Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-28
ARMY AND NAVY

the navy is about GUh0 men shor
C rs authorized strength. though lat
est reports show an Improvement il
recruiting.
: H. the pas! fe" months. however
! enlistment Gronred OF N an unpreCe
denied Grcree. Navy officials believe
this vas due partly to the suspension
Z Of advertising tor men and on account
| OF the countrywide demand and the
hiCh pricc paid Tor farm labor.
! DESPITE this fact, however, the navy
! had z substantial GROWTH both in ma
tcrial and personnel during the last
! fiscal year. according TO the report Of
! Rear Admiral Andrews, chief of the
| bureau Of navigation. navy depart
| ment. The fleet of warshipS was in
creased by 1852 tons, comprising
! seven battleships, Two armored cruis
ers and sixteen smaller vessels, while
! to the personnel there were added 254
officers and 26J3 enlisted men.
The admiral strongly urges the re
nOyal of legal limitation upon the
| employment Of retired officers by
firms filling government contracts
| holding that the government would
profit by such employment of skilled
! officers, over whom the government
has legal control, guaranteeing
against improper action on their part
| Unless something is done to redis-
tribute the present force of officers in
the various grades, there is certain to
be in a near future a condition of stag:
ha Cd
The prospects are that junior lieu
tenant would be fourteen years in that
! grade and could not become a COM
mander under fifty-eight years of age,
leaving only four years before retire
ment for service as commander, cap
tain and flag officer. ,
The navy department is about to
submit to congress complete scheme
for the creation of a naval reserve,
which will double our naval force. in
time of war.
Health conditions in the Philip
pines, as result of American santa
ton methods, are better than. ever be-
fore, according to the annual report
of the insular bureau of health made
public by the bureau of insular af-
fairs of the war department.
This fattering state of affairs was
accomplished, the report declared, in
spite of Threatened invasion from 9th
err countries of epidemics of cholera,
plague and smallpox.
Among the government employees
during the year the death rate was
4.S4 per 1000, these figures, the report
adds, giving IAN excellent idea of, the
expectancy of life for normally
healthy people in the. Philippine
Islands" The wild tribes of the archi-
pelago also are disclosing dwindling
death rate and are taking kindly to
the work of sanitation.
Touching on the activity along life
insurance lines, the report declares
that the premiums on policies are the
In the opinion of the insular. health
officials, proves that insurance actu-
aries now are convinced that the ex-
pectaney of life in the islands lis
much the same as in the countries of
the temperate Zone."
Complaint is made that the work is
hampered by lack of funds. Much
has been accomplished, however,
through the cooperation of the bureau
of education, the executive bureau and
the bureau of public work.
AS an inspiration to patriotism and
in lasting recognition of the navy's
historic past, Admiral Andrews would
give American dreadnoughts of the fu-
ture the names of memorable vessels,
shrouded in the heroism and senti-
ment of the early days of the repub-
lie. The law now requires the christ
ening of battleships in honor of the
states.
Admiral Andrews, in his annual re-
port, suggests the revival of such
names as Ranger. first ship COM
manded by Paul Jones; Alfred, first
vessel to fly the American flag; Mia
CARA, flagship of rerry on Lake Erie,
and Bon Homme Richard, Constitu-
ton, Constellation, Congress and
Franklin, battle-scarred relics.
The surgeon general of the army:
Brig. Gen. George H. Torney, gives
SIhplldIIS uSllldl W ISpOi % IudI uS
will leave the service on expiration
of his four-year term January IA, and
not seek reappointment.
Gen. Torney succeeded Brig. Gen.
Romert NJ. O'Reilly January IA, 1909.
He is graduate Of the University of
Virginia and was appointed an assist
ant surgeon in the army in 1876. He
reached the rank of colonel in 1908,
and was chief surgeon of the Depart
ment of California when advanced to
surgeon general.
One of the most popular officers in
the army. his professional standing
is also high. He was sixty-two years
old June l.
Maj. Gen. Wood, chief of staff Of
the army, early next year will make
a trip to Guantanamo, Cuba. to in
spect the military defenses of the ma
val station there. This will be the