Evening star., 1925-07-19

ltI one. Tie Ill d ldl Sc
measure to the passage of the COM
mutation of quarters bill during the
war and worked on this bill while he
was on duty with the 18th Division
at Camp Meade.
NAVY.
According to the fleet moderniza.
ton program approved by the Navy
Department, within the next II
months three battleships, i.e., the
Florida, Arkansas and the Texas, will
go through the process of being mod
erniZed. Work on the u. S. s. Florida
was started on July l at the Boston
navy yard, while modernizing the
Texas will begin on August at Nor
folk. and that of the Arkansas will
be started at the Philadelphia yard
on September /. Navy Department
authorities are hopeful that the mod
ernization on the Florida will be COM
pleted by the time the midshipmen
embark on their 1925 practice cruise,
as it is of the highest Importance that
the future admirals of the Navy re-
ceive this instruction on the most
modern of battleships. In the event
that the Florida is not completed in
time, the midshipmen will make next
years cruise on the battleships New
York, Utah and Wyoming. Until the
Florida, Arkansas and Texas take
their regularly assigned places back
with the fleet, the New York, Utah
and Wyoming will not be sent to the
yards for modernization.
The limited available funds, coupled
with the many restrictions imposed
by the treaty, has made 1t a most
difficult task in drawing up the plans
for undermining the battleships OF
the scouting fleet, the chief features
of which include the conversion from
coal to oil burners, modern deck pro-
lection against aircraft and protection
against torpedo attacks. 1t is inter
eSting to note in this connection that
it has been developed that bombs
dropped along the side of vessel in
flict greater damage than those strik-
ing the deck, and the same protec-
ton will be required for both tor
pedo and air attacks.
The entire crews of the Arkansas
and Texas will be kept at the yards
the first two months preparing the
ships for their long stay at the yards,
and upon the completion of this work
the crews of the three battleships will
be kept at a strength of 800. This
will relieve the personnel shortage of
the Navy for the next two years, as
II 10 tSlliiIdlCu lIdl II Will IcQulIt
about a year to moderniZe three ves-
sells. When the modernization of the
Florida, Arkansas and the Texas is
completed and these three battleships
are again placed in active commission.
work on the New York, Wyoming
and Utah will begin. Completion of
undermining these six battleships will
make the entire Navy oil burners,
which, it is pointed out by naval au-
thorities. will greatly increase the
efficiency of the fleet.
Arrangements have been made by
the Bureau of Navigation, Navy De-
partment, at the request of the com
mander-in-chief, battle fleet, for all
officers in the battle fleet who make
their number prior to October l 70
be examined upon the fleets arrival
at Honolulu on September g. The
examination papers will be forwarded
to the commandant of the 14th
Naval District and turned over to the
various ships of the fleet upon their
arrival. This procedure is to be fol
lowed so that all officers due for pro-
motion viii have completed their
examinations prior to the fleets ar
rival at San Pedro, and the examina-
tions will not interfere with the Off
GERS taking an active part in the
preparations for target practice
Rear Admiral George r MARVEL.
United States Navy, commander of
the fleet base force. has shifted his
flag from the u. S. S. Procyon to the
u. S. S. Melville, due to the fact that
the former vessel, which is the flag
ship of the fleet base force, is too
slow to accompany the fleet on this
cruise, and also that she is to be over
hauled between now and September
Admiral MARVEL will remain aboard
the Melville, but on his return, about
August 81 he will shift his flag to
one of the train vessels The flag of
Rear Admiral Frank H. Schofield,
United States Navy, will then be
shifted from the Omaha to the Mel
vile so that the former vessel may
go into overhaul at the Puget Sound
navy yard.
Rear Admiral Charles F.. Hughes,
U. S. N, who has been in charge of
fleet training, Bureau of Naval Opera
tions. Navy Department, it was an.
nounced this week at the Navy
Department, will be relieved by Rear
Admiral Montgomery NJ. Taylor,
U. S. n. Admiral Taylor who has
been in command of the control
force, will be relieved by Rear
Admiral Harley H Christy. u. S. N.
effective about September 1.
Rear Admiral Roger Welles.
u. S. N, who sails the early part of
October for European waters, will,
upon arrival therein, relieve Rear
Admiral Philip Andrews, U. S. N, as
commander of the Naval Forces in
Europe. When Rear Admiral Noble
T,,x-g
con1mandant of the 18th Naval
District in the Canal Zone, assumes
command of the destroyer squadrons
of the Scouting Fleet, he will be re-
lieved by Capt. George c. Day,
Z. S. N.
Although the Supply Corps selec-
ton board, which met on July 13 to
fill the vacancy caused by the retire
ment of Rear Admiral Frank T. Arms,
u. S. N, has not up to the time
that this is being written rendered its
report to the Navy Department, the
name of Capt. Thomas H. Hicks.
U. S. NJ, in charge of the Naval
Supply Depot at South Brooklyn,
n. Y, is being most prominently men
toned as the probable choice which
the board has made in connection
with this vacancy. In fact, assur-
ances have been given that Capt.
Hicks was selected with very little
hesitation on the part of the board.
Members of the board making this
selection are as follows: Rear
Admirals John S. Carpenter (S.C).
U. S. N, retired; F. T. Adams (S.C),
U. S. N, retired; Thomas S. Jewett
SCI, Z. S. NJ. and Lieut.. Orlo S.
Goff (S.C), U. S. N, recorder.
Another Supply Corps board will
meet tomorrow at the Navy Depart
ment for the purpose of selecting out
two captains and one commander for
promotion. This board is composed
of the following: Rear Admiral
Thomas S. Jewett (S.C), U. S. M