The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-10-24

TIE DdlltTy Dl an increase
of caliber. IL all comes back to the
familiar question so often discussed as
to the relative merit of number and
size of guns. With a ship of Identical
displacement, of course the weight OF
armament means just so many guns
of certain caliber and with any In
crease in size there must be reduce
tion in number: the experts are not
prepared to agree as to the relative
value OF less guns OF greater caliber
and more guns OF less caliber Moth
ing has come out of the European war
to aid the determination of that or any
of the other subjects OF battleship-de-
sign controversy
so the United States is cIinginz to
the untried three-gun turret. while the
British and German navies remain
faithful TO the twin mounting. realiz-
ing that the former is associated with
not inconsiderable disadvantages and
remains, moreover. at present INFESTED
: under practical conditions. such as OBJ
tain in war. while the latter has
achieved conspicuous success"
Secretary Daniels recently awarded
the contracts for six torpedo boat de-
stroyers and sixteen coast defense SUBJ
marines. representing the largest trans
action Of that character in the number
OF ships In the history of the Navy De-
partment Considerable interest attach
ed to the award OF these contracts on
account OF the inclination of Secretary
Daniels to have some OF the vessels
built at navy, yards on estimates furnish
ed upon departmental requests from
those sources. Had 1t not been for the
fact that the shipyards are buster than
they have been In many years, il Il
probable that protest would have been
made against having any of this work
done AT government plants instead of
under contract at the private plants.
There IL disposition OH the part OF
the shipbuilders to regard as unjust the
consideration OF navy yard estimates In
competition with the proposals of the
shiDbuilders. II is interesting to learn
that Secretary Daniels was DESTROYS Of
having as nanv OF the destroyers and
submarines built at navy yards as
possible. but he was prevailed upon by
his departmental advisors TO limit SUCH
work. with the result that one destroyer
will be built at the Mare Island Navy
Yard and another at Norfolk and that
one of the submarines will be built
at the Portsmouth Navy Yard and an
other at the Puget Sound yard
The War Department has had under
dNllOn ntGttEdIN IN the
case OF three Filipino enlisted men, men,
bers OF bands, in their relation to the
Law limiting tours of duty in the
Philippine Islands. There Is nothing in
the law that requires the United States
60 bring an enlisted man to the United
States from tie islands: IL prohibits him
being required to serve there for more
than two wears. but II he should be dis
charged before the end OF two years
T.
case. Other laws and regulations provide
allowances for his return TO the place
of enlistment
In the case OF the three Filipino
soldiers. II is considered contrary to the
public interests to bring them to the
United States and that they should be
discharged In the islands. This Is on the
assumption that these men enlisted with
the expectation that they would re-
main in the islands during their periods
Of service. Their case. so far as the
merits are concerned. is different from
that of soldiers who have, been sent
from the United States with the under
standing that they would remain OH
foreign service for a limited time. II
has been decided. therefore. that the
three FiIipinos will be discharged II they
should not elect to serve their full cit
listments in the Philippine Islands. An
elect OF the law appears TO De shorten-
inc OF the enlistment OF Filipino soldiers
to two years at their choice.
Complaint has been made that the shoe
ing of army horses is not satisfactory.
The experts who have had TO do with
this matter in the service attribute this
condition TO the failure to apply prop
erly the accepted principles of correct
shoeing and the lack of inspection on the
part of troop commanders. Capt. J. A.
Degen. Twelfth Cavalry. who has made
a study of this subject, says in an off,
ciaI report:
Lack OF inspection is. however, not
the greatest cause for poor shoeing. This.
I believe. is the general requirement that
horseshoers shall attend all drills and in
struction. In almost all department in
struction orders the cooks are the only
special men excused from drills. No man
should be appointed horseshoer until he
is thoroughly instructed in the duties OF
q soldier, and thereafter he should be re-
quired to attend only target practice and
such inspections as would insure his
being kept in condition. Shoe