Evening star., 1924-03-02

command at Guam
tico during the absence of Gen. But
Ter. who Is now director of public
SAFETY at Philadelphia.
Securing ships for the midshipmen's
cruise has been the cause of a num-
Der or conferences at the Navy De-
partment this week. 1t has been ten
tatively agreed upon to use the Ar
Kansas, Texas and Wyoming for this
purpose. The Arkansas. however. has
been ordered to the Brooklyn navy
yard for overhauling and repairs dur
ing the next six weeks, while the
Wyoming is scheduled to be at the
same yard about April for a similar
purpose.
In the event. however. that Con-
kress authorizes the modernization of
the Arkansas, Wyoming, Florida, and
Utah. as well as the replacement of
the machinery, under plans which
have been prepared In the Navy De-
Dartment. different selection of ves
sells for the midshipmens cruise will
have to be made.
Great emphasis Is being placed by
the Navy Department iii the develop
mcnt of radio communication for the
fleet, and it is, recognized by the
highest naval authorities that this
means of communications will be of
prime Importance in the future op-
erations of naval units. Recently at
the postgraduate school at Annap-
OILS, lLleutS. II. a. MCb. craven anu
Philip r. Weaver of the radio section
of. the bureau of engineering deliv-
cred a series of lectures. Lieut. Cra-
Ven spoke on the engineering solution
of the fleet radio problem: while the
was History OF Sound" and Super
Sonics and Its Practical Application
to the Navy of Today" Close coop
Grafton exists between the Signal
engineering OF the Navy on the sub
ject of radio communication, and it is
possible that the Army may do it's
developing work at the naval re-
search laboratory, at Bellev.ew, D. c..
In this event. between thirty-tive and
fifty of. the Army'S radio experts Will
be sent to the Belleview laboratory.
In order to determine the needs of
the Naval Reserve Force organiza-
ton, the Navy Department this week
sent letters to the commandments of
the 1st. Sd, 4th, 5th, 9th. sth. 9Th, 18th.
18th. 18th and 14th districts and to
the Washington navy yard. Authori-
ties IN the department recognize the
Importance of getting in closer touch
with the reserve. and this is the first
step in the development OF this policy.
Great interest is being evinced by
the bureau of aeronautics and the
bureau of ordnance of the Navy De-
partment in the success obtained in
the employment Of parachute flares
by the aircraft squadron's scouting
fleet during the fleet maneuvers. 1t
is apparent that they were of the
utmost value In illuminating and un-
covering night operations, and 1t Is
believed that the large percentage Of
failures of the flares to function Is
due to the fact that the flares used
were old wartime stock. 1t is the
opinion of the ordnance experts that
this percentage of failure will be
practically eliminated with the use of
new flares.
Reserve aviation officers residing in
the 9Th naval district have taken
considerable interest in the establish
ment of five ground school training
units in this district. Forty reserve
officers have already applied for re-
enrolment in the various units. which
are located at Chicago. Cleveland,
Detroit, Indianapolis and Minneapolis.
Qualified reserve aviators supervise
the ground school instruction at the
aforementioned points. and the
ground school course used at the
naval air station at Pensacola Is the
basis of instruction; AFTER tne d re-
serve ariatorS complete their ground
school work they are given flight IN
struction at the naval reserve air
station located at the Great Lakes
training station. Eorty-h'e Gays ars IN
is given and fifteen days instruction
per year is given thereafter
The Navy Department during the
week beginning June 2. 1924, Will hold
a. competitive examination for ap-
pointment to the ranks or macnlnlst,
boatswain. gunner (electricaD and
acting pay clerk. AS prescribed IN
article 5123 of the bureaus manual,
the preliminary examination of can
didates will be held by commanding
officers in plenty of time so that the
reports will be in the hands or the
bureau prior to May ]. Appilcatlonss
received subsequent to that date Will
not be considered. Eligibility re-
ouirements are outlined in articles
D-o114, D-5115. D-51556. and D-!119 OF
the above manual In
cases where candidates are serving
on unattached vessels or stations.
they will be transferred to Il ship or
station for temporary duty in connec-
tion with the final examination where
a board is convened. and on the COM
pletion of same they VIII return TO
their proper stations. In the event
of candidate being transferred after
he has been authorized to appear for
examination, his authorization Will be
forwarded to his commanding of1lcer
and he will be afforded every oppor-
tunity to appear before the nearest
supervisory board.
During the year 1928 Marine Corps
observation /, stationed at Santo
Domingo, d. r.. made 10 flights.
This record of weak performed by
This organization is excellent proof of
IT'S value to the Marine Corps brigate
on duty in Santo Domingo. The ac-
tivities of this squadron include
scheduled flights each week to num-
ber of towns on the island of Haiti
for the purposes of expecting mail
movements and for the transporta-
ton Of officers of the brigade on
official duties.
Under the auspices of the Miami
Chamber of Commerce and sanctioned
by the contest committee of the Ma
tioslal Aeronautic Association of the
United states the Curtiss Marine
trophy races for 1924 will be held on
March Z and at Miami, Fla. These
contests are all in accordance with
the rules and regulations OF the
ale. On March Z Will be held the
Miami Chamber of Commerce cup
race and the royal palm bombing
contest. The former event is open
10 civilians only, and is free-for-all
race for privately owned seaplanes
and flying boats.
The royal palm event is open to all
seaplanes, flying boats and airplanes.
Each pilot is limited to one attempt,
consisting of three bombs, which
must be released during a single
flight at an altitude not less than
800 feet. In this event the Navy
will enter three Navy standard serv-
ice type F5-L seaplanes, which, to-
gcther with the pilots, will come
from the naval air station at Pen
sacola.
There will be a handicap cup race
for Navy seaplanes and flying boats
and the Curtiss Marine trophy race
March S. In the handicap cup race,
4 distance of. 124.27 miles will be
covered over eight laps of closed
triangular course of twenty-five kilo-
,,atarS Tn this racp the Navv will