The Washington herald., 1917-05-29
Army and Navy New,
Best Service Column I'm city.

The Navy Department has included in
is plans Tor coast patrol and scouting
the establishment of coastal air stations
at various points along the coasts.
thorough investigation of sites on the
Atlantic coast, Pacific coast. and at
Feari Harbor have been made by boards
appointed for this purpose, and reports
submitted.
EVERY effort has been made to locate
these stations on governmental land,
neieger er possible, but there remain GER
~ snln sites which can only be leased or
purchased. In view of the fact that
some of these stations should be per-
ioAhehtly occupied by the navy, 1t is
purchased.
me Cape May site will cost approx
mately N75,00O. As the exact locations
OF some OF the coastal stations to be
leased nave not yet been determined, It
u not possible to give the exact estimate
oL tne appropriation which will be re-
quIed 70 cover prices for these stations,
and 1t Is recommended that the sum of
N0o,oOO be included for that purpose,
making total required for the purchase
or lease Of land Sa25, 900
Inc immediate establishment of these
stations is considered to be of vital i'm
portance. 1t has been definitely recon-
mehoed by special board of army and
navy officers appointed to study the
subject.
Many applications continue to be re-
ceiVed by the War Department for ap-
polntments as chaplain in the Increased
inlhtary organization. This Is due, in
part, TO some erroneous statements that
nave peen made to the effect that fully
LOU chaplains would be appointed So
tar as now appears not more than 400
OF such appointments will be made.
II Will be somewhat difficult matter
to make the selection. In the recogni-
ton OF denominations the War Depart
ment viii follow the practice of other
years, which is based on the principle
that denomination having $4,000 ad-
herents should be represented. There
has been some disturbance created by
the statement that IS per cent of the
chaplains would be Of the Roman Cath
ole Church. The proportion of that
church will not be above q per cent.
This is based entirely on the existing
proportion and takes into account the
relative strength OF that church and the
various denominations of the Protestant
faith.
IN the stress or work now confronting
the military authorities one thing that
appears to have been overlooked is the
national match. Some months ago the
National Board for the Promotion of
Rifle Practice, in cooperation with the
military authorities, decided to hold the
matches this year, and the announce
ment was made that they would be held
In August on the Florida State range
near Jacksonville. Since that time the
manuscript Of the usual War Depart
ment bulletin announcing the events and
the regulations governing the matches
was prepared and put into type.
Since the declaration OF war no an
nouncement has been forthcoming from
an official source as to any change in
the announced plans. but II is safe to
assume that II will be impracticable to
hold the matches this year, and the bull
letin has been withheld from publication.
OF course, II is apparent that, under
present conditions. teams can not be or
ganized and trained, the various organi-
cations from which teams ordinarily are
drawn can not furnish men for them.
and officers and troops are not and will
not be available for duty on the range
during the time the events are being
run off. for manifestly the military per
sonnel will be otherwise busily engaged.