Evening star., 1925-02-22

NAVY.
OF interest to officers of the Navy is
the selection of the new commandments
chief of the United States fleet on the
relief of Admiral Robert T.. Coontz,
which will become effective when the
feet returns from the cruise to Aus
tralia. We're there not SO many nag
officers on the general board of the Navy
and on other important shore assign
ments nearing the retirement age, there
would be quite an array OF high-rank-
ing naval officers, from which the Sec
retary would make his selection. It is
stated. however. that the Secretary is
desirous of selecting the next COM
mander of the fleet, who will not be-
come eligible for retirement either
pflor to or after his assignment as
commander-in-ch chief of the fleet would
expire.
The names of two officers stand out
most prominently in connection with
this most important naval assignment
They are Rear Admiral Charles F.
Hughes. who is now on duty directing
the activities of the fleet training divi-
sion. Bureau of Naval Operations, Navy
Department and Rear Admiral Guy H
Burrage, president of the board of in
spection and survey. Both of these off,
GERS are highly regarded by Secretary
officers in the fleet takes place in June
they will be given important COM
mands af1oat.
g 1t is believed that the Secretary will
make his selection of commander-in-
chief of the fleet some time prior to the
relief of Admiral Coontz, so that the
Secretary may consult the new com
mander in naming the other important
sea commands.
Approval has been given by the Navy
Department of the itinerary of the
shakedown cruise of the u. S. S. Mem
phis, which will start on her cruise
from New York April L. Following are
the arrival dates at the points indi-
Gated; Newport. April q; Philadelphia,
April 4; Hampton Roads, April 6: Trini-
dad, April 10; st. Thomas, April 16;
Guacanayabo Bay, April 21.g and re-
turning to Philadelphia on May 8.
The Memphis will participate in dedi-
cation services April 13 of a memorial
gateway to Admiral Oliver Hazard
Perry at Port of Spain. Trinidad This
memorial is in the form of an iron
gateway with two supporting columns
which is being erected at the entrance
to the Lapayrouse Cemetery, in which
burial ground Admiral Perry was in
TERED in 1919.
Capt. T. H. Hicks, (SC). L. S. N.
officer in charge of the Navy Supply
Depot, South Brooklyn. n. Y, has been
assigned to the duty of making a study
of standardiZing and improving the
system of taking an inventory of stock
in the yards and depots Capt. Hicks
Is a specialist in this line and by work
ing with the other officers in the Supply
Corps it is believed that a system can
be devised by which an inventory at any
yard or station may be taken with little
difficulty and upon a moments notice.
The view is held in the Bureau of Sup
plies and Accounts that more frequent
and active inventories should be under
taken by the officers of this corps.
A fixed program for three years
construction, rejection of a separate
air service and the operations of the
Washington bombing tests are the
outstanding points contained in the
report of the special board appointed
at the direction of the President for
the purpose of recommending a policy
with reference to the development
and upkeep of the Navy in it's vari-
Gus branches. e., submarines, sur
face ships and aircraft. The report
is considered to be one of the most
exhaustive studies ever made in
which sea-power development and
aviation are featured.
The recommendations of the PreSi-
dent, which he has sent to Congress,
are below those of the special board,
but this is only in harmony with the
economy policy of the administration.
In his recommendations the President
rejects the recommendations of the
advocates of separate air service,
for the abandonment of the battle
ship and the funds to be expended
upon the budgets aircraft.
According to the boards report the
Washington tests disapprove the con-
tentions made by Brig. Gen. William
Mitchell, assistant chief, Army Air
Service, that a modern battleship can
be sunk with bombs dropped from
airplanes in two minutes.
4 short paragraph sums up the
opinion of the board relative to the
establishment of separate air force.
1t reads as follows:
ITO sum up the question of -sepa-
rate air force, as viewed from the
standpoint of the efficiency of naval
or military operations in time of war,
the board is of the opinion that the
creation of such an organization
would be illogical and undesirable"
ARMY.
Between February L and the end
of the fiscal year, June 80, next, 28,24O
lishment will be separated from the
active rolls of the Army due to the
expiration of their enlistment con-
tracts During the fiscal year 1924
the enlistments of approximately
10000 men expired, while for that of
1925, it is estimated by the War De-
partment, about $4,000 of the enlisted
personnel will sever their current en-
listments from the Army due to the
expiration of their present contracts
Great hope is held out by the War
Department authorities that a large
number of these men will re-enlist
1t is estimated that the re-enlistments
of the entire Army number about 40
per cent of the discharges.
At present the actual strength of
the military establishment is on
parity with that of the authorized
fgure-that is, 11S,750. Extensive ef-
forts are being made by the military
authorities to re-enlist those men
whose contracts with the War De-
partment will expire between now
and June 30, this being in accord
ance with the economy policy of the
administration. Securing new re-
cruit on the street without previous
military experience, it is pointed out
by regular officers on duty in the de-
partment, entails considerable more
outlay than merely re-enIisting a man
who has served either one or more en-
lstments. All overseas garrisons are
up to full strength.
Following are the number of enlist
ment expirations which will become
effective between February and June
80, 1925:
February. 1857; March, 1895;
April. 5,7SS; May, 6.1o4, and June.
$3.50