New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-01
ARMY AND. NAVY NOTES
Favor Smithsonian Control Of
AerodynamatCaI Laboratory.

Washington. Fcbruar

W dsN4NHtOf bdIf -
OPPOSITION TO PLAN EVAPORAT-
ING The Indignation OF naval officers
over the prospect that the proposed aero
Grammatical laboratory shall be placed
under the Smithsonian Institution. I~-
Gently referred 20 in this column. appear
to have cvspOrated under the light which
Captain ". T. Cha mbers has been able
10 shed on the subject. There are three
members OF the commission having this
work IN charge who regard Il wholly
Independent laboratory as an ideal con-
dition. but even these have come % real
lie that the plan Of intrust!ng supervision
OF the work TO the Smithsonian ~ 10 be
preferred There are one or two members
Of the commission y no would like ~ see
the work placed In charge OF the construc-
ton corps OF the navy. but they do not
appear 70 have made many converts. nd
the remainder OF the cOmmissionthiiteen
rnernbers--are unit IN support OF the
plan advocated by Captain Chambers and
the large majority Of the com mission des-
ignated by the President.
There are certain unsnswerable sreu-
ments in favor Of the Chambers plan.
Among these are the prestige III aerody-
namatical science which the Smithsonian
Institution already enjoys: tho continuity
OF tenure and freedom from political
changes and influences which the !abora-
tory and those engaged in il would enjoy
under such purely scientific institutions:
the unequalled facilities for procuring the
latest results OF foreign scientific work
ba Grni nd
accessibility OF the Smithsonian Insti,u-
tion and OF the adjacent land in the
Potomac Park extension. which furnishes
IDEAL conditions for aoronautlcai expert
mentation.
Another reason for con,iding the labora-
tory TO the Smithsonian IL the fact that
IL alone. as distinguished from the fed
eral dcpa rtrnents, can utilize endowment
funds contributed BY private individual,
snd that IL now mas considerable such
funds available for this work.
While II may be true that the conhding
of any work in which the navy IL SC vi
tally interested 10 an institution outside
the Navy Department must arouse some
opposition, it is q fact that the cc-ordina-
ton OF the laboratory work with all cx-
ccutive departments and all evil estab-
lishments can be best accomplished with
out friction under the Smithsonian In
stitution, and those who have given the
subject the consideration with mind
single to the creates. success Of the aero
dynamatical Ia laboratory are n unit in their
belief that Tor the present the end can be
best promoted by connding the labors-
tory 10 The Smithsonian Institution.
Captain Chambers had the bill now be-
fore Congress introduced only after II
had been approved by the commission
and both War and Navy departments
had given it approval. urging expedition
In It's passage.
ORDERS ISSuED.-The following Or
ders have been issued:
ARMY
t-an,sin EDWARD NJ ADAMS. corps OF en-
cinecrp found physically DISCUS iiien for
The duties Of major. petired With rank OF
c,ontain WILLIAM I. PATTEN, infantry. to
home preparatory TO retirement
First Lieutenant WILLIAM Z. SHEA, m.oi-
IJeutenan, CHARLES i. Belts. med cal
reserve corps. from feiloestone. April l.
10 home.
leaves Of shsenoe--First Lieutenant RALPH
NJ PARKER 9th Cavalr,. six months nom
March To- Captain WILLIAM ]. TAT
,enant CHARLES A. BFTTs. medical re
$50. ,orn, three months and four GAYS.