-NdNd orncerS VIII ne Seri-
ousIv disappointed 10 learn Of the prob
ab1n failure Of tie hearings on personnel
.bicb had been planned by the chairman
- the House Naval Committee and the
secretary Of the Navy. One hearing was
b.,d two weeks ago. when Captain A. +.
recbteler gave his views as to the most
-e.ctiye means of relieving existing con-
5i,iors Then the demands of the com
,,ittee because of the Democratic cur
rencv caucus compelled Chairman Pad
,stt 10 postpone further sessions until to-
day.
More than fifty officers. selected by Mr.
padrett and by Secretary Daniels. have
heen designated to appear before the
uorse Naval Committee They represent
al grades and branches of the service,
and some Of the members of the com
rittee. who are interested i'm warrant
orScers and enlisted men. have planned
n call representatives of that part OF
the service.
None OF the Democratic members, eX-
cent the chairman. attended to-days
meeting The committee was not formal
~ called 10 order. and after ii was found
that there was no chance of a quorum
the meetings were indefinitely postponed.
Indications are that there will he no
formal sessions at which naval officers
ran express their views and make recon-
n.ndations until the next regular session
of Congress.
Secretary Daniels has suggested that
nest OF the naval officers designated 20
appear present their views in writing. IS
several Of them are attached TO the At
lantic feet, and their travel TO Washing
ton on the uncertainty of finding the COM
r1j;tee in session or with a quorum pres
emf would involve too much expense. The
chairman has agreed to the proposition.
and most OF the officers must content
themselves with submitting their recon-
mendations in the form of communica-
tioIs.
Ii had been hoped that as a result Of
the hearings the committee would be
able TO report a naval personnel bill
which would regulate promotion and pre-
vent the stagnation which now confronts
The junior officers.
DEVELOPMENT OF ARMY AVA
TION-The House Military Committee
has under consideration some important
provisions affecting military aviation.
Items in the army bill will enable the
War Department TO purchase additional
aAyoplanes and several dirigibles OF a
German type which has been found OF
much value abroad.
In the mean time. il is proposed to con-
suct some important experiments at San
ha ~alf n
,eroplane as an offensive weapon. The
Military authorities are satisfied with the
usefulness Of the aeroplane as vehicle
ior reconnaissance. Lately some important
-.norts have been made as TO the use OF
he aeroplane in the observation OF heid
artillery fire. Reports on this subject are
regarded as confidential. but it is learned
that in the latest experiments the aero
planes were used to locate targets. give
the range and direction, and locate the
aits. giving the necessary corrections 10
the batteries.
Three methods were used TO transmit
this information from the aeroplane 10
the battery. The first and most success
ful was Autobiography. By this means
il was not necessary for the aeroplanes
10 remain in special position with refer
ence 10 the battery. The aviators could
observe the effects Of FIRE from either
front. rear or flank and communicate
With the battery without difficulty
The second method was by dropping
cards. II was necessary In this method
for the aeroplane TO be over the battery
when the cards were dropped. II the
aAroplanes were some distance away
there was considerable delay in obtaining
the information
The smoke signal method was the thiro
tried This was not as successful as the
others on account OF the air oeihs
churned up by the propellers OF the ma
chine, and the lampblack thus dssipated'
However. ii could be used satisfactorily
for short distances.
The tests proved that the use OF OBJ
servers in aeroplanes in connection with
artillery fire at hidden targets is entirely
practicable. and furnishes means OF NIT
ting targets otherwise beyond reach
when the aeroplane went up TO an altl-
,ude of about 2.000 feet. IL was possipIe
10 see on the opposite side of slopes OF
hills and locate targets thereon that could
n. found in no other way, and when the
battery opened ire the position OF hits
oould be located much more accurately
and the range corrected With more GER
uinty than by any other means OF hre
control thus far tested
NAVY RESERVATIONS HELD UP
s.oretary Daniels persists in his refusal
:. n.r,oit naval officers to resign or to 90
Az ,hs ret,red list on their own applica-
ton, except for the gravest reasons Of
had health.
- .Losa whose designations are