Evening star., 1917-10-28
Nelus of the Army and Navy

I fshed article would reach its destina-
| tion. 1t has notified it's divisional man
ayers to instruct their chapters TO re-
| ceive temporarily from individuals and
| These goods will be promptly shipped
to the divisional warehouses, ano
| thence the naval authorities Will 1or-
ward them to the proper points for ae-
| livery.
But the men who are afioat will have
excellent support for the three thou
sand or more chapters of the American
Red Cross are now forming naval aux
iliaries under their respective jurisdAc-
tions.
These auxiliartes must not be con-
fused with the auxiliaries or chapters
of the Naval Relief Society, which is
an old organization Of the Navy, for the
sole purpose of caring for the famiiles
OF sailors, marines and ofncers VINO
have lost their lives in the naval serT-
ice. 1t has the support and co-opera-
tion of the Red Cross.
The new naval auxiiiaries Of the Red
Cross will Took after the men OF the
service and their families when they
need il. 1t will be for them to supply
that personal touch of sympathy and
relief which cannot be conveyed by any
legisia tion, however liberal.
Wound ribbons may be worn on the
right breast by all men of the Army
wounded in action after April 6, l9A !,
If the adjUtant general of the Army
authorizes IL by official letter. No mat
ter how many times a man may be
wounded on the same day, he can nave
but one ribbon for the lot. but he may
receive a ribbon for every day that ne
is wounded. but thus far there is no
report OF officer or man seeking dec
GRAFTON under this order.
Commanding officers will forward to
the adtutant general lists OF those Of
ficers and men of their commands who
have been honorably wounded in action,
with a statement OF the time and place
the wounds were received.
The way the destroyer Cassin was
handled in the fight with the German
C-boat shows that the United states
naval officers and men have not forgot
ten the Navy's tradition for prompt
action.
When the torpedo that did the dam
age was first sighted ii was 500 yards
away and going about thirty miles an
hour. This gave the commander of
the destroyer and his crew forty sec
onds to decide what to do and to do it.
In that time the commander put on
full speed, put his helm over and
changed his course so that 1t vas
parallel with that OF the torpedo. thus
affording the least possible target. Fe
would have escaped II il had not been
that the torpedo. which had to be set
to run near the surface, broke from
the water, and as it returned was
thrown from its course against the sioe
of the ship. doing the damage.
The ingenuity with which her mech
anicians made temporary repairs called
for the praise of Vice Admiral Sims.
The general belief is that destroyerS
are fraii, but they have proved them
selves to be rugged ships. capa bic OF
holding up under heavy shocks. The
Cassin put into port under her own
power. and other destroyers that have
been in collision have kept afloat where
a frail craft would have gone to pieces.
The Cassin took it's name from an
American officer, Commodore stephen
Cassin. who entered the Navy as
ly escaped capture by the Algerian
pirates on the Inflated Philadelphia,
and won his laureis under Mac
Donough in the naval engagement on
the Ticonderoga. which had the task
of protecting the rear Of the column
from a fotilla Of seven British galleys
sent against him. 1t is said that he
calmly walked along the tanrail OF his
ship. directing the fire of his men upon
the frail boats of the enemy not dis
tant the length OF two boathooks, tell
ing the gunners to use bags Of musket
balls and other light missiles on the
assaulting crews. For his gallantry In
medal.
Judging from the quantities of steel
for the manufacture of shells that the
government Is buying. there Is no In
tention that the United States troops In
France shall today use up the supply
of ammunition intended for use tomor-
row. or that lives shall be sacrificed
for lack OF projectiles.
Orders for shell steel up to approx
mately $4,000 tons for delivery in
1917 and the first three months of 1918
have been closed, and for further
amounts up to 100000 tons before the
close of 1918. in addition to all that
has already been ordered. This amount
inch projectiles up to those for the big
fourteen-inch naval guns.
This does not look as though the bu-
reau of ordnance had any thought
that It would not be able to furnish
all the guns that the army on foreign
soil may need to secure and keep
artillery supremacy on the part Of
United States forces to hold
This ability to dominate the gunhre
of the enemy is the best protection
that can be offered to the men who
have to do the actual fighting, as It 10
going on today. In the attacks now
made on the Teuton lines the ire OF
the artillery clears the ground in front
Of, the trenches and behind them; It
cuts OF communications with them.
and when the time to ''go over the
TOP comes, the artillery throws its
protecting curtain Of hrs in front OF
the advancing line. which walks In
stead Of runs to the trenches they