The Washington herald., 1916-11-09
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Best Service Column On city.

War Department officials are busy es-
timatins the approximate cost of nnainte-
nance Of the Reserve ofncers' Training
Corps. Statistics are being gathered for
presentation at the hearings to be held
by the military committees Of the two
Houses at the coming session Of Congress
The corps will be composed Of stndeno
at universities, the principal part being q
senior division organized at colleges re-
quiring four years Of collegiate study tor
q degree. One Of the phases under discus
sion is the form OF practical instruction
which the members of this corps will re-
ceive at training camps. such camps to
be maintained for not longer than six
weeks In any one year.
Those who attend the camps will be
provided with transportation, Subsistence.
equipment and clothing. 1t Is roughly es-
timated that 1900 students are likely to
participate In this arrangement. and prob
ably the funds to be recommended Will be
based on this numerical strength.
Members Of the senior division will re-
ceive commutation Of subsistence during
the service in the training corps, and pro-
vision for this will probably cost in the
neighborhood Of 100000.
The chief signal officer OF the Army
has opened bids for two spherical balloons
for free flights, Of 1000 and $500 cubic
feet capacity. with the usual equipment,
and for two kite-typc military captive
balloons OF 5000 cubic feet capacity
equipped with loo feet of steel holding
cable.
The bids are regarded as very reason-
able and announcement of awards prob
ably VIII be made in the near future.
The balloons will be used for instruction
training and also for observation pur-
poses.
Reports received from the field of oper-
ations In Europe indicate that the bal
loon Ii being extensively used. II Is
OF especial value as a means of observ-
Ing the area occupied by the opposing
forces. There are. of course, dificuities
to be encountered which do not appear
to be easy to overcome, mainly in the
matter OF protecting the fabric from de-
terioraton caused by nonuse and by the
influence of the gas. At present the
life Of the balloon is of uncertain dura-
ton.
Twenty-seven gas masks are to be
purchased by the Bureau Of Construction
and Repair of the Navy Department for
experimental purposes. The cost will
vary from IS to $50 each. The masks are
to be OF light metal construction, Of
such shape as will cover the nose and
mouth or nose. mouth and eyes, and
pEONlucQ Win means OF main
tanning a gas-t tight joint between the
mask and the face and with a chamber
for holding chemical or other means Of
eliminating obnoxious gases and pow
dered carbon from the air being inhaled.
Bidders have been invited to submit
their own specifications. and II is in
tended to place contracts with various
bidders in order to obtain a number Of
types Of masks which may be used for
q r. fhaf rrrNIl r..
the New York Navy Yard.
OF course, the Navy Department is in
possession OF rescue caps,' which. how
ever. have a function that IL different
from the purpose of the gas masks that
are used SO extensively on the firing lines
in Europe. Reports received from United
States observers abroad indicate that the
masks adopted are constantly changing
In design to At the new and Intentionally
surprising conditions of the class Of war
fare that employs gas as an element of
attack.