Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-14
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS

Army.
Brig. Gen. George S. Simonds, g. 8,
Il head of the board now In session
that was appointed to conduct com
netitive tests of semi-automatic snoul:
der rifles The rifles before the board
are the Garand and Peterson, designed
and produced at Springfield Armory,
Mass: a Thomson. a BROWNING
Zrauning from Belgium and Czecho-
slovakian model ZH29, all OF which were
disassembled and assembled by Inc
board. Preliminary firings OF the rlnes
were made before the board at Congress
Heichts d. c.. last week and later
competitive firings and tests Will De
made at Aberdeen proving ground, Mo.
The other members of the board are:
Lieut.. Coils Edwin Butcher, Infantry
James O'Hara, Cavalry; John N
Hodges. C. E., and Ralph Talbot. 1r:,
G.. s.: Comdr. Ernest w. Mckee. U. 3
N. MATS. Robert Du r. Harden, M. C.;
Charles G. Mettler. o. D.; Ralph Brush
G. S.: Albert w. Waldron, F. A.; CleSen
H Tenney C. A. c., and Harold O.
Pierce U. S. M. c.. with Capt. James
L. Hatcher, o. D., as recorder.
A comnleAe agreement has been
reached by the members Of the inter-
departmental pay board on the pay
schedules to be incorporated IN the
bill for revision Of pay Of the military
naval service It is understood that
the recommendations of the board Will
be for an increase in pay for all ranks
and ratings in the two services, COM
missioned and warrant officers, nurses
and enlisted men. 1t is not believed
that much dificulty will be experienced
in reaching a solution of the pay sit
uation of the enlisted personnel OF the
various services. There are some diff
ferences in the base pay OF the enlisted
men of the Army and Navy. for ex-
ample. the rates for the Army being,
first grade, S126: second. $84; third,
S72 fourth, $54 fifth: $42; sixth, $50,
and seventh. $21, while the rates for
the Navy are: First grade, 1925 per
manent appointment and $gs Iactine
appointment): second, $84 third, $72:
fourth. $50: fifth, $54; sixth, $36, and
seventh, $2l.
Another difference in favor Of the
enlisted men of the Navy is that they
receive 10 per cent increased pay for
longevity for the first four years OF
service, while the enlisted men Of the
Army receive but S per cent; the en-
listed man of the Navy reaching the
top pay of IS per cent after 16 years
service, while the enlisted man OF the
same longevity pay Another fact to
be considered is that the number Of en-
listed men In the different pay grades
Is fixed by specific provisions Of law
for the Army, while in the Navy 1t Is
the subject of appropriations.
Navy.
The U. S. S. Oklahoma and the u.
S. S. Nevada. which have just about
completed their modernization, will be
placed in full commission on July Is
and August 1. respectively. They have
been assigned to battleship division 3.
which division will remain in Atlantic
waters and attached to the scouting
feet until March is. 1880, when 1t will
return to the battle feet. The u. S. S.
Arizona and the U. S. S. Pennsylvania
are to be modernized next and they will
be placed in reduced commission on
July Is, and on September l they will
be transferred from battleship d.
vision 2.
Destroyer division IS, consisting Of
the U. S. S. William S. Preston, HUI
bert. Preble, Noa, Pruitt and Sicard,
under orders for transfer from the
Asiatic fleet to the battle fleet. will be
assigned to squadron IL of the latter
feet. replacing division 30. consisting
of the u. S. S. Doyen. Henshaw, Moody
and McCawley. Division 80 will be-
come the extra division In the fleet,
taking the place of division %, consist
ing of the u. S. S. Smith Thompson,
John D. Edwards, Borie, Whipple, Par
ker and Tracy, which is under orders
10 Asiatic station.