Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-03-09
ARMY AND NAVY

Secretary OF the Navy Daniels is ex-
pecting visit from Samuel 0rkin, a
young Boston inventor, who will bring
with him miniature battleship as a
sample of some he hopes to build for
/. the United States Government for
maneuyering purposes. 0rkin has
made nine-fooL model of battleship
with electrical devices that permit the
boat to do about everything that an
iordinaTy battleship can do.
In preliminary tests similar to those
Orksn hopes to give before Secretary
Daniels. flags were automatically
raised on the miniature boat, the band
played, the anchors we're drawn and
the propellers began to work. Tiny
figures moved about the deck and
searchlights and signal lamps flashed.
At signal the firing began, and as
smoke puffed from the turrets the
sailors went below and the deck was
cleared.
The inventor asserts that it is pos
sible for his miniature ships to go
through the Panama canal without be-
ing touched. starting and stopping, en-
tering and leaving locks. and making
turns without adjustment, after they
/ have been set by calculation. He hopes
| the Navy Department will purchase the
boats for use. at the War College.
where naval maneuyers are performed
at present by manipulating dummy
battleships on checker board. Sec
rotary Daniels has expressed interest
in the invention, but has declined to
commit himself IS to its adaptability.
~ y
Two more vessels of the navy have
been condemned and will be sold at
public auction to the highest bidder.
! They are the gunboats Manila and
Restless. Bids for their purchase will
be received at the navy department
up to May next
! The Manila is an iron vessel,
schooner rugged, and was built at
Leith. Scotland, in 1881 for the SPAN
ish government for use as trans
port. 1t was captured by the United
States in 1885,. and for several years
has been used as prison ship at the
navy yard, Mare Island, CAL The
commissioner of navigation. depart
ment of commerce, has decided that
the Manila, having after its capture
been duly adjudged TO be lawful
rrize of war, is eligible to American
registry. She is POS feet long and 81
feet broad, with displacement of
1850 tons. As appraised by a board
of survey the value of the vessel is
$40 600. She viii be sold for cash to
the highest bidder.
). The Restless is now lying at the
naval torpedo station, Newport, r. l.
The vessel is an iron converted yacht
end was built in 1887 by Houston e
Woodbridge of Chester, Pa. She is
113 feet long and is feet broad As
appraised by a board of survey the
value OF this vessel is $1,000 1t will
be sold for cash to the bidder offering
the highest price above the appraised
value.
A plea for wedding out of unde-
sirable men in the navy by increas-
ing the recruiting stations at the ex-
pense Of the prisons has been sub
mitted TO the house committee on ma
val affairs by ReaT-admiral Blue, chief
OF the bureau of navigation
Admiral Blue said there is only a
small percentage Of nav offenders
whose conduct involves prison sem
fences, and that if they could be SUM
marily discharged by the commanding
officer the navy would be better off
and the government could save a
large amount Of money in prison ex-
penses.
IL one{ourth OF the money now.
spent on prisons were added to the
rnar.lIifinfr ,, hn caid ta4hl. 1919 .....1l