The Washington herald., 1916-11-26
Army and Navy News
Best Service Column In City.

Eight huge battleships were in the
Nortn River at New York yesterday
IN connection with the Army-Navy
tootoail game. The vessels arrived
Friday. steaming up the harbor while
tumultous welcome was shrieked out
by the scores of harbor and river
craft.
The Dreadnought New York led the
column. She was followed in order by
the Texas, the Oklahoma, the Connecti-
cut. the Florida, the Utah, the Wyom-
ing. and the Pennsylvania
The pennsylvania went to the Navy
yard instead of joining the other ships
IN the Hudson. She was flying the
nag OF Admiral Henry T. Mayo. COM
mander In chief Of the Atlantic fleet.
vice Admiral De Witt Coffman was on
board the Wyoming and Rear Admir-
ais n. o. Dunn, A. F. Fechteler and
Z. Rogers were In command Of the
Connecticut. New York and Florida,
respectively, these being the flagships
OF the various squadrons.
The battleships arrived from the
Southern drill grounds, and the great
er number Of the officers attended the
FOOTBALL game. Between 10000 and
la,o00 sailors were granted shore lib
erty.
When the battleship fleet arrived II
FOUND anchored in the river near West
Ninety-sixth street the super-Dread-
nousht Pennsylvania, the cruisers Du-
buque. Baltimore and San Francisco,
the destroyer sterritt and the collisrs
Jupiter and cyclops.
The Army now has more trucks than 1t
knows what to do with. and the expected
withdrawal Of the Pershing column will
render still greater number needless.
The acquisition Of trucks necessitated
by the border maneuvers has brought
tfe number Of vehicles up to between
1000 and 5000. They have been divided
into seventy-seven truck companies, some
OF twenty-seven and others of thirty
three trucks each. In addition, there is
the machlne-shop truck, which is re-
quired for repair work along the line OF
communication. AS a measure Of econo-
my large number OF the trucks have
now been placed out of commission.
The retired trucks will be stored at
Fort Sam Houston. Fort Bliss and El
Paso, in anticipation of their use again
at moments notice, as the military
authorities are convinced that there will!
have to be. sooner or later an extensive
military movement in Mexico for the pur-
pose of pacification.
By storing large number of the trucks
there is an appreciable saving In the ex-
penditure of maintenance, which reaches
the substantial proportions OF s6O0,0 ,0O0 a
month.
The motor truck has been an invalua-
hle aid to officers Of the Southern Depart
ment, not only in an administrative way
and in the development of transportation
facilities, but also in the maneuvering OF
troops.
Revision of the regulations governing
the insignia OF commissioned officers and
enlisted men of all branches of the regu-
lar army. the National Guard, and the
newly reserve forces is receiving
the attention OF the military authorities.
Changes in the chevrons for noncommis-
stoned officers have been tentatively
adopted.
The present problem has to do with the
amendment Of the method of individual
designation by some emblem. perhaps of
metal, which shall be worn on the col
lar. 1t is regarded as desirable to have
distinctive marks by which the arm or
corps and the branch of the former may
be easily identified. The great difficulty
has been in this mater of identification,
and the problem is increased by the large
number OF different emblems which must
necessarily be adopted. 1t is desired,
therefore. to simplify the system as a mat
ter of economy and to avoid confusion
and trouble which would come from car
rying in stock Il large number of dis
tinCtive emblems