GERMANY
The New German Submarines.—The new type of German submarine boats for extensive cruising are described in German papers as being of 2400 tons, 260 feet long, 25 feet wide, with 19,000 horsepower and a crew of from 60 to 80 men. Their speed on the surface is said to be 26 knots, and submerged 14 knots. They are credited with having a radius of 8000 miles, carrying supplies for an eight weeks' cruise. The shell of the submarine, it is claimed, is sufficiently heavy to permit them to submerge to a depth of 200 meters. The German papers also assert that Germany has 10 new submarines of 5000 tons, 400 feet long, which have a cruising radius of 18,000 miles. The armor and gun equipment are sufficiently heavy to permit them to engage in battle with the ordinary type of cruiser of similar displacement. Nearly 100 of the new type are said to be engaged in the present blockade. They were built during 1916, and about 100 more are said to be in process of construction at Hamburg, Bremen and Kiel.—Army and Navy Journal, 16/2.
GREAT BRITAIN
Merchant Ships to be Built in United States.—It is reported that the Union Iron Works has contracted to build three 10,000-ton freighters for British shipping concerns, and the Sparrows Point branch of the Bethlehem Steel Co. has received contracts for two similar vessels for the Cunard Co. It is stated that this is the first time in 50 years that Great Britain has ordered a ship built in this country.
Standard Ships.—The standard ships which Sir Joseph Maclay has ordered on behalf of the state are to be vessels of about 4000 tons gross. Their propelling machinery is to be of about 2000 i. h. p., and their speed will be about 10 or 11 knots. They are what the average shipbuilder would call "very simple jobs," although in some quarters the opinion prevails that the simplicity might profitably have been carried further. Only one standard type has so far been ordered.
In shipbuilding circles it is understood that the number of standard cargo vessels which the shipping controller has ordered for the service of the state is about 40. The ships, are not, of course, the only merchant ships for whose construction facilities are to be given, as a considerable number of the certified vessels which are in progress will also be beneficially affected. Many of the latter are liners of larger dimensions than the standard craft, but although some of them are to have accommodation for passengers, the factor which decided the authorities to certify them was their cargo carrying capacity. Provided the labour-pooling arrangements and the greater provision for the manufacture of steel work out as anticipated there should be a marked improvement in the output of merchant ships between now and mid-summer.—Pages Engineering Weekly, 26/1.
The Personnel of Great Britain’s Navy.—The navy estimates, issued February 24, place the total number of officers and men at 450,000.
Lord Fisher and the Admiralty.—In Land and Water Mr. Arthur Pollen, in discussing the possible return of Lord Fisher to the Admiralty, criticizes the "Fisher system" as follows:
"…But the navy's objection to Lord Fisher's return to Whitehall is not merely that he has been famed for the creation of discord. The chief vice of the Fisher system was this: The first sea lord was to be an autocrat. He was surrounded by advisers, controller, director of naval ordnance, etc.; each of whom was an autocrat too, so long, of course, as he did not interfere with the major autocracy of his chief. The effect of this was to create a special caste quite distinct and, with one or two notable exceptions, quite foreign to the naval service. It could only continue by the suppression of all independent thinking in the navy. The Fisher system was then the Hat negation of the staff system. There was a moment in the first few weeks of 1912, when it looked as if Mr. Churchill intended to replace the old irrational, autocratic regime by a staff regime, but if he ever had any such intention, he was soon deflected from it, so that the old system survived. At the outbreak of war, the navy found itself without any staff organization for the study of the use of weapons, either for the discovery of the best method of employing them ourselves, or of counteracting their use in the enemy's hands. How appalling were the risks we ran through there being no harbor protected against German submarines has been amply explained to us by Mr. Balfour.
"If there had been any pretence of a real war staff at Whitehall, we should not have had to learn the art of tackling the submarine attack on trade only after that attack had begun. We should have concentrated our attention, not on building submarines that would never have a target to shoot at, but on developing means of counteracting the enemy's submarines who would have our fleet and merchantmen as their daily prey.
"It will take a very long time indeed for the navy to recover from the system of absolutism and opposition to staff organization which Lord Fisher instituted. Now war has, against everybody's will, made sensible inroads into this system. As we saw last week, the submarine war has at last been definitely put upon a staff basis. We may, I think, safely assume that everything to do with the command of the fleet is on a similar basis. Perhaps some day gunnery methods, mining methods, torpedo methods, even naval tactics and naval strategy may be made the subjects of staff study! There is no road to infallibility. But staff methods, at any rate, promise immunity from the grossest form of error."
NETHERLANDS
Vessels Building
Name |
Displacement |
Speed |
Armament |
Builders |
Remarks |
Cruisers |
? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
… |
6000 |
30 |
10 6-in. |
Amsterdam |
? |
… |
6000 |
30 |
10 6-in. |
Flushing |
? |
Note. —Four submarines are building, three at Rotterdam and one at Flushing, of 836 tons displacement and a surface speed of 173 knots. The two cruisers were to be built in Holland by Krupp, and it is not known whether or not construction is proceeding.
The budget for 1917 provides for the construction of three more submarines and a mine layer.
JAPAN
Vessels Building
Name |
Displacement |
Speed |
Armament |
Builders |
Remarks |
Battleships |
? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
Ise (or She) |
30,800 |
22.5 |
12 14-in. |
Kawasaki |
Launched 11-11-16 |
Huga |
30,800 |
22.5 |
12 14-in. |
Mitsubishi |
? |
Nagato |
32,000 |
24.0 |
12 15-in. (?) |
Kure Arsenal |
? |
Note.—On April 1, 1916, Japan had nine destroyers under construction.
Japan’s Naval Program.—"Japan's naval program calls for the commissioning of seven battleships of the strength of the Arizona by 1923," says a Tokio dispatch, which apparently was passed by the official censor there.—Army and Navy Journal.
Japanese Merchant Ship Losses in the War.—Japan's loss of tonnage through the war has been comparatively slight, only six steamers under the Japanese flag, with an aggregate tonnage of 26.000 tons, having been sunk by the Central Powers, and three are missing, making a total of 38,000 tons. On the other hand, Japan's expansion in trade to foreign countries is put at 800,000 tons of cargo carriers.—Marine Journal, 3/3.
RUSSIA
Growth of the Russian Fleet.—Norwegian newspapers tell of great activity in the shipyards of Russia. In Petrograd two dreadnoughts have been built, but thus far they have not been equipped with guns, owing to delay in their delivery. The ships are 200 meters in length and have a beam of 30 meters.
The Putilow works are building many destroyers, while the Admiralty works are constructing three big battleships. The Baltic works are building four destroyers and the Newski works three submarines. The government works in Reva are building a big battle cruiser, the Nobel works eight destroyers and Lang & Bocker a turbine cruiser.
Work is going on day and night on the fortifications at Reval and Varo, while the harbor is being deepened to permit such ships as the Andrej Pervosvani class and battleships of the Petropawlowsk and the Bardina class to enter. The British Government has promised the delivery of 40 submarines, and also will send to Russia 200 marine officers to assist in bringing the Russian fleet to the highest state of efficiency.
The Russian fleet now has 51 flag officers, 429 captains, 739 lieutenants, 450 midshipmen and 50.000 seamen.—New York Herald, 3/3.
SPAIN
Vessels Building.—There are building or projected three 15,000-ton battleships, four 5600-ton cruisers, six destroyers, and 28 submarines.
UNITED STATES
The Naval Appropriation Bill.—The Naval Appropriation Bill as passed by the House was published in the March issue of the Proceedings. The Army and Navy Register gives the amendments proposed by the Senate as follows:
Increase in Appropriations |
|
Pay, miscellaneous |
$134,000 |
Recruiting, navigation |
$100,000 |
Naval training station, California, maintenance |
$7,000 |
Naval training station, Rhode Island, maintenance |
$10,000 |
Naval training station, Great Lakes, maintenance |
$6,400 |
Projectile plant |
$669,734 |
Batteries for merchant auxiliaries |
$600,000 |
Ammunition for merchant auxiliaries |
$450,000 |
Maintenance bureau of yards and docks |
$709,000 |
Public works: |
? |
Improvements, central power plant, Boston |
$150,000 |
Extension of chain shop, Boston |
$60,000 |
Gun shop, Washington |
$500,000 |
Central power plant improvements, Washington |
$772,000 |
Purchase of land, marine recruiting station, Port Royal |
$5,000 |
Clothing factory, Charleston |
$300,000 |
Enlarge dry dock, Charleston |
$750,000 |
Navy aeronautic system, Pensacola |
$125,000 |
Naval proving ground, Indian Head |
$22,000 |
Naval magazine, Charleston |
$85,000 |
Naval training station, San Francisco, contagious wards |
$25,000 |
Marine guard, American legation, Pekin, barracks and laundry |
$62,000 |
Marine barracks, Mare Island, California |
$12,000 |
Reimbursement for property damaged at Indian Head |
$205 |
Lighting facilities at navy yards and stations |
$200,000 |
Repairs and preservation at navy yards and stations |
$455,000 |
Clothing and small stores fund |
$1,500,000 |
Reserve material for the navy |
$3,000,000 |
Maintenance, bureau of supplies and accounts |
$500,000 |
Construction and repair of vessels |
$1,350,000 |
Construction of coast guard cutters |
$675,000 |
Engineering |
$1,950,000 |
High power radio station, Porto Rico |
$400,000 |
Naval Academy: |
? |
Commissary department, pay of employees |
$8,020 |
Current and miscellaneous expenses |
$2,500 |
Maintenance and repairs |
$75,000 |
Pay of civil force, marine corps |
$200 |
Increase of the navy, torpedo boats |
$35,000,000 |
Navy emergency fund |
$115,000,000 |
Additional navy yard on San Francisco Bay |
$1,500,000 |
Test of Talbott boiler |
$30,000 |
Additional Legislation
Appropriating $14,000 for storage facilities at Norfolk.
Consolidating the balances under the several items of the appropriation "national advisory committee for aeronautics" in the act of August 29, 1916.
That hereafter the Secretary of the Navy may authorize the senior officer present, or other commanding officer, on a foreign station to order boards of medical examiners, examining boards, and retiring boards for the examination of such candidates for appointment, promotion, and retirement in the navy and marine corps as may be serving in such officer's command and may be directed to appear before any such board.
Increasing amount available for a projectile plant and removing the limit of cost thereof.
Experimental and Research Laboratory.—A proviso that nothing in this or any other act shall be construed as preventing or interfering with the continuation or undertaking of necessary experimental work during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1918, as heretofore conducted under other appropriations for the naval establishment.
Appropriating $200,000 for improvements, lighting facilities to facilitate night work, at navy yards and naval stations.
Authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to enter into contract for the use by the United States Government of a dry dock at Boston.
That hereafter there shall be allowed at the Naval Academy four midshipmen for each senator, representative, and delegate in Congress, one for Porto Rico, two for the District of Columbia, 15 appointed each year at large, and four Filipinos (one for each class), as now authorized by law. The course of instruction at the Naval Academy is hereby reduced from four to three years for a period of five years, and the present first and second classes at the academy shall be graduated in March and in September of 1917, respectively.
That the time served by dental surgeons as acting or acting assistant dental surgeons shall be reckoned in computing the increased service pay and service for promotion of such as are commissioned under said act.
The provisions of section 3 of the act of October 1, 1890, entitled "An act to provide for the examination of certain officers of the Army and to regulate promotions therein," are hereby made applicable to commissioned officers of the coast guard of corresponding rank who have been, or may hereafter be, retired.
For purchase of clothing and small stores for issue to the naval service, the present fund being inadequate to meet the requirements of the service at this time; to be added to the "clothing and small-stores fund," $1,500,000.
For procuring apparatus and materials (other than ordnance materials and medical stores) as a war reserve necessary to be carried in the supply departments for the purpose of fitting out vessels of the fleet and merchant auxiliaries in time of war or when, in the opinion of the President, a national emergency exists, to be immediately available and to continue available until expended, $3,000,000: Provided. That to prevent deterioration such materials shall be used as required in time of peace, and when so used reimbursement shall be made to this appropriation from current naval appropriations in order that additional stocks may be procured.
That the President of the United States is authorized to appoint Leonard G. Hoffman, secretary to the late admiral of the navy, a passed assistant paymaster in the United States Navy, as an additional number, to take rank next after Passed Assistant Paymaster Maurice H. Karker, United States Navy: Provided, That the services of the said Leonard G. Hoffman as secretary to the late admiral of the navy shall, for all purposes, be credited to him as service in the navy.
Appropriating $8000 for the installation of a pneumatic tube between the communication office in the State, War and Navy Department Building and the branch communication office in the Navy Annex.
For the establishment of a high power radio station on the Island of Porto Rico, $400,000, to be available until expended.
That $75,000 is made immediately available for altering, furnishing, lighting, and equipping the marine barracks at Annapolis as temporary quarters for housing and messing midshipmen.
That marine gunners and quartermaster clerks of the Marine Corps assigned to foreign-shore service shall hereafter be entitled to the same increased compensation and under the same conditions as is now or hereafter allowed by law to commissioned officers of the marine corps.
The Secretary of the Navy is authorized and directed to proceed at once to cause to be constructed 40 coast submarines at a cost not to exceed $1,300,000 each and 10 fleet submarines at a cost not to exceed $1,900,000 each on the most approved lines according to plans and specifications to be provided by the Secretary of the Navy. These are in addition to the house program of 18 coast submarines of 800 tons each and one submarine tender. The same may be let to private builders or constructed by the government in navy yards, or both, as may be directed by the Secretary of the Navy. Not less than five of the said fleet submarines and not less than 20 of the said coast submarines shall be constructed on the Pacific coast. Thirty-five million dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby especially appropriated for commencing and carrying on work upon said submarines.
That in case of national emergency the President is authorized to suspend provisions of law prohibiting more than eight hours' labor in any one day of persons engaged upon work covered by contracts with the United States: Provided, That the wages of persons employed upon such contracts shall be computed on a basic day rate of eight hours' work, with overtime rates to be paid for at not less than time and one-half for all hours' work in excess of eight hours.
To enable the President to secure the more economical and expeditious delivery of materials, equipment, and munitions and secure the more expeditious construction of ships authorized and for the purchase or construction of such additional torpedo-boat destroyers, submarine chasers, and such other naval small craft, including aircraft and ammunition for all of said vessels, and for each and every purpose connected therewith, as the President may direct, to be expended at the direction and in the discretion of the President, $115,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, and to be immediately available.
The establishment of an additional navy yard in San Francisco Bay is authorized on such site as may be recommended as most suitable by the navy yard commission.
The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to expend $30,000 for the purchase and testing of one Talbott boiler to ascertain the feasibility of using the Talbott boiler on battle cruisers.
That section 44 of the act approved March 4, 1909, be amended to read as follows: "Whoever shall willfully trespass upon, injure, or destroy any of the works or property or material of any submarine mine or torpedo or fortification or harbor-defence system owned or constructed or in process of construction by the United States, or shall willfully interfere with the operation or use of any such submarine mine, torpedo, fortification, or harbor-defence system, or shall knowingly, willfully, or wantonly violate any duly authorized and promulgated order or regulation of the President governing persons or vessels within the limits of defensive sea areas, which defensive sea areas are hereby authorized to be established by order of the President from time to time as may be necessary, in his discretion, for purposes of national defence, shall be punished on conviction thereof in a district or circuit court of appeals of the United States for the district or circuit in which the offence is committed, or into which the offender is first brought, by a fine of not more than $5000. or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or by both, in the discretion of the court.
The bill as finally passed and signed by the President on March 4, is thus summarized in the Army and Navy Register.
The naval appropriation bill was passed by the Senate just before the filibuster became active, and, although many amendments intended to be proposed were not considered, it was finally agreed to and signed by the President on March 4. All appropriations were made immediately available.
The building program as recommended by the House naval committee—3 battleships, 1 battle cruiser, 3 scout cruisers, 15 destroyers, 1 destroyer tender, I submarine tender, and 18 coast submarines of 800 tons displacement—was adopted with an additional provision, a modification of a Senate amendment, for 20 additional coast submarines, of similar type, to be built on the Pacific coast, provided the cost does not exceed the cost on the Atlantic coast plus the cost of transportation of material from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The amendment for a complimentary navy yard at San Francisco was not adopted.
The House refused to consider the Senate amendment providing a bond issue of $150,000,000 to take care of the proposed speeding up of the building program and the cost of the additional submarines. This was subsequently taken care of in a joint resolution.
The Secretary of the Navy was given $12,000,000 with which to equip navy yards for ship building, in addition to the $6,000,000 appropriated last year.
A contract for use of the dry dock at Boston was authorized.
A provision provides that officers in the staff corps shall be required to pass satisfactory examinations when promoted from rank as well as from grade to grade as heretofore obtaining.
This legislation is not to be construed as in any way effecting the original appointment of officers to the dental corps as provided in the act approved August 29, 1916, and the time served by dental surgeons as acting or acting assistant dental surgeons is to be reckoned in computing the increased service pay and service for promotion of such as are commissioned under said act.
The senate requirement for examinations and pay similar to officers of the medical corps was not adopted.
Provision is made for the annual appointment of 100 enlisted men as midshipmen at the Naval Academy.
The President, in his discretion, is authorized to reduce the course of instruction at the Naval Academy from four to three years for a period of two years from the date of the approval of the act and may during said two years graduate classes which have completed a three year course.
The Senate amendment was adopted providing that officers of the corps of civil engineers hereafter appointed shall, from the date of their original appointment, take rank and precedence with lieutenants (junior grade).
The President is authorized to appoint Leonard G. Hoffman, secretary to the late admiral of the navy, an assistant paymaster in the navy, as an additional number in said grade or to any grade to which he may hereafter be promoted. He will be entitled to count the period of service as secretary for purposes of pay.
It is provided that hereafter the Secretary of the Navy may authorize the senior officer present, or other commanding officer, on a foreign station to order boards of medical examiners, examining boards, and retiring boards for the examination of such candidates for appointment, promotion, and retirement in the navy and marine corps as may be serving in such officer's command and may be directed to appear before any such board.
The act authorizing officers of the navy and marine corps to administer oaths is amended to read as follows:
"That judges advocate of _ naval general courts-martial and course of inquiry, and all commanders-in-chief of naval squadrons, commandants of navy yards and stations, officers commanding vessels of the navy, and recruiting officers of the navy, and the adjutant and inspector, assistants adjutant and inspector, commanding officers, recruiting officers of the marine corps, and such other officers of the regular navy and marine corps, of the naval reserve force, of the marine corps reserve, and of national naval volunteers as may be hereafter designated by the Secretary of the Navy, be, and they are hereby, authorized to administer oaths for the purposes of the administration of naval justice and for other purposes of naval administration."
It is provided that Section 44 of the act entitled: "An act to codify, revise, and amend the penal laws of the United States," approved March 4, 1909, be amended to read as follows:
"Section 44. Whoever shall willfully trespass upon, injure, or destroy any of the works or property or material of any submarine mine or torpedo or fortification or harbor-defence system owned or constructed or in process of construction by the United States, or shall willfully interfere with the operation or use of any such submarine mine, torpedo, fortification, or harbor defence system, or shall knowingly, willfully, or wantonly violate any duly authorized and promulgated order or regulation of the President governing persons or vessels within the limits of defensive sea areas, which defensive sea areas arc hereby authorized to be established by order of the President from time to time as may be necessary, in his discretion, for purposes of national defence, shall be punished on conviction thereof in a district or circuit court of appeals of the United States for the district or circuit in which the offence is committed or into which the offender is first brought, by a fine of not more than $5000, or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or by both, in the discretion of the court."
Four items recommended by the Senate were eliminated—$750,000 for enlarging the Charleston dry dock, laundry building at Mare Island, additional navy yard on San Francisco Bay, and $30,000 for test of Talbott boiler.
The amount appropriated for the completion of the projectile plant was increased to $2,080,956. The Senate amendment for the increase of submarines for the navy provided for 40 coast submarines and 10 fleet submarines. This was changed to 20 coast submarines of 800 tons displacement the cost not to exceed $1,300,000 each.
The principal appropriations carried in the bill are as follows:
Investigation of fuel oil. $60,000.
Aviation, $5,133,000. The sum of $1,000,000 is appropriated to secure by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise the basic patent or patents necessary to the manufacture and development of aircraft.
Recruiting, $419,228.84.
Gunnery and engineering exercises. $205,000.
Outfits on first enlistment, $2,385,920.
Maintenance of naval auxiliaries, $1,144,390; instruments and supplies, $450,000.
Repair of the U. S. S. Topeka, $85,500.
Naval training station, California, $92,000: naval training station, Rhode Island, $100,000; naval training station, Great Lakes, $96,400, and St. Helena, $30,000.
Naval War College, $38,850.
Ordnance and ordnance stores. $8,488,333: purchase and manufacture of smokeless powder, $1,800,000: naval gun factory, $2,500,736; projectile plant, $2,080,956; new batteries. $2,201,000; batteries for merchant auxiliaries. $6,381,174 (immediately available. $4,731,174): ammunition for merchant auxiliaries, $7,731,941: anti-aircraft guns and ammunition. $3,800,000; ammunition for ships of the navy, $3,500,000: torpedoes and appliances, $1,049,280: reserve ordnance supplies, $4,657,460; torpedo station, Newport, $100,000; new machinery and tools for torpedo factory, $100,000; submarine base at New London, $1,250,000; and experiments, $100,000.
Yards and docks, maintenance, $2,709,000, and contingent, $75,000; public works, $16,976,255.01.
The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to enter into a contract for the use of the dry dock at Boston at a compensation of $50,000 per annum for a period of six years similar to the contract entered into with the owners of the dock under construction at Hunters Point, San Francisco Bay.
Medical department. $1,121,740; contingent, $291,080, and transportation of remains, $32,658.
Pay of officers, $15,333,156.42; officers on the retired list, $2,940,368.72: commutation for officers on shore, $675,679, and also members of nurse corps (female), $1,000; hire of quarters for officers where no public quarters are available. $4,000; pay of enlisted men, $26,835,914.67; on retired list, $492,657.34; extra pay to men reenlisting, $1,400,000; provisions, $10,144,043.40; clothing and small stores fund. $1,500,000; reserve material, $3,000,000; maintenance, $3,250,000; freight, $850,000; fuel and transportation, $6,500,000.
Construction and repair of vessels, $12,850,000, and improvement of construction plants, $200,000.
Bureau of steam engineering. $12,270,000; high power radio stations at Porto Rico, $400,000; engineering experiment station, $85,000; equipment of building, $20,000; and machinery plants. $190,000.
Naval Academy, exclusive of public works, $909,049.20. The sum of $75,000 of this appropriation is to be used for equipping the marine barracks at Annapolis as temporary quarters for housing and messing midshipmen.
Marine Corps: Pay of officers, $1,690,666; officers on the retired list, $108,307.50; enlisted men, $4,800,532; for retired enlisted men, $175,986; undrawn clothing, $100,000; mileage, $58,000; commutation of quarters of officers on duty without troops, $75,000; provisions, $1,676,000; clothing, $1,580,000; fuel, $260,000: military stores, $852,000: camps of instruction, $31,000; transportation and recruiting, $500,000; repairs of barracks, $220,000; forage, $68,000; commutation of quarters for enlisted men, $167,000; contingent, $846,385; and for authorized expenses of the Marine Corps reserve, $25,000.
Ship Contracts Let.—It is announced that shipbuilding contracts have been awarded as follows:
Battle Cruisers.—2 to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.
1 to Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation.
1 to New York Shipbuilding Co.
These contracts were awarded on a basis of cost plus 10% profit, and it is stated that the Navy Department hopes for delivery in about three years.
Scout Cruisers.—1 to Seattle Construction Co.
2 to Cramp's.
2 to Union Iron Works.
Delivery in from 30 to 32 months is provided for, the contract prices ranging from $5,950,000 to $5,996,000.
Aircraft Contracts Let.—Purchase of 16 non-rigid dirigible airships for coast and harbor patrol work, at a total cost of $649,250, was announced March 12 by the Navy Department.
The Curtiss Aeroplane Company, of Buffalo, N. Y., will build three for $122,250; the Connecticut Aircraft Company, New Haven, two for $84,000; the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, nine for $360,000, and the B. F. Goodrich Company, of Akron, two for $83,000. Deliveries will begin in 120 days.
The airships are the first of such type to be bought by the navy under the recent $5,000,000 appropriation for aeronautics. They will be 160 feet in length, 31 ½ feet in diameter, or 50 feet high over all; will be equipped with radio communication and 100 horsepower motors capable of making a continuous flight of 16 hours at 35 miles each and a maximum speed of 45 miles an hour for 10 hours.
Under the designs drafted by naval constructors the dirgibles will be able to operate from shore bases and alight on water surface in good weather.—New York Herald.
Limitation on Size of Battleships.—In reply to a clause in the Naval Appropriation Act of August 29, 1916, directing the Secretary of the Navy to submit to Congress a report on the largest battleship which can be undertaken in the United States and other particulars concerning such a vessel, Mr. Daniels has made a report on the limitation on the size of battleships that is dated February 14. After discussing the dimensions of the locks of the Panama Canal as the chief factors in this problem, together with the depth of draft in connection with our harbors, Mr. Daniels makes the following statements:
"Within the limitations of over-all dimensions, as arrived at under the above considerations, an indefinite number of designs could, of course, be developed, such designs differing in the importance attached to the maximum development of one or more of the chief military characteristics for a battleship. The technical and military advisers of the department have prepared and considered a number of alternative designs, from which the one described below has been selected as embodying such a combination of military characteristics as produce a vessel of the maximum military value possible in the present state of the shipbuilding and engineering sciences and arts, within the limitations set forth above. The principal dimensions and characteristics of this vessel are as follows: Displacement, 80,000 tons; length, 975 feet; beam, 108 feet; full load draft, 34 feet; main battery, fifteen 18-inch guns in five triple turrets; secondary battery, twenty-one 6-inch guns, four 21-inch torpedo-tubes; protection, main armor 16 inches, under water the most complete and efficient system available at the present date; speed, 25 knots; radius of action, 12,000 miles at cruising speed; cost. $50,000,000 in round figures.
"In regard to the desirability of building one or more such vessels, there can, of course, be no question that, ship for ship, such vessels would be of greater military value than battleships of the present size. A single such vessel, however, would not be of great value to the United States Navy, as it would not be suited to act in unison with the other major units of our fleet. To develop the value of such a vessel it would be necessary to lay down not less than five in order to give an independent division of this type with an allowance for one in reserve or under repair. This would require an outlay of $250,000,000.
"In considering the advisability of such a long step in the development of naval types there must be considered the great relative decrease in value of all United States naval vessels already built, building, and authorized. This would occur despite the fact that our present vessels include the largest and most powerful battleships extant. When the dreadnoughts were commissioned in the British Navy, the effect was to establish a new basis for measurement of naval power, all previous capital ships becoming of minor military value, and being considered to contribute to the naval strength of any power in only a secondary degree. The building of vessels such as contemplated above would probably result in a similar readjustment, including radical readjustment in sizes and numbers of other types of vessels required to operate with or against first-line battleships.
"The three-year program, as authorized in the naval appropriation act of August 29, 1916, represents, with only minor modifications to date, the best considered judgment of the department in regard to numbers and types of vessel best fitted to increase the fighting efficiency of the United States Navy as now constituted. No information has yet transpired as to the events in the course of the present European war which can be considered as enabling a final and decisive answer to be made to the various questions which confront the responsible military and technical officers of all navies. This fact makes the development of any new type of naval vessel subject to review and modification as the result of further developments in the course of the war. A careful review of the entire situation, including the above considerations, has led the department, upon the recommendation of the general board of the navy, to the opinion that at the present stage a wide departure from accepted types, such as is contemplated by the above-quoted clause of the Naval Appropriation Act of August 29, 1916, is not necessary nor desirable."—Army and Navy Journal.
Facilities for Building Submarine Chasers.—As an indication of the capacity of American small boatbuilding yards the New York Times says that the Elco Company constructed 550 motor-boats for the British Admiralty in less than 550 days, the output reaching three a day when the work had been standardized. The characteristics of the Elco boat are given as: displacement 32 tons, length 80 feet, beam 12 ½ feet, draft 4 ½ feet, two 250-h. p. motors, speed 19 knots, radius 650 miles, fuel capacity 2200 gallons of gasoline, cost $40,000. The armament is not stated.
Efficiency of Submarine Chasers.—The New York Times prints the following criticism of British motor-boats, which apparently refers in part to the Elco boats described above:
"Thomas Orchard Lisle, authority on motor-driven craft, and associate member of the Institute of Marine Engineers of Great Britain, the British equivalent of the American Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, said that the German submarine operations in British waters had shown that motor-boats of less than 100 feet in length were of little value as submarine chasers. Mr. Lisle has kept in close touch with England's problem, in so far as that problem has to do with the employment of motor-boat chasers, hundreds of which have been constructed in this country for the Admiralty.
"'From such information that I have been allowed to obtain without infringing upon naval secrets, concerning the operations of motor-boat submarine chasers of Great Britain, also of the operations of the dozens of the motor-yachts and motor-boats now used around the coast of England for various purposes, it appears,' said Mr. Lisle, 'that boats of under 100 feet in length are little use for other than inshore and actual harbor work, in which, of course there are innumerable valuable and important duties, which small craft can efficiently undertake.
"'Submarines operate at distances from between 20 and 200 miles off shore, and furthermore, often operate in the heaviest weather, under which conditions boats of under 100-foot length would be of little value.
"'For the actual work of scouting and chasing submarines at sea, what are most needed are fast boats of from 100 to 150 feet in length, fitted with internal-combustion engines, preferably of heavy-oil type. Seaworthiness is of more importance than speed, and a speed of between 18 and 20 knots is quite sufficient. It must be borne in mind that in order to form an effective submarine patrol these boats may have to stay out 100 miles at sea in storm and calm from one to three weeks at a time for month after month with only brief intervals in port. At a meeting of yachting men the other afternoon Franklin D. Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, stated that, generally speaking, motor-yachts of under 40 feet would not be of any use, and that large boats would be required for distances up to 400 miles off shore.
"'A friend of mine is a sub-lieutenant in charge of one of the 86-foot motor launches, which were shipped from this country to England by the Elco Company of Bayonne, and he points out that small boats have a number of disadvantages, particularly in heavy weather, as not only do they lose their speed, but they are very wet, and have frequently to put in for repairs; also the officers and crew require longer periods of rest to recover from the severe exposure, and he says that if there is any error it should be on the larger size.
"'This sub-lieutenant previously was a naval architect, and had considerable experience with motor craft, and the size of vessel which he considers the smallest capable of carrying out a fairly effective submarine patrol service is a boat of 100 feet in length, driven by two high-speed heavy oil engines of 300 b. h. p. each, which would give a speed of about 20 knots. Such boats would be capable of cruising a considerable distance out to sea and staying for long periods without the crew suffering too much from exposure.
"'It must be remembered that in the event of war this submarine patrol may have to be carried on for several years, and such boats that are built now should be strong enough to withstand at least from one to two years' constant work at sea.
"'Personally I think that every encouragement should be given to yachtsmen to train with the Meet; but I believe the uses of their boats, except in the case of large craft, will be limited to patrolling fairly sheltered waters, or inland navigation.
"'Any submarine-chasing craft built by the Navy Department should not be less than 100 feet in length, and I am positive that the two boats now building for the United States Navy, which are about 45 and 60 feet in length respectively, will be found to be totally inadequate for the purpose of chasing submarines in the open sea, as it is hardly likely that submarines of an enemy will operate close in shore; but rather will attack our merchant fleet 50 to 300 miles out at sea. They will have their uses, of course, but it will not be chasing submarines.
"'I was told last week by the captain of a British ship, who has seen many of the 550 patrol motor-boats built in this country at work along the British Coast, that it has been necessary to remove the guns from these boats, and it would be interesting to know if such is actually the case. It would account for the success of the present German submarine campaign.
"'The first submarine-chasing motor-boat ever built was the Mercury II, a 60-footer, built 12 years ago, (1005) by Yarrows, Ltd., for the British Government. Her gasoline engines total 300 b. h. p., and on the official naval trials drove her at 26 knots. Exactly what she was built for was never made clear, but after a period of inaction she was attached in io,r2 to the submarine flotilla, and was used in maneuvers.
"'At that time the Admiralty prepared a very extensive scheme for the use of motor-boats, but in the usual official style the project was pigeonholed. When the war broke out the documents were unearthed, the red tape cut, and the present Royal Volunteer Naval Reserve established, to which hundreds of British power yachtsmen belong, and are giving most valuable service to their country by policing home waters.'
"'The United States,' Mr. Lisle said, 'should immediately begin the construction of hundreds of motor-boat submarine chasers and should build them big enough and seaworthy enough to make them effective in the event of a submarine raid on merchant shipping in Western Atlantic waters.'"
Note.—Maximum length of ship is taken, giving five feet clearance from dock and caisson at bow and stern of ship. The emergency draft is that which gives six inches clearance over the sill or six inches clearance over a blocking depth of three feet. Philadelphia, No. 3, and Norfolk, No. 4, cost given is amount appropriated.
Comments on the Battle Cruiser Designs.—The publication of Admiral Griffin's statement of reasons for adopting electric drive for battle cruisers, which was reproduced in the February number of the Proceedings, was the occasion for much comment; examples of which arc quoted below:
The Scientific American published the two letters that follow: "'To the Editor of the Scientific American:
"'I have your letter of the 1st inst, enclosing a copy of a letter from Mr. Charles G. Curtis in regard to the machinery installation for the battle cruisers, and thank you for the opportunity offered to make reply thereto.
"'The subject has been very fully covered in my letter of January 5, 1917, to the chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives commenting on a similar letter from Mr. S. S. Wheeler; and I do not think that further comment from me is necessary, beyond correcting a few misstatements that were not included in Mr. Wheeler's letter.
"'Mr. Curtis says that Mr. Lovekin stated in a letter to the secretary that the total weight " of the ship" would be over 1000 tons more with the electric than with geared drive. Mr. Lovekin did not make such a statement: He said that the weight "of the geared outfit" would be over 1000 tons less than that of the electric drive. He also said that it would be necessary to add " about 200 tons of extra armor " in the ship with the geared drive. There are other important matters that enter into the weight of the ship. One of these is the fuel necessary to give a certain radius of action. The fuel consumption guaranteed by the Fore River Company at 10 knots is 11.5 per cent greater with geared drive than with electric drive. This means that, in order to obtain the radius of action contemplated in the design, the ship with geared drive would have to carry 589 tons more fuel than the one with electric drive. The weight of the ship as affected by machinery and fuel will stand thus:
? |
Tons |
Tons |
Electric driver heavier than geared |
? |
1,000 |
Additional armor with geared drive |
290 |
? |
Additional fuel with geared drive |
589 |
? |
Total additional weight on account of geared drive |
? |
879 |
Difference, in favor of geared drive |
? |
121 |
"'Accepting Mr. Lovekin's weight as correct, the difference in weight of the ship is, therefore, 121 tons in favor of the geared drive; but this figure for weight of machinery is far in excess of the actual weight, and no account has been taken of the additional hull weight that will be necessary on account of the rearrangement necessary with geared drive. When these are given proper consideration, the resulting weight of ship will be much less for the one with electric drive than for that with geared drive.
"'Mr. Curtis seems to think that because electric drive is used in one type of ship, we should, to be consistent, use it in all. I had supposed that he was a better engineer than that.
"'His statement that the engineers of the Bureau of Steam Engineering thought the electric drive would be lighter than geared drive has no foundation in fact. Had we thought so, we should not have used geared drive in the scouts and destroyers.
"'As to stealing a march on foreign navies, we have long since been forced to the conclusion that it is practically impossible to keep secret any of our undertakings; and experience with the design of the battle cruisers has shown conclusively that some of the American engineers and shipbuilders to whom the plans were sent in confidence are unworthy of the trust that was reposed in them, and that, despite their protestations of patriotism, they may be depended upon to keep foreign governments fully informed regarding our designs.
"Only two of the 22 members of the Naval Consulting Board have written the secretary in the matter; others to whom the propagandists appealed refused to write; and Prof. Webster has openly opposed Mr. Curtis' propaganda.
"'Nine people (not all engineers), including Mr. Curtis, have written to the secretary, all asking that the design of machinery be referred "to an impartial board of competent experts." None of them suggested how this board was to be selected.
"'If the shipbuilders have told Mr. Curtis that as good underwater protection of the ship can be obtained with geared drive as with electric drive, as he states, their vision must be warped. It is doubted that Mr. Curtis speaks for the shipbuilders as a whole, or for all of them. Only two bid on the battle cruisers (the Union Iron Works being, in fact, a Fore River bid) and it is generally understood at the Navy Department that the Newport News Company would not put geared drive in these ships if they could. It may be stated without qualification, that the chief engineer of that company—one of the most successful designers of marine engines in this or any other country—is unalterably opposed to geared drive for them.
"'The concluding paragraph of Mr. Curtis's letter is evidently an appeal to those whom the propaganda has not reached, to urge Congress to delay the construction of these ships. Such appeals were made to the Naval Committee of the House, but the unwillingness of that committee to act may undoubtedly be taken as an evidence on their part to interfere in the design of ships, however much interested parties outside the navy, under the guise of patriotic appeals, may protest because their royalties are endangered.
"In conclusion, I should like to quote a portion of a paragraph from Prof. Webster's letter to which reference has been made. Others have said practically the same thing, but none has expressed it quite so well. Here it is:
"'If you desire to extract the milk from this cocoanut, consider this: The General Electric Company bought from Mr. Curtis the rights for the manufacture of the turbine, except for marine turbine, which was bought by the Fore River Company. Now, curiously enough, if a turbine drives a screw propeller directly or through gearing, it is a marine turbine, but if it drives a dynamo it is not. Consequently with the electric drive, the Fore River Company cannot build the turbines, although it has all the equipment for building them. The turbo-generator, including engines and dynamos, must be built by the General Electric. Does this explain why the Fore River Company ' showed' the secretary something 'equally as good?'
"' I have submitted this for the perusal of the Secretary of the Navy, who authorizes me to say that he does not care to discuss Mr. Curtis' letter.
"'R. S. Griffin,
"'Engineer-in-Chief, U. S. Navy.
"'Navy Department,
"'Bureau of Steam Engineering,
"'Washington, D. C.
"'Feb. 5, 1917.'"
"'To the Editor of the Scientific American:
"'I beg to reply to Admiral Griffin's letter, date February 5, published in this issue of your paper as follows:
"'His statements and the figures he gives regarding the saving in weight and the extra armor based on Mr. Lovekin's letter do not correctly represent the facts at all and are of no real value in arriving at the truth in this important matter. He includes in his calculations on the Fore River design 290 tons of additional armor; whereas this company has already stated definitely that there is practically no additional armor required and what difference there is, is negligible. This fact has already been brought to the attention of Admiral Griffin in the reply by Mr. Wheeler to his letter of January 5, but he continues to ignore it.
"'The facts in regard to Mr. Lovekin's letter and his design of battle cruiser with geared turbines are as follows: When Admiral Griffin's letter of January 5 appeared I asked Mr. Lovekin, who is the chief engineer of the New York Shipbuilding Company, for a confirmation of the facts stated in his letter and he replied that in the original geared drive arrangement worked out by his company there was, as stated in his letter to the secretary, 290 tons of extra armor required, but the difference in weight between the electric machinery and the geared turbine machinery was considerably over 1000 tons so that he made the net saving to be something in the neighborhood of 1000 tons. But he informed me that he had since modified the original design so that no extra armor will be required and that he was willing to state without qualification that at least 1000 tons of the total weight of the ship should be saved after all details and changes have been taken into account. Also that this saving in weight would be accompanied by a saving in cost of at least $1,300,000.
"'Admiral Griffin says that the Fore River Company design required 11.5 per cent more fuel than the electric drive to cover a given radius of action at 10 knots speed. He does not, however, state what the Fore River Company, in a letter attached to its bid, stated viz.:
"'"By the introduction of cruising units, not shown on this company's design because of lack of time, equally good economies can be obtained at the lowest speed to those obtained by the electric drive."
"'He failed also to state that the plans and estimates made by Mr. Lovekin which were filed with the Department which involved geared turbines other than the Curtis type showed that the geared drive is 5 per cent more economical than the electric at this 10-knot speed. If Admiral Griffin should apply his reasoning to this case he would arrive at the conclusion that in Mr. Lovekin's design of geared drive there would be a saving of 165 tons of fuel to cover a given cruising radius so that the net saving in the weight of the ship would be 1000 tons + 165 tons = 1165 tons.
"'Mr. Lovekin's company having contracted for two battleships was not in a position to build a battle cruiser at this time and so did not bid officially. Mr. Lovekin, however, unofficially submitted his plans and estimates to the Bureau of Steam Engineering and wrote a letter to the Secretary strongly advising against the adoption of the electric drive on the battle cruisers and pointing out the great saving in weight and other advantages of the geared drive. In this letter he said:
"'"I feel that I will be neglecting my duty as a citizen if I did not inform the Honorable, the Secretary of the Navy."
"'After further consideration and investigation the Fore River Company expresses itself as entirely confident of being able to save at least 1000 tons in weight and $1,300,000 in cost, and also to place all the boilers below the protective deck by the substitution of the geared drive for the electric.
"'In regard to Admiral Griffin's statement that the chief engineer of the Newport News Company is unalterably opposed to the geared drive in the battle cruisers I will say that the president of this company told me that in a conference between the secretary and the shipbuilders immediately before the battleships were awarded, he argued as strongly as he could against the adoption of the electric drive because of its experimental character and because of its additional weight and cost, and that they favored the geared drive. His company put in bids with both forms of drive, hut Admiral Griffin himself recommended the acceptance of the bids involving the geared drive. Admiral Griffin does not deny this. Immediately before the battle cruiser bids were opened the chief engineer of the Newport News Company and its president both expressed to me the view that it was folly to put the electric drive in these large battle cruisers, and that it would involve an immense increase of weight, cost and other disadvantages.
"'I hardly feel called upon to reply to Admiral Griffin’s slurring reference to the disclosure to foreign governments by American engineers of the plans for these battle cruisers. I, myself, am not aware of any such disclosure. His own statement, however, shows that it could do no harm. My experience is that foreign governments show no interest whatever in what we are doing in these matters. I cannot, however, repress my surprise that the admiral should thus by innuendo and without naming the offenders cast discredit generally on American engineers and shipbuilders.
"'Replying to Admiral Griffin’s intimation that the "milk of the cocoanut" in the opposition now widely aroused by the "electric drive" is my interest in royalties from turbines. I beg to state that my efforts to set the Navy Department right in this important engineering and military matter are not due to any royalty or commercial considerations. Such considerations would never have impelled me to undertake the task. The antagonism these efforts were likely to arouse would more than outweigh the advantage from any royalties that might result. Moreover it is quite as likely that other types of geared turbines will be adopted in these ships.
"'Charles G. Curtis.
"'New York City.
"'February 7, 1917.'"
Commenting editorially on the designs, the editor of the Scientific American says:
"In an illustrated article on the new battle cruisers, which we published on December 16, 1916, there occurs the following sentence: ' We shall see in these ships the novelty of the boiler-and-engine plant being located upon two decks.' Having in mind the fact that it was a cardinal principle of warship design to place the whole of the main motive power below the protective deck, and therefore below the water-line, we were puzzled at the time to understand how sufficient vertical height could be found to accommodate two tiers of boilers upon two decks below the protective deck; hut we concluded that the Bureaus of Steam Engineering and of Construction and Repair had found some way to do this. At the time of the opening of the bids, however, we learned, to our profound amazement, that one-half of the boiler plant was to be placed above the water-line, where it would be exposed to destruction by the 11-, 12- and 15-inch shells, with which alone modern engagements between capital ships are fought.
"A study of the wash drawing of these ships, prepared by the Navy Department for the press of the country, shows, it is true, that there is a belt of side armor in the wake of the deck upon which these boilers have been placed; but it takes only an elementary knowledge of warship design to make it evident that in a ship of only 35,000 tons displacement, after provision has been made for the enormous weights involved in a motive power plant of 180,000 horsepower and for a battery of ten 50-caliber 14-inch guns with their heavy barbettes and turrets, there cannot be very much displacement left for side armor; and if it has been possible to carry a belt of say four to six-inch armor throughout some 500 feet of the length of these ships the designers have done very well indeed.
"Now it has been well established in the present war that any such light armor as this, when opposed to shells of 11- to 15-inch caliber, serves no better purpose than to act as a shell-burster. In the battle of Jutland the 7- and 9-inch armor of the British battle cruisers was impotent against the 11- and 12-inch shells of the Germans, and three ships were sunk by gun-fire. Calibers are constantly increasing, and our new battle cruisers, should they ever be lined up for a fight, would be the target for shells of 15-, 16- and even 18-inch caliber. Against such projectiles their necessarily light armor would be as impotent as the mere shell plating of the ship itself. Indeed, we have it on direct and highly reliable authority that the British have just completed a class of battle cruisers in which they have discarded side armor altogether, realizing that it is better to let the shells pass clear through the ship than make sure of their detonating as they pass through light armor that is insufficient to stop them.
"Basing our conviction on what has been said above, we feel justified in our belief that the placing of one-half of the boiler plant of these great ships above the water-line exposes it to the risk of being put entirely out of commission by the first successful salvo of the enemy.
"Throughout the 50 years of the development of steel warships construction it has been a fundamental principle, which we believe has never until now been violated, that the vitals of the ship (engines, boilers, magazines and steering gear) should be placed below the water-line. Water affords better protection than the thickest armor; for the shells that strike the water before they reach the ship are deflected upwards, and either pass over her altogether or enter the ship above the water-line.
"If this grave defect in the battle cruisers were irremediable, we would say let the designs go through, let the ships run the risk of losing half their boiler power and six or seven knots of their speed. But the defect is not irremediable; for it is well known, both to the Bureau of Steam Engineering of our navy and to the engineers of our great shipbuilding companies that by the substitution of the geared drive for the electric drive, it is possible to develop the 180,000 horsepower required without placing a single one of the 24 boilers, or any part of the engines, above the protective deck.
"The Navy Department experts are committed to the electric drive. They wish to employ it, even at the risk of having half the motive power of the ship put out of commission early in an engagement. The private shipbuilders, on the other hand, believe that the geared drive, which is being used on every one of the great fleet of battleships and battle cruisers which the British have built since the beginning of the war, will give better service in operation, with the added advantages that the power plant will be safe against shell-fire, and that there will be a saving on each ship of 1000 tons of weight, and a saving in cost on the six battle cruisers of $7,500,000.
"In view of the existing dilemma, and of the fact that upon the behavior of these great ships may depend some day the issues of victory or defeat for the United States Navy, we respectfully suggest to the Secretary of the Navy that he submit this question to the Naval Consulting Board or to an independent board of naval architects and naval engineers selected by the Naval Consulting Board. In doing so he will be backed up by precedents, such as the case of the decision as to whether "the United States should build a canal at Nicaragua or Panama, and again on the question of whether that canal should be high-level or sea-level. The two Panama Canal boards passed on an expenditure of $400,000,000; and a like sum of $400,000,000 is involved in the 16 capital ships of the three-year program that are affected by this question of electric versus geared drive.
"But, above all, there may be involved in this matter the fate of the nation."
Nikola Tesla, who was active in the development of the induction motor for commercial use, made the following statement in the New York Herald:
"The perfection of the modern high-speed gear was a veritable tour de force of the scientific machinist. It is a wonderful device, but it has its inseparable weaknesses and shortcomings. Since the friction loss in it is sensibly constant through a wide range of performance, a relatively great amount of energy is absorbed at small load. The gear is likewise very sensitive to shocks and vibrations, which break down the capillary oil film, vital to smooth running. In consequence, there is great waste of power when the resisting force is subject to frequent and sudden fluctuations. Measurements I made with turbine gears have shown that while the efficiency with steady and normal effort was 96 per cent, not more than 90 per cent was realized with a rapidly varying load. This is what might be expected in practice. Any one who has listened to the tortured engines of a steamship in heavy sea could not have failed to observe how the turning effort varies as the vessel rolls, pitches and ploughs through billows and conflicting undercurrents. A similar state of things is apt to confront a warship in action, as was evidenced in recent naval engagements, when mountains of water were raised by the exploding shells. Under such circumstances the gear is at a great disadvantage, as the electric drive is susceptible to these drawbacks in a much smaller degree. The idea that the gear transmits more of the primary power to the propeller than the combination of dynamo and motor is, therefore, largely illusionary. There is ample evidence, experimental and inferential that rather the opposite is true.
"Considering the efficiency of the screw as distinct from that attained in the transmission of power, it is admittedly better with the electric drive, this conclusion being entirely based on the superior adaptability and flexibility of the system. But there are deeper causes which should be taken into account. The interposition of electromagnetic means between the turbine and propeller materially reduces the loss due to shocks, vibrations, racing and other disturbances owing to inherent elastic resilience and equalizing tendency. The saving of energy thus effected at high-speed and in a heavy sea is considerable.
"Economy in cruising is one of the most desirable qualities of a war vessel. This is its ordinary use, for the chance of ever being engaged in battle is remote. The bitterest opponents of the electric drive do not deny that it excels in this feature, upon which the manufacturer chiefly relies in guaranteeing a fuel consumption from 10 to 12 per cent smaller than with the gear. The latter is hopelessly condemned by inability of adjustment to varying speed and wasteful in cruising operations, while the former is readily adaptable and economical under all conditions.
"Another quality of the electric drive which may prove especially valuable in action, is its capacity of carrying great overload without danger, owing to the nature of the connection between the turbine and propeller, as explained. The gear is rigid and unyielding and any increase of effort, particularly if sudden, may cause a breakdown.
"Referring to the auxiliaries proper and other apparatus for ship use to which are chargeable approximately 20 per cent of the fuel consumed, a very substantial saving of power will be achieved through the introduction of the electrical method.
"Quite apart from this central station supply will be operative in reducing other waste, many accessories will be dispensed with and general economy materially increased.
"But from the military point of view the quickness, ease and precision of control will perhaps be the most significant of the advantages gained. Everything may be made to respond instantly to the pressure of a button. By reversing the motors the vessel may be brought from full speed to a stop within its length. It will be possible to make it go through all evolutions with extraordinary rapidity and a perfection of maneuver, undreamed of before, will be attained.
"A curious mistake is made by the advocates of the turbine gear in estimating relative weight. It hardly needs be stated that it is unfair, if not absurd, to compare arrangements of widely different character and scope. Only such as are capable of accomplishing the same results should be considered. Now, a gear drive corresponding to the electric would consist of four main turbines with gears, four reversing turbines of the same capacity, and eight smaller driving and reversing turbines for cruising. The agglomeration of complex and not all too rugged machinery, with its network of water, air and oil pipes, valves, pumps and attachments, would by far exceed in weight the proposed electric drive, and would also require better structural protection, not to speak of other defects and shortcomings.
"It should be observed, however, that the weights must be taken in their relation to that of the ship. One equipment may be heavier than another, but if it is more efficient and thereby reduces the weight of fuel and other cargo, it is for all purposes the lighter of the two.
"The same is true of the cost. Comparative figures mean nothing. The question is whether the investment of capital is justified by what is to be accomplished. But enough has been said to show that for results in all respects equivalent, assuming them to be possible, the gear type, notwithstanding all claims to the contrary would be more expensive.
"That the electric drive is experimental and uncertain of performance is the least tenable of adverse assertions. In the first place, it has been successfully employed on a number of vessels and a great many more are being built. It also was found to be capable of an efficiency higher than that of any other form. But this is quite immaterial. The confidence that in the present instance all expectations will be realized is not based on a few demonstrations, but on years of experience with newer plants ever since my system was commercially inaugurated. Tens of millions of horsepower of induction motors are now in use the world over and no failure is recorded.
"The new cruisers will require 180,000 horsepower each, which, if necessary can be developed by four units of 45,000 horsepower. Turbines of that capacity have been constructed and are in operation to-day. Dynamos of corresponding output have been installed at several places and are supplying light and power to large cities and districts. Induction motors of 15,000 horsepower are being turned out by the manufacturers and can be produced in any size that may be desired, for of all kinds of motors this is the simplest and most dependable. Long since the whole system has been worked out and perfected to the least detail. The project is colossal, but it can be readily carried out by any of the new concerns who are possessed of the proper facilities. Not even a new tool has to be made. There is nothing whatever untried or hazardous about the electric drive.
"Much stress is laid on reports, still to be verified, that it was rejected by England and Germany. But this is of no consequence. It has been rejected here more than once. Besides, there was war in the air of Europe and the time for radical innovations unpropitious. Moreover, the Diesel engine was looming up with large possibilities and Dr. Fottinger's hydraulic drive was being tried. The beginning must be made somewhere and it would be deplorable indeed if the United States, where the invention was first announced and introduced on a gigantic scale, were the last to recognize it. Such mistakes have happened only too often. The foreign navies are not in the habit of keeping the press informed of their doings and it is safe to predict that if progress in this country is much retarded there will be a repetition of previous disappointments.
"It is unnecessary to dwell on other objections which are of minor importance and of no bearing on the principle. Without going into tedious technical discussion, it may be stated that the electric drive, if judiciously designed, will have not less than 25 per cent of fuel and, with due regard to this and certain specific and invaluable advantages, will be lighter, cheaper and in every respect more dependable than the gear. In fact, I believe that a scheme can be devised permitting the placing of all vital parts below the water-line. In view of this, it is to be hoped that the Secretary of the Navy will not pay attention to the protests of rivals, however patriotic, but will cause the good work to be pushed to completion with all the power at his command."
The Army and Navy Journal says:
"The statement of J. Bernard Walker, editor of the Scientific American, and also a member of the naval committee of the National Security League, that the plans for the four battle cruisers authorized in last year's naval program have a ' grave military defect' in that they call for the installation of half the boiler equipment above the main armor belt, is but the latest of a score of such criticisms which have come from civilian experts recently. While no officers of the Bureau of Construction and Repair in the Navy Department could be induced to answer Mr. Walker's statement, an explicit reply—which is 'official,' by the way—can be obtained from statements made before the Committee on Naval Affairs of the House in December last. Chief Constructor David W. Taylor, chief of the bureau, told the committee that while the plans did call for the installation of half the boilers above the protective deck, this 'is not a feature of the electric drive per se.' It did not apply, he added, in the case of plans for electrically driven battleships. In the case of the battle cruisers, he said, it was planned to protect the upper tier of boilers by 'armor and a special steel deck.' The important point was made at the same hearing that, even should the upper tier of boilers be disabled despite their special protection, the lower tier (below the protective deck) would insure the battle cruiser 'a speed of 30 knots, which is as fast as any existing battle cruiser that we have information about.'
"It can be added here that the arrangement of the boilers in the new ships was necessary, in the view of the naval constructors, in order that they might be protected from the far more serious menace of a torpedo attack. If all the boilers (there are to 24) were placed below the main protective deck, many would be crowded too near the sides of the ship, decreasing the space available for the safety compartments which are to be included in the new vessels and thus increasing appreciably the possibility of the ship's being disabled by a well-aimed torpedo. In the plans adopted— which have aroused so much criticism—the boilers are divided into two distinct series, 12 in each, with an armored deck between. The all-important dynamos are in every case to be below the protective deck. As was pointed out officially before the committee, the disabling of a dynamo would mean 'the serious reduction of the fighting capacity of the ship and her steering ability.'
"Despite the continued attacks on the electric drive, there is not the least tendency in the Navy Department to change from this method of propulsion. The extreme success of the fuel ship Jupiter is alone enough to impel further trials of the electric drive. Speaking of the Jupiter, a high official of the department recently said that she was without exception 'the most satisfactory fuel ship we have afloat to-day…we do not know she is afloat, she causes so little trouble.'"
The Army and Navy Register says:
"An interesting session of the Senate Naval Committee occurred on the sudden call of its chairman, Mr. Tillman, on February 10, when Chief Constructor D. VV. Taylor and Engineer-in-Chief R. S. Griffin appeared and defended the details of the designs adopted, mainly, for the new battle cruisers. This was a transfer to Congress of the fight against the adoption of the electric drive as the motive power of that type. Much has been said and written by experts outside of the Navy Department in criticism of the proposed installation- of the electric drive on the battle cruisers. Members of the House and Senate naval committees have received numerous communications in emphatic protest, and Secretary Daniels and Rear Admiral Griffin have taken occasion to reply in equally positive language defending the position and policy of the Navy Department. The House Naval Committee refused to go into the question on the ground that it was an entirely technical subject with which the bureau experts of the Navy Department had exclusively to do and as something for which they must be held responsible. The attempt to involve that committee in the controversy failed. Mr. Tillman, however, was impressed with the information which has come to him, while Senators Poindexter and Lodge appear to have been equally desirous of hearing the departmental side of the case. The complainant on Saturday was Mr. J. B. Walker, the editor of the Scientific American, who explained why the committee should revise the plans of the Navy Department to the extent of having a board of engineers, not connected with the service, pass on the problem of motive power and, possibly, some other matters which were incidentally introduced. The naval officers present called for the names of such engineers who had gone on record against the departmental project and who, at the same time, had no financial interest in the situation. Mr. Walker is described as having been unable to enlighten the committee by such an identification of disinterested experts. The Senate Naval Committee came finally to the conclusion which had been reached by members of the House committee that the subject under discussion was. something with which a congressional committee could not afford to interfere.
"Frank J. Sprague, member of the naval consulting board and chairman of the committee on electricity of that organization, has made public a letter which he had written to United States Senator Claude A. Swanson defending the installation of the electric drive on the new battle cruisers.
"Mr. Sprague, it is said, had the authority of the Secretary of the Navy behind him in forwarding the letter. He is regarded as one of the leading electrical experts in the country and has for years advocated the use of electricity for driving battleships.
"He was by various reasons moved to enter the present controversy now being waged over the question whether electric power or turbines should be used for driving the ships. One of these reasons is the contention that the Navy Department cannot enter such a discussion without revealing a large amount of secret information.
"The plan calls for the installation of 180,000 horsepower electrical engines, 'The wisdom of this decision was challenged,' writes Mr. Sprague, 'by Charles Curtis of the International Curtis Marine Turbine Company, which company would, if geared turbines were adopted instead of the electric drive, be a beneficiary by a large amount of royalties. It is, of course, difficult for one engaged in a commercial enterprise which may be seriously affected to be, even if unconsciously so, unaffected in his judgment by personal interests, but I prefer to believe that Mr. Curtis was actuated by a desire that our cruisers should be the best afloat.
"'Failing to get a reconsideration of the Navy Department's decision a number of prominent engineers have been requested to write, and several have written letters based on certain adverse information supplied them, some condemning without reserve the decision of the department and others urging that the matter be referred to the naval consulting board or some other board of civilian engineers.'
"Mr. Sprague then discusses the issues raised on both sides, whether the electrical equipment required to drive the ship can be constructed and also whether the geared turbines necessary for such a powerful drive can be constructed. Then he continues:
"'Assuming that a favorable reply to both these inquiries could be had…What then? Let us assume further that when compared it is found that there are known differences of cost and weights against the electric equipment and certain structural differences inherent to each—a large number of which have not been publicly discussed, and which it would seem unwise to open for general discussion at this critical time, when the spreading broadcast of the detail construction of these ships may well be gravely questioned.
"'Right here any possibility of decision by outside civilian engineers must halt, for it is inconceivable that with all the known facts in hand the Navy Department would or could surrender to outside advisers, directly or even inferentially, the selection between two known and accepted methods of drive, with their varying influence upon the distribution of weights, location of turrets and armor, size and disposition of compartments and the result of flooding, the distribution of fuel, the distances of machinery from the skin of the ship, provision against torpedo damage, the necessities of handling ships in emergencies and the results of failure of any parts. With these in hand there can be no proper decision except through the proper governmental agencies. Nor is there a single engineer in the lay world who is warranted in taking upon himself any such decision.
"'As I stated, I believe that it is possible to drive ships with geared turbines of the character indicated, but that is simply an assumption from analysis and report. I do not know, and very few other people here know much as to the facts. But I do know, in spite of any statements to the contrary, whatever the authority, that generators and motors of the size indicated can be built, and that if necessary they can even be controlled by a push button from the bridge; and I do not think that I overstate the case when I say that there are few engineers in my profession who will seriously question my assertion in a matter of this kind."
Marine Engineering says:
"Most of the criticism recently aroused against the Navy Department's battle cruiser designs apparently originated either from persons financially interested in some form of propelling machinery which they hoped to have incorporated in these designs or from disinterested but uninformed persons with a smattering of engineering training whose superficial knowledge of warship design and lack of understanding of the military value of the various factors governing the design of these particular vessels make their criticisms practically valueless. Needless to say, the design of every warship represents a compromise, and without a complete understanding of the various factors governing the design, both from a military and from an engineering standpoint, criticisms are of little value. As a matter of fact, the new battle cruisers represent a step far in advance of anything which has so far been attempted in warship design in any country, and the features now subject to outside criticisms have received the unqualified approval of the general board of the navy only after the most careful and mature deliberation."
Shipping Illustrated says:
"The Navy Department may well feel hurt by the incompetent criticism that is being circulated in the lay press concerning the electric machinery of the new battleships and battle cruisers. One feature of the subject that does not seem to be obvious to the average man is that the electric drive is manufactured by an engineering firm that operates its own works, while in the case of steam turbine machinery, the patentees delegate the work to the shipbuilders themselves. Thus, there is every reason on the part of the shipbuilders to attack the electric drive because it takes work away from them. When the first naval vessel fitted with this type of propulsion, the collier Jupiter was built, the hull itself having been built at a government yard, very little was said. But when the government decided to install the electric drive in battleships built by contract the shoe began to pinch. Once and for all, however, let it be well understood that the geared turbine would be as great an experiment as the electric drive in the case of a battleship. There may be more experience back of the geared turbine, but this experience as far as the navy is concerned has been derived from small vessels. No foreign battleship that we know of has ever been driven by gearing in connection with steam turbines and if any system of gearing is to be used at all in connection with a battleship it would seem as if the electric drive possessed all the advantages. From all points of view it is regrettable that a feature of engineering about which even experts are divided should have been dragged down to the irresponsible level upon which it has been put by the ignorant critics of the Navy Department. We hold no brief for the electric drive but we are on principle opposed to the injection of "hot air" into what is purely a scientific question for professional men to decide.
Shipbuilders’ Attitude Toward Naval Preparedness.—Mr. J. A. Powell, President of the Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation, in an article published in Marine Engineering, discusses the attitude of American shipbuilders as follows:
"In considering the growth and future development of American shipbuilding it is impossible to ignore the position of most of the older shipbuilding companies in connection with the movement for national naval preparedness. The larger yards on the Eastern coast have to-day given up about three-fourths of their capacity to naval contracts, and those yards that have been engaged in government business stand ready to work to the limit of their facilities in producing vessels for the navy's requirements. It is in the face of this fact that Congress has been asked to appropriate $12,000,000 in addition to the $6,000,000 appropriated a year ago to fit out a number of navy yards for the construction of capital naval ships. This legislation will probably shortly become a law, with a result that we shall see the national government embarked on a shipbuilding venture running into hundreds of millions of dollars. The labor for this work can only be drawn from private yards and will primarily come from those yards at present building government vessels. In addition to the hampering weight of governmental red tape and inefficiency of productivity, all this labor so diverted will be further decreased by an amount equivalent to the thirty days' annual leave granted every employee in navy yards.
"The Secretary has stated to the naval committee that he desires navy yards to be equipped to build one-third of the vessels required for the navy, working the laborer a single shift of eight hours, and then proceeds to call for equipment for navy yards that would provide for the construction of a continuous program as large as that upon which the government has now embarked. It is significant that never since the battleship Connecticut was begun at the New York Navy Yard in 1002 has that yard been without a battleship under construction. Some years only a single battleship has been included in the naval appropriation bill, but always Congress has taken care of its own, and the country at large should take pause and consider the effect of a half dozen arsenals fitted out to carry on this work. It is my belief that this can only result in the creation of a powerful political lobby to carry on the campaign for naval preparedness, whether or not the present need therefore may continue. It is more than possible, even probable, that with this large increase in naval shipbuilding facilities and following the completion of the naval program, great pressure will be brought to bear to expend the $50,000,000 appropriated for the use of the shipping board in the building of merchant ships in government yards, and the stupendous proportions to which this phase of government ownership and operation may develop require the most careful public consideration.
"I am very frankly opposed to this policy. Certain shipyards have offered to build vessels of this naval program on basis of cost and percentage, both overhead charges and profit to be determined by the Federal Trade Commission, and our company has offered to build in competition with the navy yards and at their price, under the supervision of public accountants with a view to disclosing to the public the utter extravagance and wicked wastefulness of this proposed government expenditure. It is a fact that it is impossible to tell and nobody knows to-day what is the cost of building a ship at a government yard. Through a system of bookkeeping that is little less than willfully deceitful, figures are turned in as representing costs that have but a vague resemblance to the expenditures actually entailed in warship construction, but the taxpayer pays the balance of the bills, and so long as he does not know what this balance is this unwise expenditure can be expected to continue.
Universal Military Training.—Two bills relating to universal military service were introduced in the Congress during the closing days of the session. It is understood that these bills were submitted, not for immediate action, but rather for discussion with the idea of crystallizing opinion by the time the next Congress meets. The text of the two bills is quoted below from the Army and Navy Journal:
"The Revised Chamberlain-Moseley Military Training Bill.—S. 1695, Mr. Chamberlain.—To provide for the military and naval training of the citizen forces of the United States. Be it enacted, etc., That every male person (a) who is a citizen of the United States or (b) who has made a declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United States shall, except as provided herein, undergo military or naval training as prescribed by the President for a period of six months during the calendar year in which he reaches the age of 19 years, or, if not then, within the description of either (a) or (b) of this section, in the calendar year in which he first comes within such description or in the year immediately following. No person shall be subject to such training after the year in which he attains the age of 26 years, except as otherwise provided in Sec. 2, nor for more than one period of such training. During the first calendar year in which there is training under this act the period of training shall be three months.
"Sec. 2. Continued Liability to Train.—That if any person liable to training does not train in any year in which he is subject thereto, he shall, in addition to the penalties prescribed by law, undergo training in the next succeeding year up to the calendar year in which he reaches the age of 26 years, and avoiding training in any year shall constitute a separate offense.
"Sec. 3. Exemptions.—That there shall be exempted from training (a) members of the permanent military or naval forces of the United States; and (b) persons physically unfit for any military or naval service whatever; and (c) persons on whose earnings a father, mother, brother, sister, wife, or child is wholly dependent for support. Every person exempted under (b) and (c) of this section shall be required to report for reexamination at periods fixed by regulation, up to and including the year in which he attains the age of 25 years, and if on any such re-examination it is determined that the cause of exemption no longer exists, he shall undergo training in the next training period.
"Sec. 4. Training of Members of Certain Religious Sects.—-That members of any religious sect or organization now organized and existing whose creed forbids its members to bear arms in war shall not be required to undergo training in the bearing or use of arms, but shall be trained in the non-combatant branches of the military or naval service.
"Sec. 5. Criminals and Persons of Had Character.—That a person who has been convicted of a felony, or who is of notoriously bad character, shall undergo training only in a special unit or units.
"Sec. 6. Credits for Military Instruction.—That any person who has completed a course of instruction approved for this purpose by the Secretary of War or by the Secretary of the Navy shall be allowed a credit, which shall consist of the deduction from the training period of not more than one month for each year in which he has completed such course to the satisfaction of the Secretary of War or of the Secretary of the Navy, except that the period of actual training undergone as a member of the Citizen Reserve Army or Citizen Reserve Navy shall never he reduced to less than three months by such credits.
"Sec. 7. Expenses.—That persons undergoing training shall receive transportation and subsistence while going to and returning from the place of training, and subsistence, clothing and medical attendance while undergoing training.
"Sec. 8. Training Strictly Personal.—That no substitute shall be accepted in place of any person called for training under the provisions of this act, and no such person shall be permitted to escape training or be discharged therefrom by the payment of money or any other thing of value.
"Sec. 9. Issuance of Certificate and Rosette.—That each person exempted from training shall receive a certificate of exemption, and each person who has completed his training shall receive a certificate of training and a distinctive rosette showing the year's class to which the wearer belongs. Whenever a certificate or rosette issued under the provisions of this section is lost, destroyed or rendered unfit for use, without fault or neglect upon the part of the person to whom it is issued, a new certificate or rosette shall be issued to such person without charge therefore. No person shall wear a rosette to which he is not entitled, and no person shall use a certificate to which he is not entitled.
"Sec. 10. Naturalization.—That no person liable to be trained under this act shall be naturalized as a citizen of the United States unless he has a certificate of training or an unexpired certificate of temporary exemption or a certificate of permanent exemption from training or is undergoing training.
"Sec. 11. Persons Without Certificate Ineligible to Certain Employments.—That no person liable to be trained under this act shall hold any position of trust or profit created or authorized by the Congress of the United States unless he has a certificate of training or an unexpired certificate of temporary exemption or a certificate of permanent exemption from training.
"Sec. 12. Employment of Person Without Certificate Prohibited.—That no person, corporation, partnership, or association shall hire, engage, employ, or continue to employ, any person up to the age of 28 years who is or has been liable to be trained under this act, unless he has a certificate of training or an unexpired certificate of temporary exemption or a certificate of permanent exemption from training.
"Sec. 13. Training Districts.—That for the purposes of this act the Secretary of War shall, subject to the approval of the President, divide the territory of the United States into such training districts as may be convenient, and shall establish for training purposes in each such district one or more cantonments. As far as practicable, such division shall include a single state or group of states.
"Sec. 14. Registration and Examination.—That every person liable to undergo training shall register himself or be registered by a parent or guardian, and shall submit to examination as to physical fitness at a place and time fixed by the Secretary of War, except that the President may designate any consular office of the United States as a place of registration and examination for persons resident without the territory of the United States.
"Sec. 15. Naval Training; Expression of Preference as to Kind and Time of Training.—That the President may require such portion as he deems advisable of the entire number of persons undergoing training in any year to undergo naval training. Every person may at the time of registration express his preference for training (a) in the army or the navy, or (b) in any arm or corps of either service, or (c) in any time of the year. As far as practicable, any preference so expressed shall be considered in assigning persons to training.
"Sec. 16. Registration Districts.—That for the purposes of this act the Secretary of War shall, subject to the approval of the President, provide in each training district such number of registration districts as may be convenient.
"Sec. 17. Board of Medical Examiners.—That the President shall appoint a board of medical examiners in each registration district. The board shall consist of three medical examiners, who shall be medical officers of the regular army or navy, the medical reserve corps, or the public health service, or physicians or surgeons regally authorized to practice within the district. Such physicians and surgeons who are not regularly in the service of the United States shall be paid according to the rate of pay of medical officers of the rank of first lieutenant. The board shall examine all persons appearing for registration as to physical fitness, and its decision shall be final.
"Sec. 18. Board of Registration.—That the President shall appoint a board of registration in each registration district. The board shall consist of three members to be appointed from officers and employees of the United States. The board shall convene at times fixed by the Secretary of War at one or more convenient places within the district, and shall hear and determine (a) applications for exemptions, except for physical unfitness, and (b) applications for training as a non-combatant. The board or any member thereof shall have power to administer oaths, and shall have the same power as a district court of the United States in civil cases to issue subpoenas for the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of documentary evidence and to order the taking of depositions. Any such district court having jurisdiction of the parties shall enforce obedience to the subpoenas of the board, and shall issue and enforce obedience to subpoenas for the taking of depositions. Witnesses shall be entitled to the same fees and mileage as witnesses in such district courts.
"Sec. 19. Appeals.—That an appeal from a decision of the board of registration may be made within 30 days to the district court of the United States for the district in which the applicant resides or in which the board was sitting at the time of hearing, or to the court of the first instance of the Philippine Islands, if the applicant resides in the Philippine Islands, or to the district court of Porto Rico if the applicant resides in Porto Rico, or to the district court of the Canal Zone. The decision of such court shall be final. The applicant shall not be required to undergo training while his appeal is pending, but if his application is denied, he shall undergo training during the period of training next following the final determination of his appeal unless otherwise exempt.
"Sec. 20. Reserve Citizen Army and Reserve Citizen Navy.—That every person liable to training shall, from the date fixed for the beginning of his training until the end of the calendar year in which he reaches the age of 28 years, be a member of the reserve citizen army, unless designated for naval training, in which case he shall be a member of the reserve citizen navy, and of the class of the calendar year in which he is trained, except that a person while holding a commission or a warrant as officer in the reserve citizen army or the reserve citizen navy shall not be a member of any class. Every person who (a) becomes a member of the permanent military or naval forces of the United States, or (b) having been a citizen of the United States ceases to be such a citizen, or (c) not having been a citizen of the United States permanently removes therefrom shall cease to be such a member. Each member of the reserve citizen army shall be subject to the articles of war, and each member of the reserve citizen navy shall be subject to the articles for the government of the navy, from the date fixed for the beginning of his training until the end of his training. Each member of the reserve citizen army shall be subject to the laws, orders and regulations governing the regular army of the United States, and each member of the reserve citizen navy shall be subject to the laws, orders and regulations governing the navy of the United States, from the date on which he is called by the President into the service of the United States until discharged therefrom. Each such member shall be entitled from the date of reporting for duty under such call to service and until discharged therefrom to the pay and allowances of an officer or enlisted man of the same grade in the regular army or navy.
"Sec. 21. Annual Report.—That the President is authorized to require all members of the reserve citizen army and of the reserve citizen navy to report annually in person for not more than one day during each of the years in which they are members of the reserve citizen army or reserve citizen navy, at places which shall, as far as practicable, be convenient to them.
"Sec. 22. Mobilization of Reserve Citizen Army and Reserve Citizen Navy.—That in the event of a defensive war or of imminent danger thereof the President may call into the service of the United States all or any part of the reserve citizen army and the reserve citizen navy. The officers and warrant officers may be called out in accordance with the needs of the service, but the other members of the reserve citizen army and reserve citizen navy shall be called out by classes; the youngest class or any part thereof which the President at the time of any call deems available for service shall be called first. If only a part of one class be called, the President shall apportion the number called among the states, territories and possessions, and the District of Columbia, in the proportion which the population of each bears to the population of all. The reserve citizen army or the reserve citizen navy shall not be used in cases of strikes or other industrial disputes.
"Sec. 23. Expenses of Mobilization.—That in the event of call for service the cost of transportation to and subsistence during transportation to mobilization camps and all other expenses of mobilization shall be paid by the United States.
"Sec. 24. Service Strictly Personal.—That no substitute shall be accepted in place of any person called for service under the provisions of this act, and no such person shall be permitted to escape service or be discharged therefrom by the payment of money or any other thing of value.
"Sec. 25. Service of Members of Certain Religious Sects.—That members of any religious sect or organization now organized and existing whose creed forbids its members to bear arms in war shall not be required to bear or use arms, but shall serve in the non-combatant branches of the military or naval service.
"Sec. 26. Members of the Regular Army and Navy as Officers of the Reserve Citizen Army and Reserve Citizen Navy.—That the President may commission officers or enlisted men of the regular army or navy as officers of the reserve citizen army and reserve citizen navy. The Secretary of the Navy may warrant enlisted men in the navy as warrant officers of the reserve citizen navy. Such commissions and warrants shall only be in effect while such officers or enlisted men are in active service with the reserve citizen army or reserve citizen navy or are employed for training hereunder. Such officers and enlisted men shall be entitled to the pay and allowances of their grades in the reserve citizen army and reserve citizen navy while in active service, but not while employed for training hereunder. Officers of the regular army and navy shall not vacate their regular army or navy commissions nor shall they be prejudiced in their relative or lineal standing therein by reason of their service under their commissions in the reserve citizen army or reserve citizen navy. Service with the reserve citizen army shall be deemed service with the troops under the meaning of the Act of August 24, 1912, entitled, 'An act making appropriations for the support of the army for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1914, and for other purposes.' and the Act of April 27, 1914, entitled, 'An act making appropriations for the support of the army for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1915.'
"Sec. 27. Volunteer Officers of Reserve Citizen Army and Reserve Citizen Navy.—That the President may commission as officers of the reserve citizen army persons who volunteer for such service and who have passed examination as provided by the Secretary of War, and as officers of the reserve citizen navy persons who volunteer for such service and who have passed examination as provided by the Secretary of the Navy. There shall be admitted to such examinations (a) officers of the organized militia or naval reserve of any state or territory; (b) members of the officers' reserve corps of the United States Army; (c) men who have attended at least one army training camp or naval training cruise: (d) men who have had at least two years' military training in a school or college approved by the Secretary of War, or at least two years' naval training in a school or college approved by the Secretary of the Navy; (e) men who have had a period of training under this act; (f) other persons whose training has been approved by the Secretary of War or the Secretary of the Navy. Such officers of the reserve citizen army or the reserve citizen navy shall be subject to call by the Secretary of War or the Secretary of the Navy, respectively for service in training persons under the provisions of this act for not more than two months during each of the three years succeeding his appointment, and shall be entitled during such service to the pay and allowances of the same grades of the regular army or navy.
"Sec. 28. Promotion and Retirement of Volunteer Officers of the Reserve Citizen Army and Reserve Citizen Navy.—Volunteer officers of the reserve citizen army and reserve citizen navy shall be promoted and retired only under regulations prescribed by the President: Provided, That promotions shall only be made after examination. The President shall prescribe according to the necessities of the service the amount of training to be required in each grade.
"Sec. 29. Discharge of Volunteer Officers of Reserve Citizen Army and Reserve Citizen Navy.—That at any time the moral character, capacity and general fitness for the service of any volunteer officer of the reserve citizen army or reserve citizen navy may be determined by an efficiency board of three commissioned officers of the reserve citizen army or reserve citizen navy senior to him in rank. If the findings of such board be unfavorable to such officer and be approved by the Secretary of War or the Secretary of the Navy, as the case may be, he shall be discharged.
"Sec. 30. Organization of Reserve Citizen Army and Reserve Citizen Navy.—That the President shall organize the reserve citizen army and reserve citizen navy, or such classes thereof as he shall deem expedient, into corps, divisions and other units similar to those in which the regular army and navy are divided, and shall assign officers of the reserve citizen army and the reserve citizen navy to various units.
"Sec. 31. Co-operation of Other Departments.— That the President is authorized to employ all other departments and agencies of the government for the purposes of this act to the extent he may deem necessary.
"Sec. 32. Use of Regular Army and Navy.—That the President is authorized to employ the regular army and navy, or any part of their personnel, equipment, or materiel, for the purposes of this act. Whenever necessary in order to make available sufficient officers and noncommissioned officers for the purposes of this act the President may, if the public safety so permits, suspend the organization of units of the regular army. The Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy shall purchase such further equipment or materiel as may be appropriated for by Congress.
"Sec. 33. Grounds and Cantonments.—It shall be the duty of the Secretary of War to acquire by purchase and lease real estate required for the purposes of this act, and to construct, equip and maintain buildings or cantonments, within the amounts appropriated therefore by Congress.
"Sec. 34. Notice by Proclamation:—That the President shall, by proclamation posted in a conspicuous place in the post-offices and consular offices of the United States, fix the time and place for any registration, examination, report, enrollment, training or muster into service under this act. and no personal notice shall be necessary to bring any person or class of persons within the provisions of this act.
"Sec. 35. Pensions.—That all laws relating to pensions of members of the regular army or navy and their families in time of war shall apply to members of the reserve citizen army and the reserve citizen navy who suffer disability or death while actually undergoing training or while in active service, or while proceeding to or from such training or service, and to the members of their families.
"Sec. 36. Leave of Absence for Government Employees.—That all employees of the United States Government shall be allowed a leave of absence without pay during the time that they are undergoing training or reporting under this act.
"Sec. 37. Employee Not to be Prejudiced.—That no employer shall in any way penalize or prejudice or attempt to penalize or prejudice, in his employment, any employee for training or appearing for registration, examination, or report under this act, either by reducing his wages or dismissing him from his employment or in any other manner. But this section shall not be construed to require an employer to pay an employee for any time when he is absent from his employment.
"Sec. 38. False Registration.—That no person shall make or be a party to any false registration, false examination, false report, false enrollment, or other false response to any call under this act.
"Sec. 39. Intoxicating Liquors.—That no person, corporation, partnership, or association shall sell, supply, or have in his or its possession, any intoxicating or spirituous liquors or tobacco at any military or naval station, cantonment, camp, fort, post, officers' or enlisted men's club, navy yard, or aboard ship, which is being used at the time for purposes of training under this act, but the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy may make regulations permitting the sale and the use of intoxicating liquors for medicinal purposes.
"Sec. 40. Intoxicating Liquors; Persons in Uniform.—That no intoxicating or spirituous liquors shall be sold to any member of the military or naval forces of the United States while in uniform, nor shall any intoxicating or spirituous liquors be supplied to any such member while in uniform, but the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy may make regulations permitting the sale.
"Sec. 41. Penalties.—That any person, corporation, partnership or association violating this act or the regulations made there under shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, unless otherwise punishable under the articles of war or the articles for the government of the navy, be punished by a fine of not more than $1000, or imprisonment for not more than 12 months, or both. The running of time under any act limiting the time within which a prosecution for a violation of this act may be commenced shall be suspended as to any person during his absence from the jurisdiction of the United States.
"Sec. 42. Regulations.—That the President may make all regulations necessary for carrying out this act.
"Sec. 43. Time of Taking Effect.—That in so far as relates to training and to liability to undergo training, this act shall take effect on January 1 of the year next following its passage.
"Sec. 44. Laws Repealed.—That all laws and parts of laws, in so far as they are inconsistent with this act, are hereby repealed."
General Staff Universal Service Bill.—Draft of an Act for Providing a System of National Defence Based Upon Universal Liability to Military Training and Service, and for Other Purposes. Prepared by the Army General Staff.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the land force of the United States shall consist of the United States Army. All male citizens of the United States between the ages of 18 years and 45 years, all males between the ages of 21 and 45 years who have legally declared their intentions to become citizens, and all males between the ages of 18 and 21 years whose parents have been naturalized shall be liable for military service in the U. S. Army, Navy or Marine Corps, except as provided otherwise in this act, when called out by the President for military service in accordance with the provisions of this act; and from and after the date of any such call until such time as they shall be released from such service by competent authority all persons included in such call shall be subject to the Rules and Articles of War so far as they shall be applicable to persons whose permanent retention in the U. S. Army is not contemplated.
Sec. 2. Composition of the U. S. Army.—The U. S. Army shall consist of oversea garrisons, the frontier forces, the training forces, the first reserves, the second reserves, the unorganized reserves, the brigade, division, army corps and army headquarters, with their detachments and troops, a general staff corps, an adjutant general's department, an inspector general's department, a judge advocate general's department, a quartermaster's corps, a medical department, a corps of engineers, an ordnance department, a signal corps, the officers of the Bureau of Insular Affairs, the detached officers and chaplains, all organized as hereinafter provided and the following as now authorized by law: The officers and enlisted men on the retired list; the additional officers; the professors, the corps of cadets, the general army service detachment, and detachments of cavalry, field artillery, and engineers, and the band of the U. S. Military Academy; the post non-commissioned staff officers; the recruiting parties, the recruit depot detachments, and unassigned recruits; the service school detachments; the disciplinary guards; the disciplinary organizations, the Indian scouts; and such other officers and enlisted men as are now or may be hereafter provided by law.
Sec. 3. The U. S. Army shall include a permanent and a temporary personnel. The permanent personnel shall include officers, enlisted men and civilians. The officers of the permanent personnel shall include all persons who, on the date of the passage of this act, held commissions or appointments in the regular army and such other persons who shall, in accordance with the provisions of this act, be hereafter appointed or commissioned either permanently or provisionally in such personnel, and the temporary second lieutenants appointed pursuant to Sec. 40 of this act: Provided, That the term "permanent" is employed in this act in connection with the personnel of the several staff corps and departments solely to distinguish the officers and enlisted men permanently belonging thereto and officers of the line detailed therein from reserve officers and noncommissioned officers and recruits temporarily serving therewith, and nothing in this act shall operate to increase the number of officers permanently commissioned in any staff corps or department.
The enlisted men shall include all persons who shall be serving an enlistment in the regular army on the date of the passage of this act and all persons who may hereafter enlist in the U. S. Army in accordance with the provisions of this act: Provided, That hereafter all enlistments in the U. S. Army shall be for a period of three years unless sooner discharged in accordance with the provisions of existing law: Provided further, That commanders of divisional areas and coast artillery districts may, upon the recommendation of commanders of regiments, battalions or equivalent units, authorize the enlistment and reenlistment for periods of one year unless sooner discharged pursuant to existing law of selected men for service only in the training forces. The civilians shall include all persons other than permanent officers, reserve officers, enlisted men, reservists and recruits, employed for duty with any headquarters or unit of the U. S. Army. The temporary personnel shall include reserve officers, reservists and recruits. The reserve officers shall include all persons holding appointments in the reserve officers' corps. The reservists shall include all persons liable to military service who have completed their prescribed period of training and service in the training forces, and all other persons liable to military service who are not liable to training and service in said forces. The recruits shall include all persons undergoing training and service in the training forces, who have not completed their prescribed periods of training and service therein. White and colored enlisted or enrolled men shall not be organized in or assigned to the same company, battalion or regiment.
Sec. 4. The Oversea Garrisons.—The oversea garrisons shall consist of such permanent commissioned officers, enlisted men and civilians as shall be required for garrison duty outside the continental limits of the United States, and shall be organized as provided in this act into three division headquarters, 10 brigade headquarters, three coast artillery district headquarters, 29 regiments of infantry, live regiments of cavalry, six regiments of field artillery, 74 coast artillery company or equivalent units, three regiments of engineers, three field signal battalions, eight aero squadrons, three balloon companies, the Philippine Scouts organized as now provided by law and such additional staff personnel, and such numbers of engineer, ammunition, supply and sanitary trains or such portions of such trains as the President may direct in accordance with the requirements of the service: Provided, That the President is hereby authorized to retain within the continental limits of the United States, until such time as in his discretion their services can be spared, and barracks or quarters therefore provided overseas, such number of units herein authorized as are not on the date of the passage of this act stationed beyond the continental limits of the United States.
Sec. 5. The frontier Forces.—The frontier forces shall consist of such permanent commissioned officers, enlisted men and civilians as shall be required for frontier protection and expeditionary duty at all times, and shall be organized as provided in this act into one division headquarters, three brigade headquarters, six regiments of infantry, three regiments of cavalry, two regiments of field artillery, 47 coast artillery company or equivalent units, one regiment of engineers, one field signal battalion, and two aero squadrons, and such additional staff personnel, and such numbers of engineer, ammunition, supply and sanitary trains or such portions of such trains as the President may direct in accordance with the requirements of the service.
Sec. 6. The Training Forces.— The training forces shall consist of such permanent commissioned officers, enlisted men and civilians as shall be required to train and provide for the recruits called out annually for military training and service and, together with the recruits so called out, shall be organized as provided in this act into 16 division headquarters, 64 brigade headquarters, six coast artillery district headquarters, 144 regiments of infantry, 32 regiments of cavalry, 66 regiments of field artillery, j98 coast artillery company or equivalent units, 16 regiments of engineers, two battalions of mounted engineers, 16 field signal battalions, six telegraph battalions, two field signal battalions, mounted, 28 aero squadrons, and eight balloon companies, and such additional staff personnel, and such numbers of engineer, ammunition, supply and sanitary trains or such portions of such trains as the President may direct in accordance with the requirements of the service.
Sec. 7. The First Reserves.— The first reserves shall consist of such permanent commissioned officers, enlisted men and civilians, and such reserve officers as shall lie assigned thereto under regulations to be prescribed by the President, and of all those reservists, except as otherwise provided in this act, who, having completed their prescribed training and service with the training forces, are liable to military service in the first reserves in accordance with the provisions ol this act, and they shall be organized as far as practicable into 16 army corps headquarters, 54 division headquarters, 224 brigade headquarters, 432 regiments of infantry, 96 regiments of cavalry, 198 regiments of field artillery, the coast artillery reserves, with such personnel and organization as the President may prescribe, 48 regiments of engineers, six mounted battalions of engineers, 48 field signal battalions, 18 telegraph battalions, six field signal battalions, mounted, 84 aero squadrons, and 24 balloon companies, and such additional staff personnel and such engineer, ammunition, supply and sanitary trains as the President may direct: Provided, That until such time as the necessary number of trained reservists are available for service therein, the President is hereby authorized to assign to the various units of the first reserves but only for service therein in time of actual or threatened hostilities, such number of unorganized reservists as in the discretion of the President shall be necessary to provide for the mobilization of said units at authorized strength in the event of actual or threatened hostilities: Provided further, That such unorganized reservists shall be so assigned by classes according to age beginning with the youngest; and notification of such assignment in the manner provided in this act for the notification of persons called out for military service shall be deemed good and sufficient notice to all persons so notified of their said assignment; and no person so assigned shall be required to be physically examined except in time of actual or threatened hostilities.
Sec. 8. The Second Reserves.—The second reserves shall consist of such permanent commissioned officers, enlisted men and civilians, and such reserve officers as may be assigned thereto under regulations to be prescribed by the President, and all reservists except as otherwise provided in this act, who, having completed their prescribed military service in the first reserves, are liable for service in the second reserves in accordance with the provisions of this act, and they shall be organized as far as practicable into 16 army corps headquarters, 54 division headquarters, 224 brigade headquarters, 432 regiments of infantry, 96 regiments of cavalry, 198 regiments of field artillery, the coast artillery reserve, with such personnel and organization as the President may prescribe, 48 regiments of engineers, six mounted battalions of engineers, 48 field signal battalions, six field signal battalions, mounted, 18 telegraph battalions, 84 aero squadrons, 24 balloon companies, and such additional staff personnel, and such engineer, ammunition, supply and sanitary trains as the President may direct.
Sec. 9. The Unorganized Reserves,—The unorganized reserves shall consist of reserve officers and of all reservists, except as otherwise provided in this act, who have completed their prescribed period liable to military service under the provisions of this act.
THE TYPICAL ARMY
Sec. 10. Composition of Brigades, Divisions, Etc.—The troops of the oversea garrisons, the frontier forces and the training forces shall at all times be organized as far as practicable into brigades and divisions, and the first reserves and the second reserves into brigades, divisions and army corps, and in time of actual or threatened hostilities the President is hereby authorized to organize all or any number of such divisions and army corps into army corps or armies. The composition of the typical infantry, cavalry and field artillery brigade, the typical infantry and cavalry division, and the typical army corps shall be as prescribed in the act of Congress approved June 3, 1916. The typical army shall consist of a headquarters and two or more army corps. The headquarters of a brigade, a division, an army corps, and an army shall consist of such permanent commissioned officers, enlisted men and civilians as the President may prescribe. Each engineer, ammunition, supply and sanitary train shall consist of such commissioned officers and enlisted men and shall be organized as the President may prescribe. Nothing herein contained, however, shall operate to prevent the President from changing the composition or organization of typical brigades, divisions, army corps or armies, or from prescribing new and different organizations and personnel in lieu thereof as the efficiency of the service may require.
Sec. 11. General Staff of the Line.—The general officers of the line of the permanent personnel shall consist of 22 major generals, and 87 brigadier generals.
Sec. 12. The General Staff Corps.—The general staff corps shall consist of one chief of staff, detailed from major generals of the line of the permanent personnel, who, while so serving, shall have the rank, pay and allowances of a lieutenant general; two assistants to the chief of staff, who shall be general officers of the line; 28 colonels, one of whom shall be president of the Army War College; 13 lieutenant colonels; and 110 majors and captains; all to be detailed from the permanent commissioned personnel of the army in accordance with existing law relative to selection and the provisions of this act relative to eligibility for detail, and to perform the duties specified in the organic act of Congress approved February 14, 1903, and at such places as the President may prescribe.
Sec. 13. The Adjutant General's Department.—The permanent personnel of the adjutant general's department shall consist of the adjutant general with the rank of brigadier general; seven adjutants general with the rank of colonel; 26 adjutants general with the rank of lieutenant colonel; and 103 adjutants general with the rank of major.
Sec. 14. The Inspector General's Department.—The permanent personnel of the inspector general's department shall consist of one inspector general with the rank of brigadier general; four inspectors general with the rank of colonel; eight inspectors general with the rank of lieutenant colonel; 31 inspectors general with the rank of major.
Sec. 15. The Judge Advocate General's Department.—The permanent personnel of the judge advocate general's department shall consist of one judge advocate general with the rank of brigadier general; four judge advocates with the rank of colonel; seven judge advocates with the rank of lieutenant colonel; 35 judge advocates with the rank of major; and such number of acting judge advocates as have been or may hereafter be authorized by law.
Sec. 16. The Quartermaster Corps.—The permanent commissioned personnel of the quartermaster corps shall consist of one quartermaster general with the rank of major general; two assistants to the quartermaster general with the rank of brigadier general; 21 colonels; 53 lieutenant colonels; 127 majors; 269 captains; one first lieutenant, and 72 second lieutenants. The enlisted personnel shall consist of 183 quartermaster sergeants, senior grade; 1256 quartermaster sergeants; 689 sergeants, first class; 5441 sergeants: 1314 corporals; 515 cooks; 4880 privates, first class, including enlisted specialists; and 2453 privates. The temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and non-commissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits not exceeding 2800 as may be available for assignment thereto.
Sec. 17. The Medical Department.—The medical department shall consist of one surgeon general who shall be a permanent officer with the rank of major general during the active service of the present incumbent of that office and thereafter with the rank of brigadier general, who shall be chief of said department; a medical corps; a medical reserve corps within the limit of time now fixed by law; a dental corps; a veterinary corps; contract surgeons as now authorized by law; the nurse corps as now prescribed by law; an enlisted personnel, and a temporary personnel.
The permanent commissioned personnel of the medical corps shall consist of 48 colonels, 106 lieutenant colonels, 640 majors, 1036 captains, and 1102 first lieutenants, all appointed as now prescribed by law.
The permanent personnel of the dental corps shall consist of 500 dental surgeons. Dental surgeons shall have the rank, pay and allowances of first lieutenants until they have completed five years' service. Dental surgeons of more than nine but less than 19 years' service shall, subject to such examination as the President may prescribe, have the rank, pay and allowances of captains. Dental surgeons of more than 19 years' service shall, subject to such examination as the President may prescribe, have the rank, pay and allowances of majors.
There shall be 348 veterinarians and assistant veterinarians for duty with the oversea garrisons, the frontier forces and the training forces at the rate of two such officers for each regiment of cavalry, one for every three battalions of field artillery, and one for each battalion of mounted engineers and for duty with the quartermaster corps as inspectors of horses, mules and meats, and the President is hereby authorized, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint the additional number of assistant veterinarians authorized. Candidates for appointment as assistant veterinarians shall have the qualifications and shall pass the examinations now provided for by law with reference to rank, pay and allowances; and the President is authorized to appoint such number of reserve veterinarians as may be required to tend public animals pertaining to the quartermaster corps as now prescribed by law.
The enlisted personnel of the Medical Department shall consist of 51 master hospital sergeants, 51 hospital sergeants, 1081 sergeants (first class), 1677 sergeants, 717 corporals, 921 cooks, 184 horeshoers, 184 saddlers, 184 farriers. 184 mechanics, 3083 privates (first class), and 2529 privates.
The temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits not exceeding 33,000 as may be available for assignment thereto.
Sec. 18. Corps of Engineers.—The permanent commissioned personnel of the corps of engineers shall consist of one chief of engineers with the rank of brigadier general, 36 colonels, 43 lieutenant colonels, 98 majors, 296 captains, 306 first lieutenants and 158 second lieutenants.
The enlisted personnel shall consist of 86 master engineers, senior grade; 256 master engineers, junior grade; 20 regimental sergeants major; 42 battalion sergeants major; 40 regimental supply sergeants; three battalion supply sergeants; 40 color sergeants; 20 sergeant buglers; 128 first sergeants; 374 sergeants, first class; 126 mess sergeants; 128 supply sergeants; 128 stable sergeants; 1046 sergeants; 1662 corporals; 134 horseshoers; 153 buglers; 125 saddlers; 397 cooks; 3118 privates, first class; 2236 privates; 564 wagoners; one band leader; one assistant band leader; two band sergeants : four band corporals; two musicians, first class; four musicians, second class, and 13 musicians, third class. So much of the commissioned and enlisted personnel enumerated in this section as may be required therefore, shall, together with such number of recruits not exceeding 26,000, as may be available for assignment thereto, be organized into one engineer band, 20 regiments, 40 battalions and two mounted battalions of engineers for service in the oversea garrison, the frontier forces and the training forces as hereinafter provided. Each regiment battalion, mounted battalion, company (regimental), and mounted company of engineers and the engineer band of the oversea garrisons and frontier forces shall have the organization and the maximum personnel now provided by law. Each regiment, battalion and mounted battalion of engineers of the training forces shall have the organization and maximum personnel provided now by law. The permanent personnel of each company (regimental) of engineers of the training forces shall consist of one captain, two first lieutenants, one second lieutenant, one first sergeant, three sergeants, first class; one mess sergeant, one supply sergeant, one stable sergeant, eight sergeants, 12 corporals, one horseshoer, one bugler, one saddler, three cooks, and 24 privates, first class. Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and non-commissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 230, as may be available for assignment thereto.
The permanent personnel of each mounted engineer company of the training forces shall consist of one captain, two first lieutenants, one second lieutenant, two master engineers, junior grade; one first sergeant, two sergeants, first class; one mess sergeant, one supply sergeant, one stable sergeant, six sergeants, n corporals, two horseshoers, one saddler, two cooks, one bugler, two wagoners, and n privates, first class. Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and non-commissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 180, as may be available for assignment thereto.
The permanent personnel of the engineer band shall consist of one band leader, one assistant band leader, one first sergeant, two band sergeants, four band corporals, two musicians, first class; four musicians, second class; 13 musicians, third class, and one cook: Provided, That the enlisted force of the corps of engineers and the permanent officers and temporary personnel serving therewith shall constitute a part of the line of the army.
Each regiment, battalion, mounted battalion, company (regimental), and mounted company of engineers of the first and second reserves shall, as far as practicable, have the personnel and organization prescribed herein for like units of engineers while serving as part of an oversea garrison.
Sec. 19. The Ordnance Department.—The permanent commissioned personnel of the Ordnance Department shall consist of one chief ordnance with the rank of brigadier general, 13 colonels, 30 lieutenant colonels, 58 majors, 77 captains, and 65 first lieutenants: Provided, That hereafter the Secretary of War is authorized to detail not to exceed 100 lieutenants from the permanent commissioned personnel of the U. S. Army at large for duty as student officers in the establishments of the Ordnance Department for a period of two years; and the completion of the prescribed course of instruction shall constitute examination for detail in the Ordnance Department: Provided further, That vacancies which may occur in the commissioned personnel of the Ordnance Department shall be subject to the provisions of the act of Congress approved June 3, 1916, relating thereto.
The enlisted personnel of the Ordnance Department shall consist of 213 ordnance sergeants, 295 sergeants, 345 corporals, 1025 privates, first class, and 293 privates.
The temporary personnel of the Ordnance Department shall consist of such reserve officers and non-commissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 1350, as may be available for assignment thereto.
Sec. 20. The Signal Corps.—The permanent commissioned personnel of the signal corps shall consist of one chief signal officer with the rank of brigadier general, three colonels, 8 lieutenant colonels, 47 majors, 94 captains. 302 first lieutenants, and the permanent commissioned personnel of the aviation section of the signal corps shall consist of one colonel, one lieutenant colonel, 48 majors, 144 captains, 209 first lieutenants, and 432 aviators, detailed or employed as such.
The enlisted personnel of the signal corps shall consist of 292 master signal electricians, 1088 sergeants, first class; 1178 sergeants, 1832 corporals, 406 cooks, 96 horseshoers, 50 buglers, 2313 privates, first class, and 2473 privates.
The temporary personnel of the signal corps shall consist of such reserve officers and non-commissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 14,400, as may be available for assignment thereto.
The President is hereby authorized to prescribe from time to time the personnel and organization of aero squadrons, field signal battalions, field signal battalions, mounted, and balloon companies of the oversea garrisons, the frontier forces and the training forces and so much of the permanent commissioned and enlisted personnel of the signal corps herein enumerated, including the commissioned personnel of the aviation section, as may be required therefore, and the recruits of the temporary personnel shall be organized into 36 aero squadrons, 11 balloon companies, 20 field signal battalions, six telegraph battalions and two field signal battalions, mounted.
The personnel and organization of aero squadrons, field signal battalions, field signal battalions, mounted, and balloon companies of the first and second reserves shall be, as far as practicable, the same as the President shall prescribe for like units of an oversea garrison.
Sec. 21. Bureau of Insular Affairs of the War Department.—Nothing in this act shall be construed to repeal existing laws relating to the organization of the Bureau of Insular Affairs of the War Department.
Sec. 22. Chaplains.—The President is authorized to appoint by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, chaplains in the permanent personnel of the U. S. Army at the rate of not to exceed, including chaplains now in the service, one for each regiment of cavalry, infantry, field artillery and engineers, and one for each 15 companies or equivalent units of the coast artillery corps in the oversea garrisons, the frontier forces and the training forces, with the pay and allowances now prescribed by law.
COMPOSITION OF UNITS
Sec. 23. Composition of Infantry Units.—Each infantry, regiment, battalion, headquarters company, machine-gun company, supply company and company in battalion of the oversea garrisons and frontier forces and the Porto Rico regiment of infantry shall have the organization and the maximum personnel now provided by law.
Each regiment of infantry of the training forces shall consist of one colonel and one lieutenant colonel, both of the permanent personnel; one headquarters company, one machine-gun company, one supply company, and 12 infantry companies organized into three battalions of four companies each.
Each battalion of the training forces shall consist of one major and one first lieutenant, mounted, both of the permanent personnel, and four companies.
The permanent personnel of each infantry company in battalion of the training forces shall consist of one captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, one first sergeant, one mess sergeant, one supply sergeant, eight sergeants, eight corporals, three cooks, one bugler, two mechanics, and five privates, first class.
Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 200, as may be available for assignment thereto for military training and service.
The permanent personnel of each infantry headquarters company of the training forces shall consist of one captain, mounted (regimental adjutant), one regimental sergeant major, mounted; three battalion sergeants major, mounted; one first sergeant (drum major), one sergeant bugler, two color sergeants, one mess sergeant, one supply sergeant, one stable sergeant, one sergeant, two cooks, one horseshoer, one band leader, one assistant band leader, two band sergeants, four band corporals, four privates, first class, and three privates.
Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 80, as may be available for assignment thereto for military training and service.
The permanent personnel of each infantry machine-gun company of the training forces shall consist of one captain (mounted), one first lieutenant (mounted), two second lieutenants (mounted), one first sergeant (mounted), one mess sergeant (mounted), one supply sergeant (mounted), one stable sergeant (mounted), one horseshoer, 4 sergeants, four corporals, two cooks, two mechanics, one bugler, and six privates, first class.
Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 100, as may be available for assignment thereto for military training and service.
The permanent personnel of each infantry supply company of the training forces shall consist of one captain (mounted), one second lieutenant (mounted), three regimental supply sergeants (mounted), one first sergeant (mounted), one mess sergeant, one stable sergeant (mounted), one corporal (mounted), one cook, one saddler, one horseshoer, and 27 wagoners.
Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 50, as may be available for assignment thereto for military training and service.
Each infantry regiment, battalion, headquarters company, machine-gun company, supply company, and company in battalion of the first and second reserves shall, as far as practicable, have the organizations and personnel equivalent in numbers and grades to that prescribed herein for like units of the oversea garrisons.
Sec. 24. Composition of Cavalry Units.—Each cavalry regiment, squadron, headquarters troop, machine-gun troop, supply troop and troop in squadron of the oversea garrisons and frontier forces shall have the organization and the maximum personnel now provided by law.
Each regiment of cavalry of the training forces shall consist of one colonel, one lieutenant colonel and one captain, all of the permanent personnel; one headquarters troop, one machine-gun troop, one supply troop, and 12 troops organized into three squadrons of four troops each.
Each squadron shall consist of one major, one first lieutenant, both of the permanent personnel and four troops.
The permanent personnel of each troop in squadron of the training forces shall consist of one captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, one first sergeant, one mess sergeant, one supply sergeant, one stable sergeant, three sergeants, four corporals, two cooks, two horseshoers, one saddler, one bugler, and eight privates, first class.
Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 140, as may be available for assignment thereto for military training and service.
The permanent personnel of each headquarters troop of the training forces shall consist of one captain (regimental adjutant), one regimental sergeant major, three squadron sergeants major, one first sergeant (drum major), two color sergeants, one mess sergeant, one supply sergeant, one stable sergeant, one sergeant, two corporals, two cooks, two horseshoers, one saddler, seven privates, first class; one band leader, one assistant band leader, one sergeant bugler, two band sergeants, and four band corporals.
Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 115, as may be available for assignment thereto for military training and service.
The permanent personnel of each machine-gun troop of the training forces shall consist of one captain, one first lieutenant, two second lieutenants, one first sergeant, one mess sergeant, one supply sergeant, one stable sergeant, two horseshoers, four sergeants, four corporals, two cooks, two mechanics, one saddler, one bugler, and nine privates, first class.
Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 120, as may be available for assignment thereto for military training and service.
The permanent personnel of each supply troop of the training forces shall consist of one captain (regimental supply officer), two second lieutenants, three regimental supply sergeants, one first sergeant, one mess sergeant, one stable sergeant, two corporals, two cooks, two horseshoers, two saddlers, and 37 wagoners.
Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 70, as may be available for assignment thereto for military training and service.
Each cavalry regiment, squadron, headquarters troop, machine-gun troop, supply troop and troop in squadron of the first and second reserves shall, as far as practicable, have the organization and personnel equivalent in numbers and grades to that prescribed herein for like units of the oversea garrisons.
Sec. 25. Composition of Field Artillery Units.—In time of peace the field artillery shall consist of regiments of mountain artillery, light artillery, horse artillery and heavy artillery of field and siege types. In time of actual or threatened hostilities, the President is authorized to organize from any available personnel, such number of ammunition batteries and battalions, depot batteries and battalions and such artillery parks with such numbers of grades and personnel and such organizations as he may deem necessary. Each regiment of field artillery of the oversea garrisons, frontier forces and training forces shall consist of one colonel, one lieutenant colonel, and one captain, one headquarters company, one supply company and such number of gun and howitzer battalions as the President may direct, and the President may, in his discretion, direct the assembling in the same regiment of gun and howitzer battalions of different calibers and classes. Each gun or howitzer battalion of two or three batteries, each headquarters company of a regiment of two or three battalions, each supply company of a regiment of two or three battalions and each gun or howitzer battery of the oversea garrisons or frontier forces shall have the organization and the maximum personnel now provided by law.
The permanent personnel of each 4.7-inch gun or 6-inch howitzer battery of the training forces shalt consist of one captain, two first lieutenants, two second lieutenants, one first sergeant, one mess sergeant, one supply sergeant, one stable sergeant, six sergeants, 11 corporals, one chief mechanic, three mechanics, one bugler, three cooks, one saddler, three horseshoers, and 10 privates, first class.
Its temporary personnel shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 220, as may be available for assignment thereto for military training and service.
The permanent personnel of each 3-inch gun or 3.8-inch howitzer battery shall be the same as prescribed for a 4.7-inch gun battery, increased by the addition of 13 privates, first class, and that of each horse 3-inch gun or 3.8-inch howitzer battery shall be the same as prescribed for a 4.7-inch gun battery, increased by the addition of 25 privates, first class, and four privates. The maximum number of recruits that may be assigned to a 3-inch gun or 3.8-inch howitzer battery, either light or horse, shall be 255.
The permanent personnel of a headquarters company of a regiment of two battalions of the training forces shall consist of one captain, one first lieutenant, one regimental sergeant major, two battalion sergeants major, one first sergeant, one sergeant bugler, two color sergeants, one mess sergeant, one supply sergeant, one stable sergeant, one sergeant, three corporals, one horseshoer, one saddler, one mechanic, one bugler, two cooks, five privates, first class; one band leader, one assistant band leader, two band sergeants, and four band corporals.
When such regiment consists of three battalions, there shall be added to the permanent personnel of the headquarters company, one battalion sergeant major, one corporal, one horseshoer, one mechanic, and one cook.
The temporary personnel of a headquarters company shall consist of such reserve officers and non-commissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 150, for a headquarters company of a two-battalion regiment and not exceeding 135 for a headquarters company of a three-battalion regiment, as may be available for assignment thereto.
The permanent personnel of each supply company of a regiment of two battalions of the training forces shall consist of one captain, one first lieutenant, two regimental supply sergeants, one first sergeant, one mess sergeant, two corporals, two cooks, two horseshoers, two saddlers, two privates, and 21 wagoners.
The permanent personnel of a supply company of a regiment of three battalions of the training forces shall consist of one captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, three regimental supply sergeants, one first sergeant, one mess sergeant, two corporals, two horseshoers, two saddlers, one cook, five wagoners (chauffeurs), and three privates.
The temporary personnel of a supply company of a field artillery regiment of the training forces shall consist of such reserve officers and noncommissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 45, for a supply company of a two-battalion regiment, and not exceeding 50 for a supply company of a three-battalion regiment, as may be available for assignment thereto.
The permanent personnel of each battalion of field artillery of the training forces shall consist of one major and one captain. It shall be composed of either two- or three-gun or howitzer batteries as the President may direct.
Each field artillery regiment, battalion, headquarters company, supply company and gun or howitzer battery of the first and second reserves shall, as far as practicable, have the organization and personnel equivalent in numbers and grades to that prescribed herein for like units of the oversea garrisons.
Sec. 26. Coast Artillery Corps.—The permanent personnel of the coast artillery corps shall consist of one chief of coast artillery with the rank, pay and allowances of a major general, 28 colonels, 28 lieutenant colonels, 85 majors, 423 captains, 423 first lieutenants, 423 second lieutenants, 31 sergeants major, senior grade; 64 sergeants major, junior grade; 62 master gunners, 41 master electricians, 72 engineers, 99 electrician sergeants, first class; 275 assistant engineers, 99 electrician sergeants, second class; 106 firemen, 93 radio sergeants, 319 first sergeants, 319 supply sergeants, 319 mess sergeants, 2552 sergeants, 3828 corporals. 638 cooks, 638 mechanics, 242 buglers, 2448 privates, first class; 7349 privates. 20 band leaders, 20 assistant band leaders, 40 band sergeants, and eight band corporals.
The temporary personnel of the coast artillery corps shall consist of such reserve officers and non-commissioned officers as may be attached thereto and of such number of recruits, not exceeding 17,000, as may be available for assignment thereto.
So much of the permanent commissioned and enlisted personnel enumerated in this section as shall be required therefore, together with the recruits of the temporary personnel, shall be organized into such types of coast artillery units of the oversea garrisons, the frontier forces and the training forces with such organization and personnel as the President may direct: Provided, That the number of coast artillery bands organized in either the oversea garrisons or the frontier forces or the training forces, shall not exceed one for every 15 company units or equivalent organizations actually organized.
The coast artillery units of the first and second reserves shall be organized in such types and numbers and with such organization and personnel as the President may prescribe.
Sec. 27. Same as Sec. 22. National Defence Act, which continues existing statutes relating to the Military Academy, etc.
APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS
Sec. 28. Original Appointments to be Provisional.—Substantially the same as National Defence Act, Sec. 23.
Sec. 29. Promotions.—Vacancies in grades of general officers existing on date of passage of this act, or created by provisions thereof, shall be filled as now provided by law: Provided, That when the number of colonels of the line is reduced below the number of regiments or equivalent units authorized for the line, the President, in making appointments to the grade of brigadier general, is hereby authorized to extend his selection below the grade of colonel of the line by a number of successive files in the line equal to the difference between such number of regiments or equivalent units and the actual number of such colonels.
The names of all officers in each grade in the infantry, cavalry, field artillery and coast artillery corps shall be arranged upon one list for said four arms combined in the order of seniority of the officers concerned determined by length of commissioned service computed as herein provided and in like manner the names of all officers in each grade in each staff corps, and department shall be arranged upon one list for each such corps and department. All officers who are commissioned or appointed in the permanent personnel of the said four arms combined or in any staff corps or department, shall hereafter be promoted subject to such examinations as the President may prescribe upon completion of the following number of years of commissioned service computed as herein provided, to wit: To the grade of first lieutenant after four years, and to the grade of captain after nine years; and no officer shall be eligible for promotion to the grade of major until after he shall have had 19 years of such service or to the grade of lieutenant colonel until after he shall have had 24 years of such service or to the grade of colonel until after he shall have had 27 years of such service, but no officer shall be promoted to the grade of major, lieutenant colonel or colonel when his promotion would operate to increase the number of officers in such grade more than 5 per centum in excess of the number authorized therefore by this act and all promotions to the grades of major, lieutenant colonel and colonel shall be made from officers in the next lower grade on the list of the four arms combined and from officers in the next lower grade on the list of the several staff corps and departments according to seniority: Provided. That the total number of officers authorized for the four arms combined or for any staff corps or department shall not be exceeded. In time of actual hostilities the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, is hereby authorized to fill vacancies, occurring in the commissioned personnel of the 1st and 2d reserves, by the promotion to reserve commissions of temporary or permanent officers in accordance with their demonstrated ability in the field and without regard to grade or rank; and in time of actual or threatened hostilities the President alone is hereby authorized to fill vacancies occurring by the detachment of officers or otherwise in permanent commissioned grades in each infantry or cavalry division or coast artillery district in the oversea garrisons, the frontier forces and the training forces by the promotion to temporary commissions of officers serving therewith, according to seniority as determined by said grade list for said four arms combined and by the grade lists for the several corps and departments: Provided further. That chaplains and dental surgeons shall not be promoted about the grade of major.
In computing length of commissioned service for rank and promotion, credit shall be given as follows: One day's credit for each day's commission service in the regular army, the volunteers, the navy and the marine corps, and in the case of officers of the medical corps one day's credit for each day's service on the active list in the medical reserve corps. One day's credit for each five days' commissioned service in the national guard or organized militia not in the service of the United States, or as a non-commissioned officer in the regular army or in the permanent personnel of the United States Army as a cadet officer, or in the senior division of the reserve officers' training corps, in a cadet corps in a recognized school or college where a course in military training and instruction substantially equivalent to that prescribed for the senior division of the reserve officers' training corps was conducted, under the supervision of an officer of the regular army. Two days' credit for each five days' commissioned service in the national guard or organized militia in the service of the United States.
In computing length of commissioned service for promotion, constructive credit shall be given as follows: To chaplains and to officers of the medical corps and dental corps, four years. To officers heretofore appointed in the permanent staff corps and departments whose original appointment in such corps or department was in the grade of captain, nine years : Provided, That such constructive service shall include any and all commissioned service prior to appointment to the grade of captain, except that nothing herein shall operate to deprive any officer of any credit for actual commissioned service in excess of nine years to which he would otherwise be entitled.
To officers heretofore appointed in the permanent staff corps and departments whose original appointment in said staff corps or department was in the grade of major, 19 years: Provided, That such constructive service shall include any and all commissioned service prior to appointment as major, except that nothing herein shall operate to deprive any officer of any credit for actual commissioned service in excess of 19 years to which he would otherwise have been entitled.
To officers retired and thereafter restored to the active list, such amount of constructive service as shall be necessary under the provisions of this section for them to have reached the grade to which restored on the active list: Provided, That such constructive service shall include all commissioned service prior to such restoration.
To graduates of the United States Military Academy as follows: To graduates of the classes of 1917 and 1918, such constructive service as shall be required to place them respectively for purpose of future promotion only immediately after the members of the classes of 1916 and 1917: to the class of 1919 and each succeeding class, two years' constructive service prior to graduation: Provided, That for the purpose of this section the classes of 1916 and 1917 shall be deemed to include only such members thereof as shall have not lost rank, files or service for promotion because of sentence of court martial or failure to pass a prescribed examination for promotion.
To any officer who has heretofore lost files or who shall hereafter lose files or service for promotion by reason of a sentence of a court martial or failure to pass a required examination for promotion, only such service for promotion as shall be required to render him eligible for promotion next after the officer who is his immediate senior on the lineal list of his arm or corps pursuant to such sentence or such failure to pass a required examination: Provided, That such service for promotion shall be in lieu of all other service therefore, and shall be subject to change whenever it will be necessary to carry into effect any loss of files or service for promotion hereafter incurred by any officer by reason of a court martial or failure to pass a required examination for promotion : Provided further, That whenever credit for service shall be given to carry into effect any sentence of a court martial, or to fix the length of service for promotion of any officer in accordance with his failure to pass a required examination for promotion, and the credit so given shall, because of an increase in his arm or corps, credit such officer with less total service for promotion than he would have to his credit if such increase has not occurred, such officer shall be credited with such service for promotion as he would have had to his credit if such increase had not occurred: Provided further, That the constructive service above described is authorized for the purpose of regulating only rank and promotion and for all other purposes length of service shall be determined, credited and allowed as now provided by law: And provided further. That the President is hereby authorized to delegate to the Secretary of War the duty of signing any or all commissions of persons appointed in the permanent commissioned personnel or the reserve officers' training corps of the United States Army or promoted therein.
RELATIVE RANK BY LENGTH OF SERVICE
Sec. 30. From and after the passage of this act the relative rank of officers of the same grade of the permanent personnel in any grade below that of brigadier general shall be determined by length of commissioned service for promotion, and of any two such officers of the same grade that one shall be the senior in rank who shall be entitled, in accordance with the provisions of this act, to the longer commissioned service for promotion: Provided, That where two or more such officers of the same grade shall have the same commissioned service for promotion, that one shall be the senior who shall have had the longest commissioned service in the regular army; and where two or more such officers shall have had the same length of commissioned service in the regular army, that one shall be regarded as the senior who was the senior in relative rank on the date of their original commission in the regular army.
Sec. 31. After the promotions resulting from the provisions of Sec. 29 of this act shall have been made, the names of all permanent officers of the infantry, cavalry, field artillery and coast artillery in each grade shall be entered on one list for each such grade for rank and promotion and the assignment of such officers in any one grade above that of first lieutenant to each of the said arms of the service shall as nearly as may be practicable be made in the ratio which the total number of officers authorized for such grade in all four of said arms combined bears to the total number of officers authorized for such grade in the arm to which assignment is made, and thereafter the President may detach officers from one arm and assign them to another as the interests of the service may require, and, subject only to the rules of seniority and the provisions of law regulating eligibility for detached service, may assign such officers to the command of such units and to such duties as the exigencies of the service may demand.
Sec. 32. Whenever the number of officers available for service in any grade in any arm or for detail in any grade in any staff corps or department or to the detached officers' list is less than the number prescribed for such grade in such arm, corps, or department or for said list, officers of other grades may be assigned or detailed, subject to the rules of seniority, to perform the duties of the grade in the arm, corps or department or on said list in which the deficiency exists, but the total number of officers authorized for any arm or for said list shall not be exceeded and the total number of officers commissioned in any staff corps or department and the number of officers, detailed therein shall not exceed the number of officers authorized for the permanent personnel of such corps or department.
Sec. 33. For a period of four years from the date of the passage of this act, and subject only to its provisions, the President is hereby authorized to detach any officer from his organization or corps and detail him in any staff corps or department or upon any other military duty which the interests of the service may require and for like reasons to continue any officer now so detailed upon his present duty until the end of such period, but no officer so detailed or continued on such duty shall be allowed to continue on such detail or on such duty longer than four years after the date of the passage of this act, and four years after the date of the passage of this act no officer shall be detached from his organization or corps for duty in any staff corps or department unless during the preceding six years he shall have had at least two years' service with troops, and service with troops within the meaning of this section shall be held to include service with any organization of the oversea garrisons, the frontier forces, the training forces, the first reserves or the second reserves: Provided, That redetails to the Ordnance Department may be made after one year's service with troops and redetails to the aviation section of the signal corps may be made without regard to service with troops.
Sec. 34. Hereafter, as far as practicable, officers for duty with the oversea garrisons shall be detailed from those officers who volunteer for such duty: Provided, That the tour of duty with oversea garrisons shall be for three years unless sooner relieved: Provided further, That any officer serving with an oversea garrison may, at his own request if in good health, be detailed to serve therewith for the further period of one year: Provided further. That when the number of volunteers for service with the oversea garrisons is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the service, the number of additional officers required shall be detailed by roster: And provided further. That all officers and enlisted men serving with the oversea garrisons shall be entitled to a 10 per cent and a 20 per. cent increase of pay respectively from the date of leaving the continental limits of the United States to the date of return thereto.
Sec. 35. Retirement.—Any officer on the active list holding a permanent commission or appointment in the United States Army, who shall fail to pass any prescribed examination for promotion or who shall have been reported by any officer senior to him duly authorized to make such report, or by his commanding officer as being not qualified to perform the duties of his then grade, shall, if such report is concurred in by the next higher military commander, be immediately ordered before a board, convened by the commander of the divisional area or in case he shall have concurred in such report with respect to such officer then by higher authority, composed of five permanent officers, who shall be senior in rank to the officer whose competency is in question; and such board shall immediately inquire into and report, in the manner now prescribed for retiring boards, upon the competency and capacity of such officer to perform the duties of his then grade, and if such board shall report that such officer is not qualified to perform such duties and such report is approved by the President, such officer shall be immediately retired in accordance with the provisions of this section; and if such board shall report that such officer is qualified to perform such duties he shall be continued on the active list; and any officer so retired shall be entitled to pay, except as herein otherwise provided equal to 21/, per cent of the pay, including increase for length of service to which he was entitled at the time of his retirement, for every year or major fraction thereof that he shall have served as a commissioned officer in the service of the United States prior to retirement: but no officer so retired shall receive more than 75 per cent of such pay: Provided. I hat nothing herein shall operate to reduce the pay now provided by law of any officer now on the retired list: Provided further. That any officer holding a permanent commission or appointment in the United States Army who shall be retired for physical disability incurred in line of duty shall be retired with pay equal to 75 per cent of the pay, including increase for length of service which he was receiving at the time of his retirement: Provided further. That any officer who shall be found to be incapacitated because of physical disabilities not incurred in the line of duty shall be retired or wholly retired at the discretion of the President: And provided further, That any officer who has been or who shall subsequently he retired and who is less than 64 years of age shall be liable in time of peace to perform such military duty consistent with his rank, grade and physical condition, as the President may direct, and while employed on active duty by direction of the President, such retired officer shall be entitled to the active pay and allowance provided by law for his grade. In time of war retired officers over the age of 64 years may, with their consent, be employed upon such duties as the President may direct.
SIXTEEN DIVISIONAL AREAS
Sec. 36. Divisional Areas.—The President is hereby authorized immediately after the passage of this act to divide the territory within the continental limits of the United States into 16 divisional areas. Each such area shall contain as nearly as may be practicable that proportion of the population liable to military service of the whole of said territory which the sum of the authorized maximum enlisted and enrolled strength of the units of the training forces to be stationed in such area, and the enrolled naval contingent to be raised therein, bears to the sum of the total authorized maximum enlisted and enrolled strength of the training forces and the total strength of all naval contingents to be raised within said territory: Provided, That the President may, in his discretion, change the limits or boundaries of such divisional areas at any time as changes in population or the interests of the service may require.
Sec. 37. The President is hereby authorized immediately after the passage of this act to group all coast artillery commands and units within the continental limits of the United States into such number of coast artillery districts, not exceeding six, as he may direct and to assign a permanent line officer of appropriate rank, who, whenever practicable, shall be a general officer of the line, to the command of each divisional area and of the troops of the training forces other than those of the coast artillery stationed therein, and to assign a permanent line officer of appropriate rank, who. whenever practicable, shall be a general officer of the line, to the command of each coast artillery district: Provided, That the commander of a divisional area shall, in accordance with instructions from higher authority, make all original assignments of enrolled men to the coast artillery units and commands located within his district, but all other matters connected with the coast artillery units and commands shall, in time of peace, be under the control and direction of the commanders of coast artillery districts, subject to the control and direction of the War Department.
Sec. 38. The President is hereby authorized to station in each divisional area as soon as practicable after the passage of this act the proper proportion of available officers and enlisted men of the permanent personnel of the several arms, corps and departments, and to cause the commanders of divisional areas to organize the permanent personnel so stationed in each such area into provisional training regiments, battalions and schools of application and to employ such portion of such personnel as may be required therefore upon any duties or work necessary or convenient for carrying the provisions of this act into effect: Provided. That, as far as may be practicable, such provisional training regiments, battalions and schools of application shall be temporarily stationed on existing military reservations.
Sec. 39. The commander of each divisional area and each commander of each oversea department is hereby authorized to convene, as soon as practicable after the passage of this act, such number of boards of officers composed of permanent officers stationed within such area or department as he may deem necessary or convenient for conducting the examinations, in accordance with regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of War, of such persons resident within such area or stationed therein as may apply, as hereafter provided, for appointment to vacancies already existing or created by this act in the permanent commissioned personnel of the United States Army, and to prescribe at what place or places within such area such board shall meet for the transaction of the business for which appointed: Provided. That, as far as may be practicable and consistent with economy, such board shall be ordered to meet at such places as will require the least amount of travel on the part of the majority of the applicants to be examined.
CANDIDATES FOR COMMISSIONED PERSONNEL
Sec. 40. Any officer of the national guard or organized militia or any enlisted man of the regular army or of the permanent personnel of the United States Army not over 40 years of age, or any other male citizen of the United States who is not over said age and who has had previous military training, service or experience, may apply to the commander of the divisional area or to the commander of the oversea department in which he resides or is stationed for appointment in the permanent commissioned personnel of the United States Army and for authority to take the prescribed examination to determine his fitness for such appointment and for appointment as an officer candidate. (Prescribes the method of conducting the examination for such appointment.) Applicants who have been found by boards to be qualified for such appointment shall, except as herein otherwise provided, when such finding has been approved by the commander of the divisional area or oversea department, be ordered by him as officer-candidates to temporary duty in the divisional area or department in which resident or stationed with a training unit or at a school of application or with a unit of an oversea garrison. Officer candidates shall, from date of appointment as such to date of discharge or to date of appointment to the permanent commissioned personnel or in the reserve officers' corps as the case may be, receive $100 per month and the allowances of a second lieutenant, and during such periods all such officer-candidates shall be subject to the rules and articles of war so far as they may be applicable to persons whose permanent retention in the service is uncertain. Whenever any such officer-candidate is so reported as not qualified for appointment in such permanent commissioned personnel, the board shall report whether he is qualified for appointment in the reserve officers' corps, and if so, in what arm, corps or department and grade therein. Officer-candidates who have been reported by such boards as not qualified for appointment in the permanent commissioned personnel of the United States Army, may, except as otherwise provided herein, be discharged forthwith by the commander of the divisional area, or oversea department, or, with their consent, may be ordered by him to such further period of service with a training unit or in a school of application as he may deem necessary, and all officer-candidates so ordered shall be again reported upon in like manner by such boards upon the completion of such additional period of service.
The President is hereby authorized, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate to appoint officer-candidates who have been so reported by such boards as qualified for appointment in the permanent commissioned personnel of the United States Army to vacancies existing or created by this act in the grades of second lieutenant, first lieutenant and captain, but no officer-candidate shall be so appointed to the grade of second lieutenant who is under 21 or over 27 years of age, or to the grade of first lieutenant who is under 27 or over 32 years of age, or to the grade of captain who is under 32 or over 40 years of age, except that no enlisted man of the regular army or of the permanent personnel of the United States Army shall be so appointed to the grade of captain and no such enlisted man who is less than 27 years of age shall be so appointed to the grade of first lieutenant and no such enlisted man who is over 27 years of age shall be so appointed to the grade of second lieutenant: Provided, That applicants for appointment other than officers of the national guard or organized militia and enlisted men of the regular army or of the permanent personnel of the United States Army who have been reported by the boards appointed for their preliminary examinations as qualified for appointment in the permanent commissioned personnel and who, pursuant to the provision of this act, are eligible only for appointment as second lieutenant, shall, if such report is approved by the commander of the divisional area, or oversea department, be reported by him to the War Department, and the President alone is hereby authorized to immediately appoint persons so recommended to the grade of temporary second lieutenant in the permanent personnel, with pay at the rate of $100 per month and the allowances of a second lieutenant, for a period of one year. All temporary second lieutenants shall be assigned by the commander of the divisional area, or oversea department, to duty with a provisional training regiment at a school of application or with a unit of an oversea garrison, and upon the completion of 11 months of such duty shall be examined by a board of three permanent officers appointed by such commander. Such board shall report which of such temporary second lieutenants are qualified for permanent appointment as second lieutenants in the United States Army, and the names of all persons so reported shall be transmitted by the commander of the divisional area, or oversea department, together with his recommendations in each case, to the War Department for the action of the President.
The President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, is hereby authorized to appoint and commission during each calendar year, from among the temporary second lieutenants so reported as eligible therefore, such number of second lieutenants in the permanent personnel of the United States Army as will not exceed 20 per centum of the total number of temporary second lieutenants holding appointment as such during such year.
Any temporary second lieutenant not appointed in the permanent personnel pursuant to this section, may, with his consent, be reappointed a temporary second lieutenant for a further period of one year, and so on from year to year, or if he so elects and is eligible therefor may be appointed to membership in the reserve officers' corps. Temporary second lieutenants shall take rank among themselves according to length of commissioned service computed in accordance with Sec. 29 of this act and such temporary second lieutenants who have had no prior commissioned service shall take rank among themselves according to lot in a manner prescribed by the Secretary of War.
Enlisted men of the regular army or of the permanent personnel of the United States Army who fail of appointment as provisional second lieutenants shall be returned to their proper enlisted grades in their several organizations and the time they shall have served as provisional second lieutenants shall be counted as part of their enlistment periods.
For the purposes of relative rank and future promotion, only each such officer-candidate so appointed to the grade of first lieutenant shall be credited with four years' constructive commissioned service, and each such officer-candidate so appointed to the grade of captain shall be credited for said purposes only with nine years' constructive commissioned service: Provided, That such constructive service for the purpose only of determining relative rank shall be in addition to any and all previous actual commissioned service to which persons so appointed shall be entitled in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 29 of this act.
The relative rank of all persons so appointed in each grade shall be in accordance with actual prior commissioned service, determined in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 29 of this act, and of any two such officers that one shall be the senior who shall have had the longer prior commissioned service; and where two or more such officers shall have had the same prior commissioned service they shall take rank among themselves according to age, the oldest to be the senior; and all such officers who shall have had no prior commissioned service shall take rank among themselves according to age, the oldest to be the senior and where two or more such officers are of the same age their seniority among themselves shall be decided by lot, in accordance with regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of War.
Any officer appointed pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be eligible for assignment at the discretion of the President to any vacancy in his grade existing or created by this act in the oversea garrisons, the frontier forces or the training forces as the interests of the service may require: Provided, That nothing in this section shall operate to prevent the President from appointing graduates of the United States Military Academy or enlisted men to commissions in the permanent personnel as provided by existing law.
The President alone is hereby authorized 10 appoint officer-candidates reported as provided in this section as qualified for appointment in the officers' reserve corps as officers in such corps, subject to the provisions of Sec. 42 of this act.
Sec. 41. Recruiting Additional Enlisted Personnel.—As soon as practicable after the passage of this act the President is hereby authorized to provide for the recruitment of the additional enlisted personnel required: Provided. That enlistments effected under the provision of this section may be for one year as provided in Sec. 3 of this act.
RESERVE OFFICERS' CORPS
Sec. 42. There shall be organized under such regulations as the President may prescribe, a reserve officers' corps of the United States Army. Said corps shall consist of sections corresponding to the various arms and to the several staff corps and departments of the United States Army. Except as otherwise provided in this act, an officer of the reserve officers' corps shall not, without his consent, be liable to active duty in time of peace, and whenever called out for service shall not, without his consent, be so called out in a lower grade than that held by him in said corps: Provided, That the Secretary of War may, in time of peace, order first lieutenants of the medical section of the reserve officers' corps, with their consent, to active duty in the service of the United States in such numbers as the public service may require and the funds appropriated may permit, and he may relieve them from such duty when their services are no longer necessary. While on such duty they shall receive the pay and allowances, including pay for periods of sickness and leaves of absence of permanent officers of corresponding grades and lengths of service on the active list.
All persons now carried as duly qualified and registered pursuant to Sec. 23 of the Act of Congress approved January 21, 1903, and all persons appointed in the officers' reserve corps pursuant to Sec. 37 of the Act of Congress approved June 3, 1916, shall, for a period of two years after the passage of this act, and without any further examination except a physical examination, be eligible for appointment in the reserve officers' corps in the section corresponding to the arm, corps or department in which they shall have been qualified or appointed, pursuant to the above-described laws: Provided, That no persons shall be appointed in the reserve officers' corps in any grade above that of lieutenant colonel.
The President alone is hereby authorized to appoint and commission members of the reserve officers' corps, but no person shall be appointed a member of said corps who is less than 19 years of age, and for a period of three years after the passage of this act, no person shall be appointed in the grade of second lieutenant, first lieutenant or captain therein who is more than 40 years of age, and no person, except a commissioned officer of the national guard or organized militia shall be appointed in the grade of major or lieutenant colonel therein who is more than 60 years of age. and no officer of the national guard shall be appointed in the grade of major or lieutenant colonel therein who is more than 63 years of age.
The commissions of all members of the reserve officers' corps shall continue in full effect until terminated by death, promotion, resignation, or dismissal, but upon reaching the age of 64 years, all reserve officers shall be permanently transferred to the unorganized reserves, and thereafter such officers shall not in time of peace be eligible for employment with units or organizations of the United States Army. In time of actual or threatened hostilities officers in the unorganized reserves may with their consent be assigned to such duty as the President may direct.
This section also prescribes the method of giving notice of the number of reserve officers required in each division of area; the method of making application for appointment as a reserve officer and the method of examination, of the officers of the national guard or organized militia or enlisted men of the United States Army applying for appointment, to determine whether they are qualified physically and morally for appointment as officers and have a satisfactory military record.
Provided, That no officer of the national guard or organized militia or such enlisted men shall be appointed in the reserve officers' corps in any grade higher than that of lieutenant colonel, and any such officer who applies for appointment therein in a grade below that of colonel, but higher than that held by him in the national guard or organized militia, as the case may be; or in an arm, corps or department other than that in which he was commissioned in the national guard or organized militia, shall be required to undergo such further examination relative to his qualifications therefore as the Secretary of War may prescribe.
Provided, That no officer of the national Guard or organized militia shall, without his consent, be appointed in any arm, corps or department in any grade lower than that held by him in such arm, corps or department in the national guard or organized militia: Provided further, That after the initial appointments to the reserve officers' corps shall have been made in accordance with this section, appointments to the reserve officers' corps shall be made only from graduates of the reserve officers' training corps in accordance with existing law and from reservists who have completed the prescribed 11 months' continuous service with the training forces, except that any person eligible under the provisions of this section for appointment who was for unavoidable reasons unable to apply therefore within the period prescribed shall be eligible for appointment in accordance with the provisions of this section: And provided further, That all members of the reserve officers' corps and all enrolled reservists shall have been called out for service in maneuvers or for training in time of peace or from the date upon which they shall have been called out for service in time of actual or threatened hostilities in accordance with the provisions shall be subject to the rules and articles of war so far as they shall be applicable to persons who do not belong to the permanent personnel of the United States Army.
Sec. 43. Members of the reserve officers' corps shall take rank next after all officers of like grades in the permanent personnel of the United States Army or in the marine corps when detached for service with said army, and shall take rank among themselves in each grade according to date of appointment in such grade.
Officers of the reserve officers' corps appointed on the same date shall take rank among themselves in each grade as follows: First, officers of the national guard; second, officers of the organized militia; third, enlisted men of the regular army or of the permanent personnel of the United States Army; fourth, all other officers so appointed.
Officers of the national guard appointed on the same date to the same grade in the reserve officers' corps, shall take rank among themselves according to length of prior commissioned service in the national guard and organized militia, and when two or more such officers shall have had the same such service they shall take rank among themselves according to total length of enlisted and commissioned service in the national guard and organized militia.
Officers of the organized militia appointed on the same date and the same grade in the reserve officers' corps, shall take rank among themselves according to length of prior commissioned service in the organized militia, and when two or more such officers shall have had the same prior commissioned service they shall take rank among themselves according to total length of enlisted and commissioned service in the organized militia: Provided, That commissioned or enlisted service in the national guard and organized militia in the service of the United States shall count double: Provided further, That when two or more officers of the national guard or organized militia cannot be graded with respect to rank, as above provided, they shall take rank among themselves in accordance with their relative rank in the national guard or organized militia prior to appointment in the reserve officers' corps. Enlisted men so appointed shall take rank among themselves according to length of service as non-commissioned officers, and those who shall have had no such service shall take rank among themselves according to age.
All other persons so appointed on the same date in same grade shall take rank among themselves according to age, the oldest to be the senior; and when two or more officers are of the same age, their seniority shall be decided by lot in a manner prescribed by the Secretary of War.
Sec. 44. Vacancies occurring in time of peace in any grade below that of colonel in the reserve officers' corps shall be filled by the promotion, subject to such exceptions as the President may prescribe in regulations governing the promotion, examinations for promotion and assignment of reserve officers, of officers of said corps in the next lower grade in the reserve unit, corps or department in which such vacancies occur: Provided, That officers of the reserve officers' corps, if they so elect, may qualify for promotion and be promoted in the first or second reserves even though no vacancy exists in the next higher grade in their regiment, battalion, squadron, corps or department, and when the number of officers in any grade in any unit, corps or department of the first reserves exceeds the number authorized therefore, the commander of the divisional area may transfer such surplus officers to other organizations of the first reserves or to the second reserves or he may attach them to organizations in the first reserves.
In time of war, officers of the reserve officers' corps may be promoted to any grade or rank in such corps in accordance with their efficiency as demonstrated in service in the field: Provided, That appointments to grades above that of colonel so made shall be made by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Sec. 45. Any member of the reserve officers' corps assigned or attached to either the first or second reserves who shall have been reported by his commanding officer, or by any other officer duly authorized to make such report, as not qualified to perform the duties of his then grade, shall, if such report is concurred in by the next higher military authority, be immediately ordered before a board composed of five reserve officers senior in rank to the officer so ordered; and if such board shall report that such officer is not qualified to perform such duties and such report is approved by the President, such officer shall forthwith be transferred to the unorganized reserves and shall not again be eligible for assignment to duty with either the first or the second reserves: Provided, That any member of the reserve officers' corps who shall have been convicted of any offence involving moral turpitude or which, in the opinion of the President, was unbecoming an officer and a gentleman shall be forthwith dismissed : Provided further, That all members of the reserve officers' corps, who are assigned to either the first or second reserves, shall, as soon as they reach the age of 64 years, be transferred to the unorganized reserves, and no reserve officer over the age of 64 shall in time of peace be eligible for assignment or attachment to either the first or second reserves.
Sees. 46, 47. Provide for the purchase or condemnation of land required.
Sec. 48. As soon as the President shall decide that the necessary training personnel has been organized and trained, the necessary ground acquired, the necessary structures erected and the necessary military supplies and equipment provided in each divisional area, he is hereby authorized and empowered to call for military training and service to serve in the United States Army in accordance with the provisions of this act and to report for such service on November 1 next thereafter all persons liable to military service who have arrived or who will arrive at the age of eighteen years during the year ending on the day next preceding such November 1; and in each subsequent year ending on October 31 all males liable to military service who arrive at the age of 18 years during such year shall likewise be called out to report for military training and service in the United States Army on November 1 of that year, in accordance with the provisions of this act.
Sec. 49. Except as otherwise provided in this act, service in the United States Army in time of peace shall be for a period of 12 years unless sooner discharged, the first 11 months of said period shall be in continuous training and service in the training forces, the next four years and one month shall be in the first reserves and not more than one period of 15 days' active service in any calendar year for two years shall be required of any enrolled member of said reserves during his period of service therein in time of peace. The last seven years of said 12-year period of service shall be in the second reserves, and reservists assigned thereto shall not be called out for active service in time of peace: Provided, That no reservist assigned to the first reserves shall be eligible for appointment in the reserve officers' corps unless he shall have served with his organization during all periods of active service prescribed therefore from the date of his assignment thereto to the date of his appointment in said. corps: Provided further, That all persons who shall have been commissioned, appointed, enlisted or enrolled in the United States Army at the outbreak of war or when war becomes imminent may be held to service therein during the continuance of war or until the President shall decide that war is no longer imminent, and this without regard to the periods for which such persons shall have been commissioned, appointed, enlisted or enrolled: And provided further, That enrolled non-commissioned officers and enlisted specialists who have completed their 11 months' continuous active training and service may, with their consent, be retained with or attached to the training forces for further stipulated periods of training and service, and any enrolled man who has satisfactorily completed his 11 months' continuous training and service may be permitted to enlist in the permanent personnel in one of the arms or corps of the United States Army, and any reservist so enlisting shall, upon completion of his service under such or any subsequent enlistment, revert to the reserve status he would then occupy if he had not so enlisted.
THE CALL TO SERVICE
Sec. 50. In time of peace the President may by proclamation call out for active service, in accordance with the provisions of this act, any class of persons liable for such service, and in time of actual or threatened hostilities he may likewise by proclamation call out for military service such classes of persons according to age, beginning with the youngest liable for such service, as shall be required for the national defence: Provided, That in time of peace no part of the training forces or of the first or second reserves shall be called out to execute the laws, suppress insurrection or repel invasion, without the authority of Congress first had and obtained, except in cases of actual or threatened invasion occurring while Congress is not in session, and then only when in the judgment of the President it would be dangerous to wait for Congress to assemble.
Sec. 51. The President is hereby authorized to delegate to the commander of each divisional area the necessary authority to commence the organization, as soon as practicable after the passage of this act, of such units of the first reserves as are to be organized in such area; to subdivide such divisional area into three reserve areas; to subdivide each such reserve area into districts and subdistricts; to prescribe the limits of each such reserve area, district and subdistrict; to prescribe what units of the first reserves authorized for such divisional area shall be located in each such subdivision; and, subject to the approval of the President, to assign a competent officer of the permanent personnel of the training forces in such area of appropriate rank to the command of each division, brigade and regiment of the first and second reserves to be organized in such divisional area. Each officer so assigned shall, in time of peace, have reserve rank appropriate to the command to which appointed, but shall receive only the pay and allowances provided for his actual grade and rank in the permanent personnel. In time of war he shall have the rank, pay and allowances appropriate to such command.
Each such commander of a reserve regiment shall, subject to such regulations as the President may prescribe and to the supervision of superior military authority, have full charge of all matters connected with the enrolment and records of all reserve officers and non-commissioned reservists belonging to his regiment; of all plans for drawing upon the unorganized reserves for the necessary personnel in the event of actual or threatened hostilities; of all matters connected with the mobilization of his regiment in peace or war or relating to its equipment or the training of its personnel: Provided, That each officer of the permanent personnel assigned to the command of a division, a brigade or a regiment of the first or second reserves shall also be assigned or attached to a unit of the training forces, and in addition to his duties with the first or second reserves, he shall be required to perform such other duties in such unit of the training forces as the commander of the divisional area shall prescribe.
The organization, peace administration and training of all units located in a reserve area, other than regiments and brigades, shall be conducted under the supervision of the commanders of reserve divisions who shall be assisted in such duties by such other officers of the permanent personnel as may be designated therefore by the commander of the divisional area: Provided, That each reserve area, district and subdistrict prescribed for the location and organization of a unit of the first reserves shall likewise be prescribed for the location and organization of a corresponding unit of the second reserves: Provided further. That the commander of each divisional area is hereby authorized to change the limits of reserve areas, districts and subdistricts to conform to changes which may occur in the distribution of population liable to military service or to assign surplus reservists in one such subdivision to a reserve until located in another.
Sec. 52. The commander of each divisional area when notified of the appointment or promotion thereof is hereby authorized to assign members of the reserve officers' corps resident in such area to units of the first and second reserves located within such area and to such other duty appropriate to their rank and grade that may be consistent with the provisions of this act and with regulations prescribed pursuant .thereto: Provided, That as far as their places of residence may render such action practicable, such reserve officers shall be assigned according to seniority in each grade to units of the first reserves and second reserves in the order named. Reserve officers so assigned shall in time of peace be liable for active service for not exceeding two weeks in any one year: Provided further, That such officers may with their consent be ordered to active duty for longer periods, and reserve officers and non-commissioned officer reservists who arc candidates for promotion may be required to undergo such active service, prior to promotion, in excess of two weeks per year as the President may prescribe as necessary for their further military training: Provided further, That whenever during maneuvers in time of peace or in time of actual or threatened hostilities officers of the permanent personnel of the United States Army are detached from the organizations to which assigned, for duty with the first or second reserves, a corresponding number of reserve officers may be attached to the permanent personnel of the organizations from which such permanent officers were detached for temporary duty therein: Provided further. That subject to such regulations as the Secretary of War may prescribe, honorably discharged enlisted men of the regular army, the United States Army and the national guard or organized militia and enlisted men of good character of the national guard and organized militia, may. with their consent, be enrolled as reserve non-commissioned officers and assigned to reserve organizations: And provided further. That whenever a reserve officer or an enrolled reservist changes his residence to a place at such distance from the location of the unit to which he is assigned as to render his further service therein undesirable, he shall be detached from such unit and assigned or attached to another reserve unit located in the vicinity of his new place of residence and it is hereby made the military duty, for failure to perform which the offender shall be subject to trial and punishment by a military tribunal in accordance with the rules and articles of war, of each reserve officer and enrolled reservist who shall change his place of residence to notify his immediate commanding officer prior to making such change.
Sec. 53. The pay and allowances of all permanent commissioned officers and enlisted men belonging to the personnel of any arm, corps or department of the U. S. Army or employed on any duty authorized by law, shall be the same as that now prescribed by law for like grades and arms in the regular army, except that in lieu of a money allowance for clothing to enlisted men on the active list, the President is hereby authorized to prescribe the articles of clothing that shall be issued for the use of enlisted men in each grade in each arm and corps.
Sec. 54. The pay of all persons in the U. S. Army, other than the officers, enlisted men and civilians of the permanent personnel, shall, except as otherwise provided in this act, in time of peace be one-third of the pay prescribed by law for like grades in the regular army. The allowances of all persons in the U. S. Army, other than those enumerated in the preceding section, shall at all times be the same as prescribed by law for like grades and arms in the regular army, except that in lieu of a money allowance of clothing to enlisted and enrolled men, the President is hereby authorized to prescribe the articles of clothing that shall be issued for the use of enlisted or enrolled men in each grade in each arm and branch of the service: Provided, That no person shall be entitled to the pay or allowances hereinbefore prescribed in this section except for such time as he shall have actually served on active service in time of peace pursuant to the orders of competent authority issued in accordance with the provisions of this act: Provided further, That in time of actual hostilities, all persons in the U. S. Army shall be entitled to the pay now prescribed by law for like grades in the regular army.
Sec. 55. No person whomsoever shall be entitled to or given any money or other valuable thing whatsoever as bounty or as a fee or gratuity for enlisting, enrolling, accepting a commission in, or in any other manner entering the military service of the United States: Provided, That the provisions of this section shall not operate to prevent the payment of reenlistment pay or bonus for reenlisting in the permanent military establishment as provided by law.
EXEMPTIONS' AND LIABILITIES TO SERVICE
Sec. 56. The following persons be, and they are hereby, excepted and made exempt from liability to military training and service in time of peace under the provisions of this act, to wit: Such as are rejected as totally physically or mentally unfit for military training and service; the only son liable to military training and service of a widow dependent upon his labor for support; the only son liable to military training and service of aged or infirm parent or parents dependent upon his labor for support: Provided, That when there arc two or more sons of such aged or infirm parents liable upon the provisions of this act for military training and service, the father, or if he be dead, the mother, may elect which one of such sons shall be exempt; the only brother of children not 12 years of age dependent upon his labor for support: Provided further, That any person exempted from military training and service in accordance with the provisions of this section, except when such exemption is based upon permanent total physical or mental unfitness therefore, shall be exempted for one year only, but such exemption upon sufficient showing that one of the authorized bases therefore exists, may be again exempted for a further period of one year, and so on from year to year: And provided further, That any person who shall be exempted from liability to military training and service or who shall for any cause not have been duly registered in accordance with the provisions of this act, shall, nevertheless, become liable to such military training and service with the class of recruits called out for such training and service on November I next following the date on which his exemption shall have ceased or on which he shall have been duly registered, providing that he shall not become more than 24 years of age during such calendar year.
The following persons be, and they are hereby, excepted and made exempt from liability to perform military service under the provisions of this act in time of war or when war is imminent, and from liability to assignment to and service in the first and second reserves in time of peace, to wit: Such as are rejected as totally physically or mentally unfit for military service; also, first, the Vice-President of the United States, the judges of the various courts of the United States, the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the United States, the heads of the various executive departments of the United States, the United States district attorneys and their authorized assistants, the United States marshals and their authorized assistants and deputies, the United States commissioners, postmasters and assistant postmasters of all grades; second, the governors, the members of the legislature, the heads of the various executive departments and the judges of the various courts of the several states, territories and districts; third, the only son of a widow dependent upon his labor for support, the only son of aged or infirm parent or parents dependent upon his labor for support: Provided, That when there are two or more such sons, the father, or if he be dead, the mother may elect which of such sons shall be exempt; the only brother of children under 12 years of age dependent upon his labor for support; the father of motherless children under 12 years of age dependent upon his labor for support; fourth, any person in Federal employ of the United States whose services are, in the discretion of the President; necessary for carrying out the provisions of this act. And no person, but such as are herein exempted, shall be exempt for liability to military service in time of war or when war is imminent. Such exemption shall continue only so long as such person shall remain totally physically or mentally exempt from military service if such exemption is based on physical or mental unfitness, or only so long as such person shall hold such office or perform such service, if such exemption is based upon official position or service, or only so long as the condition of dependency exists if such exemption is based upon a condition of dependency.
Sec. 57. No substitute shall be accepted in place of any person called out for military service pursuant to this act, and no such person shall be permitted to escape such service or to be discharged therefrom prior to the expiration of his term of service by the payment of money or any other valuable thing whatsoever as consideration for his release from military service or liability thereto.
Sec. 58. Any person liable for military service under the provisions of this act, who shall be accepted and called out for such service under this act, and who shall under oath declare that he is conscientiously opposed to the bearing of arms and is prohibited from so doing by the tenets, rules and articles of faith of any now existing religious denomination to which he belongs, and who shall prove by satisfactory evidence that his conduct and deportment have been uniformly consistent with such declaration, shall be employed on such duties, not involving the bearing of arms, as the Secretary of War may direct.
Sec. 59. Any person liable for military service under the provisions of this act. who, having been duly called out for military service, shall fail or neglect to report himself for such service at the time and place designated therefore, or who shall forcibly or otherwise resist or oppose such service, shall, if found to be physically qualified for military service, be punished as a court-martial may direct and shall be held to such military service in accordance with the provisions of this act.
Sec. 60. During the first year beginning after the passage of this act, the following persons shall be liable to registration, to wit: First, all male citizens of the United States and all males of naturalized parents who have arrived or shall arrive at the ages of 18 to 21 years, both inclusive, during such calendar year, and all male citizens of the United States, and all males of foreign birth who have legally declared their intention to become citizens, who arrive at the ages of from 21 to 24 years, both inclusive, during such calendar year; second, all aliens residing or traveling within the territory of the United States over 18 and under 25 years of age.
After the first year male citizens and males of naturalized parents are liable to registration on arriving at the age of 18. The age for registration of other male citizens and naturalized citizens is extended in the second year to 30 years, in the third year to 35, in the fourth year to 40, and in the fifth year to 44. The age of aliens is increased the second year to 30, and the third year to 35, the fourth year to 41, and the fifth year to 45.
During the sixth year beginning after the passage of this act, the following persons shall be liable to registration, to wit: First, all male citizens of the United States and all males of naturalized parents, who arrive at the age of 18 years during such calendar year; second, all unregistered aliens residing or traveling in the jurisdiction of the United States; third, all persons liable to registration during any preceding year who for any cause were not so registered.
During the seventh and each subsequent calendar year, the following persons shall be liable to registration, to wit: First, all male citizens of the United States and all males of naturalized parents, who arrive at the age of 18 years during such calendar year; second, all persons liable to registration who have not been previously registered: Provided, That in time of actual or threatened hostilities the President is hereby authorized to cause all or any class or classes of persons liable under the provisions of this section for registration, to be registered during such year or years as he may designate, and this without regard to the year prescribed in this section for their registration. Failure to register during the year and period thereof so prescribed by the President shall subject the offender to the penalties provided in this act for the commission of a like offence in time of peace.
Sec. 61. The President is hereby authorized and empowered to designate annually such periods as he may deem necessary for the registration of such persons who, under the provisions of this act, are liable for registration during such calendar year, and it is hereby made the duty of each such person so liable for registration to appear personally, during the period or periods so designated for his registration, at the post office nearest in point of actual distance to such person's residence or place of business or sojournment, or in the case of an alien traveling within the jurisdiction of the United States, or of any state thereof, at a terminus on his route of travel, and then and there to submit to registration, and in case he is liable for military service under the provisions of this act, to then and there declare whether he claims exemption from such military service, and if so, the facts upon which his claim is based.
Sec. 62. Prescribes that the posting of the President's proclamation is sufficient notice.
Sec. 63. Prescribes the forms to be furnished by postmasters.
Sees. 64-67. Prescribe the duties of postmasters in the matter of registration.
Sec. 68. No person registered under the provisions of this act shall be entitled to any pay, allowances, fees, subsistence or commutation therefore, or any monetary or other compensation or reimbursement whatever for time employed or expenses incurred in complying with the provisions of this act relative to registration, except as otherwise provided in this act.
Sec. 69. Any person liable for registration under this act who shall fail or neglect to present himself for registration at the place and during the period designated, or who shall forcibly or otherwise resist or oppose such registration, or who, having duly presented himself, or having been in any manner presented for registration, shall fail, neglect or refuse to answer fully, truthfully and without equivocation, any question asked him by the postmaster or his assistant, relative to such registration, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $200, and by imprisonment for not less than one month nor for more than one year, and shall be duly registered.
Sees. 70-72. Require notice of change of residence and its record by the postmaster.
Sec. 73. Prescribes the method of claiming exemption from military service.
Sec. 74. Prescribes the physical examination of those registered.
Sec. 75. Four cents a mile is to be allowed for travel to those physically examined.
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATING THE LAW
Sec. 76. Any person liable for military service under this act, who shall fail or neglect to present himself for physical examination at the time and place appointed, or who shall forcibly or otherwise resist or oppose such physical examination, or who, having duly presented himself or having been presented in any manner for physical examination, shall fail, neglect or refuse to answer fully, truthfully and without equivocation any question relative to such examination asked him by any officer or other person engaged in making such examination, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $200 and by imprisonment for not less than one month nor for more than one year, and shall be physically examined.
Sec. 77. Any person who shall leave his place of residence or sojournment with intent to avoid registration, physical examination or military service shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of failing to present himself for registration, physical examination or military service, as the case may be, and punished accordingly: Provided, That all persons charged with leaving their place of residence or temporary abode with intent to avoid military training or service shall be tried by military tribunals.
Sees. 78-80. Prescribe fine and imprisonment for fraud in registration or failure to notify authorities of such fraud.
Sec. 81. Any person who, acting for himself or for one or more other persons or for a corporation, shall give employment to any person who, being liable for military service and having been duly called out for same, has not completed the prescribed service in the training forces or been furloughed to the reserves, or who, being liable for registration or physical examination, has not duly submitted thereto, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $200 and by imprisonment for not less than one month nor more than three months.
Sec. 82. In time of actual or threatened hostilities any sentence of imprisonment or portion of such sentence imposed by any court for any offence not involving moral turpitude upon any person liable for military service, which shall be unexecuted on the date of enrolment of such persons in the military service, shall be executed under the military authorities. In time of peace any such sentence shall be executed under the civil authorities, and the person so punished, if liable to military service and not over 24 years of age when such sentence shall have been executed, shall be liable for military service and training with the class of recruits called out to report therefore on November 1 next following the execution of his sentence.
Sec. 83. Any person whomsoever who knowingly shall under oath make any false or misleading statement, either orally or in writing, in connection with any claim for exemption from military service under this act shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of perjury and punished accordingly.
Sec. 84. Any person whomsoever who shall knowingly procure or cause to be made any false or misleading statement under oath in connection with any claim for exemption from military service under this act, shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of subornation of perjury and punished accordingly.
Sec. 85. One-half of any fine adjudged to go to informant.
Sec. 86. It shall be lawful at any time for any person authorized by the laws of the United States or of any state, territory or district, to make arrests, to arrest summarily and place in the custody of the proper United States official for examination or trial any person who such person authorized to make arrests has reasonable grounds for believing has violated any of the provisions of this act, and, in time of war or when war is imminent all persons in the naval and military service of the United States are hereby clothed with like authority to make such arrests.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 87. Nothing in this act shall operate to deprive any permanent enlisted man in the United States Army of any of the rights or privileges respecting retirement or pension which are now provided by law for enlisted men of the regular army, or to deprive any permanent officer of the United States Army of any of the rights or privileges respecting pensions which are now provided by law for officers of the regular army, but no person in the United States Army other than the permanent officers and enlisted men described in Sec. 3 of this act shall be entitled to retirement, and no person in the United States Army other than such permanent officers and enlisted men shall be entitled to pensions except for physical disabilities incurred in line of duty while employed on active duty pursuant to the orders of competent authority or while, pursuant to such orders, proceeding from their homes to posts of duty and thence to their homes.
Sec. 88. Amends Sec. 35 of the Act of March 4, 1909, Criminal Code, concerning frauds upon the Government.
Sec. 89. The Secretary of War is hereby authorized to prescribe all regulations and forms and to designate or prescribe all persons necessary or convenient for carrying out the provisions of this act in all cases in which authority to prescribe such regulations or forms or to designate such persons is not by the provisions of this act delegated to another person.
Sec. 90. All commissioned officers in the regular army shall be included in the permanent commissioned personnel of the United States Army, and the inclusion of any such officer therein shall not operate to reduce his rank or the pay and allowance to which he as an officer in the regular army was entitled on the date of the passage of this act.
Sec. 91. All provisions of the act of Congress approved June 3, 1916, relating to the officers' reserve corps, the training camps for selected civilians, the national guard, the composition of the militia and all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed: Provided, That members of the reserve officers' training corps shall be eligible for appointment in the reserve officers' corps under the conditions provided in the act of Congress approved June 3, 1916, relative to eligibility to appointment in the officers' reserve corps: Provided further, That from and after five years after the passage of this act no part of any appropriation for the raising, equipping, arming, paying, supplying, training, sheltering, subsisting or transporting troops shall be used for equipping, arming, paying, supplying, training, Sheltering or transporting any person who not commissioned, enlisted, appointed, enrolled or employed in the United States Army, the reserve officers' training corps or the militia of the Hawaiian Islands of Porto Rico: And provided further, That nothing herein shall operate to release or relieve any state, territory or district, or corporation, or natural person from any accountability, responsibility, liability or indebtedness to the United States for any money, or moneys, or any property whatsoever which shall have been or may hereafter be entrusted to any such state, territory, or district, or to any such corporation or natural person, and until such time as all such accountability, responsibility, liability and indebtedness shall have been finally settled according to law, all existing laws and parts of laws relating to such settlements shall remain in full force and effect.
The Overman Bill.—The provisions of the Overman "Espionage Bill," which passed the Senate March 10, is summed up by the Philadelphia North American as follows:
"1. Unlawful intrusion upon or approach to any vessel, fort, railroad, camp, navy yard, or ' other place connected with the national defence or under control of the United States,' for the purpose of obtaining information, or any attempt unlawfully to collect or dispose of it—$10,000 fine or two years' imprisonment.
"Attempted delivery to a foreign government of such information—20 years' imprisonment, or, in time of war, life imprisonment.
"Spreading false information in time of war to interfere with military or naval operations—fine and life imprisonment.
"Harboring of a spy—fine and imprisonment.
"2. False swearing to influence the conduct of a foreign government or to defeat any measure of the government of the United States in any foreign controversy—$5000 fine or five years.
"3. Impersonation of duly accredited foreign officials—same penalty.
"4. Fraud in obtaining or using passports—$2000 fine or five years.
"5. Fraudulent use or counterfeiting of any government seal or commission—$5000 fine or ten years.
"6. Conspiracy to injure or destroy property in any foreign country with which the United States is at peace—$10,000 fine or two years.
"7. Inspiring or taking part in any military or naval enterprise against such a country—$3000 fine or three years.
"8. Attempted escape of interned persons—arrest and confinement. Aiding in such escape—$1000 fine or one year.
"9. Authorizing the President to order seizure of arms and munitions of war about to be exported or used in violation of the neutrality and the laws of the United States.
"10. Empowering the President to arrest vessels attempting to depart on errands of assistance to belligerent vessels in violation of American neutrality. Penalty for convicted offenders against these provisions, $10,000 fine or five years.
"11. Authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury, under proclamation of the President, to regulate the conduct of all vessels in American ports in case of war or disturbance of international relations, actual or threatened. Penalty for willful destruction or injury of any vessel, domestic or foreign, in an American port or territorial waters, $10,000 fine or two years.
"12. Punishing willful injury or attempted injury to any vessel engaged in foreign commerce by $10,000 fine or ten years.
"13. Requiring sworn statements, in addition to customary manifests and clearances, by masters of vessels sailing during a war in which the United States is neutral.
"14. Providing for the issuance of search-warrants and the seizure and detention of property thereunder."
Report of Navy Yard Commission.—The commission on navy yards and naval stations, of which Rear Admiral J. M. Helm, U. S. Navy, is the senior member, has issued two reports since its preliminary one was made public, the latest one relating to submarine and aviation bases on the Pacific Coast. The commission reports that it is advisable to establish a submarine training base at Los Angeles Harbor in Southern California, and that provision should be made for a permanent training base for at least 18 submarines as well as for an operating base for the use of submarines in time of war. the site selected being located " at the existing naval reservation, between the north end and the quarantine station." It is recommended that this section of the reservation and as much more as may hereafter prove necessary be reserved for this purpose. The commission recommends the insertion of the following proviso in the current naval appropriation bill in this connection:
"That the Secretary of the Navy is hereby authorized to accept a tract of land comprising 166 acres, more or less, of submerged land in Los Angeles Harbor known as Site No. 1, which has been offered to the United States free of cost by the city of Los Angeles, for the purpose of establishing thereon a submarine base, and for such other uses by the Navy Department as may hereafter seem desirable for the purpose of national defence, and the sum of $300,000 is hereby appropriated towards the development of same, and made immediately available."
The commission also recommends similar legislation with an appropriation of $500,000 for the establishment of a naval aviation base on San Diego Bay that should be used as an operating base in time of war.
In its preceding report the commission called attention to the grave lack of navy yard facilities on the Pacific Coast and recommended the establishment of an additional navy yard or naval station on that coast. It also recommends that the capacity of the Pacific Coast yards "for maintenance and repair of the fleet" should be trebled, and that for strategic reasons it is necessary "to have at least two navy yards of the first class on the Pacific Coast of the United States." In view of the natural limitations of the navy yard at Mare Island an additional yard on San Francisco Bay is recommended, the four sites named as possibilities being Hunter's Point, Alameda, Goat Island and Richmond-Albany. Recommendation is also made for the development of the navy yard, Puget Sound.
The report continues: "The commission is deeply impressed with the impracticability of providing at Pacific Coast navy yards, without prohibitive expenditures for original establishment and subsequent annual maintenance, adequate provision for the main fleet, its regular auxiliaries, and the additions consequent upon war operations when the fleet and its auxiliaries are operating on the Pacific Coast. For this reason, commercial resources must be drawn upon to the fullest extent possible. In order that such resources may be available when needed, it is important to aid and encourage their development, in every suitable and appropriate way, so that shipbuilding, docking, repair, supply, and other facilities necessary to the fleet may be at hand when most needed."
The commission recommends the following appropriations be made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1918: Towards acquisition and development of site for additional navy yards on San Francisco Bay, $1,500,000; towards development of navy yard, Mare Island, $2,250,000; towards development navy yard, Puget Sound, $2,500,000.
In addition to Admiral Helm the commission includes: Chief Constructor W. L. Capps, U. S. N.; Civil Engineer H. H. Rousseau, U. S. N.; Captain G. W. McElroy, U. S. N., and Commander C. L. Hussey, U. S. N.— Army and Navy Journal, 16/2.
Coastal Aeronautic Stations Proposed.—A joint army-navy board is studying the Atlantic and Gulf coasts preparatory to the establishment of eight aeronautic stations, which, besides having two dirigibles and six or eight seaplanes each for aerial patrol work, probably will serve as bases for the new 110-foot coast scout boats of which the navy will order more than a hundred in a few days.
Sixteen dirigibles and a sufficient number of seaplanes already have been contracted for, and officers and men for the air service are being selected to be sent to the station at Pensacola, Fla., for training. A school dirigible for the station is about ready for delivery.
The eight stations will be distributed along the coasts to cover strategic areas to be determined by the board. Each will require six officers and 40 men.
The only station site already definitely selected is that at Coco Solo, near Colon. Canal Zone, for which an appropriation of $1,000,000 to establish a joint aviation and submarine base was asked of the last Congress. The project is expected to go through at the coming special session. Funds for the other stations also will be asked at that time, but the department has emergency appropriations sufficient to begin the work at once. The dirigibles are to be delivered within four months.
At present no stations for the Pacific Coast are being prepared, although the chain of coast patrol bases will be extended along the entire coast line as rapidly as machines can be procured and men trained.
The immediate scheme requires the training within the next four months of 50 officers and 350 men at Pensacola in handling dirigibles. Crews for the seaplanes are already under training, but their number must be increased largely without delay.
In providing boats to aid in the task of guarding the coasts, navy experts would prefer a standard type 130-foot steel boat for patrol and submarine chasing work, but in the interest of speedy construction has determined on the 110-foot craft, with wooden hulls, so that builders of wooden boats can share in the work. Later orders will be placed for some small submarine chasers ranging from 50 to 85 feet in length.—New York Herald.
New Naval Submarine Base.—The naval authorities have amended their plan of last year for two submarine bases, one at Colon and the other at Panama, on the Canal Zone, one for 20 boats and the other for 10. Now it has been decided to have only one base, covering both coasts, with 20 boats in all. This is the result of the conclusions of the naval board and the joint army and navy board. The U. S. S. Charleston, which has been serving as a mother ship for the submarines in that quarter, has been withdrawn on account of the mobilization plans. There are five submarines there now, and these with the seven AT boats to be sent there shortly and the 0 boats as soon as delivered will bring the number up to 20. This is in the line of the recommendation of the joint board, a report from which body says:
"Submarines are an essential element of the defence of the Canal Zone and the canal itself. In their present stage of development they constitute such a threat that close blockade is recognized to be impracticable in this day, and that alone would suffice to justify their inclusion in the scheme of defence. They have, however, another sphere of usefulness in their ability to carry a threat against a superior force to a distance. They thus supplement the fixed defences, render any approach of a hostile expedition hazardous, and their presence would tend to throw hostile landings farther away from the terminals of the canal than any fixed or mobile forces on land possibly could, even if they did not serve to prevent a determined enemy from landing or otherwise attacking the canal. It is the opinion of the joint board that submarine shore bases are a necessity at the Panama Canal. The joint board further recommends that appropriations be sought to build up the submarine bases at the isthmus at the earliest practicable date."—Army and Navy Register, 24/2.
Surgical Supplies in War Time.—A meeting of the Council of National Defence was held February 12 for the further consideration of the industrial mobilization of the country for use in an emergency and take up the offers made by manufacturing and commercial establishments to turn their plants over to the government in the event of war.
Both the War and Navy departments have received many such offers. This statement was issued by the War Department regarding the meeting of the council:
"This call is not based upon any new incident in the international situation; but, as the organization of the industry and commerce of the country for rapid use in time of emergency is the primary purpose of the council, it is thought that these patriotic and numerous voluntary offers afford an especially favorable opportunity for beginning the work of organization and carrying it into speedy execution."
The council also made public the personnel, scheme of organization, and the program for the immediate future of the newly formed committee on standardization of medical and surgical supplies. Two weeks ago Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War, as chairman of the council, after consultation with Dr. Franklin Martin, of the advisory commission to the council, issued an invitation to Secretary Daniels as head of the naval bureau of medicine and surgery, to Secretary McAdoo as having jurisdiction over the Public Health Service, and to the medical division of the Council of National Defence, asking them to make nominations for membership on the committee on standardization of medical and surgical supplies.
The committee was named as follows:
Dr. George W. Crile, Cleveland, Ohio, professor of clinic surgery, Western Reserve University, and surgeon Lakeside Hospital.
Dr. Harvey Cushing, professor of surgery, Harvard University, and chief surgeon of the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston.
Lieutenant Colonel Carl R. Darnall, U. S. Army, medical corps.
Dr. Carl L. Gibson, adjunct professor of surgery, Cornell University Medical College, and surgeon New York Hospital.
Dr. Richard H. Harts, surgeon to Pennsylvania and Orthopedic hospitals, Philadelphia.
Colonel Jefferson R. Kean, director of military relief, American- National Red Cross.
Dr. Joseph A. Murphy, surgeon, bureau of medicine and surgery, Navy Department.
Dr. Henry S. Plummer. the Male Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
Dr. T. W. Richards, American National Red Cross.
General K. C. Rucker, assistant surgeon general, U. S. Public Health Service.
Dr. Frank F. Simpson, chief of medical division, Council of National Defence.
The committee on standardization met in Washington on February 12. The purpose was to formulate plans by which standardization of all medical and surgical equipment in the country can be effected. Subcommittees will be appointed to represent every branch of medicine and report regarding articles which they deem essential to the successful conduct of their work. These various reports will be collated with the idea of standardizing supplies needed for the governmental departments of medicine on one hand and for civilian activities on the other.
The objects of the proposed standardization are: To make it possible to obtain surgical supplies in large volume on short notice; to have definite specifications so that manufacturers of similar articles may divert their activities with a minimum of delay or inconvenience to the production of supplies required by the Army and Navy; to reduce cost by enabling manufacturers to produce the various articles in quantity, and to enable civilian practitioners to become familiar with the instruments and appliances which they will be expected to use if they are called to the colors. —Army and Navy Register.
Navy Shell Contracts.— The Secretary of the Navy announced on February 19 that contracts had been awarded to domestic concerns for the manufacture of more than 14,000 shells of the 14-inch armor-piercing type. These contracts are to supply the shells for which Hadlields, Ltd., an English firm, had underbid American munition makers by almost $200 a shell. After the Department had announced that the contract would be placed with Hadfields, Ltd.. Ambassador Page, in London, was notified that the British Government would not permit the tilling of the order "under present conditions." The contracts awarded on February 19 were as follows:
Crucible Steel Company, 5000 14-inch armor-piercing projectiles at $500 each; Midvale Steel Company, 5000 14-inch armor-piercing projectiles at $500 each; Washington Steel and Ordnance Company, 4200 14-inch armor-piercing projectiles at $500 each.
The total amount involved is $7,100,000, or according to Secretary Daniels about $447,000 less than would have been the case if the contracts had been awarded at the prices submitted by the above firms on January 3.
In the case of the 16-inch shells, no bids were received to take over the contract which had been tentatively awarded Hadfields. This was for 3000 shells to be delivered in 16 months at $513 each. The next bidder (Washington Steel and Ordnance Company) wanted 32 months in which to finish 2500 shells at $750 each. No immediate need is foreseen for these larger shells as the navy has not at this time, and will not have for at least two years, any guns requiring so large a projectile. It is learned that no anxiety is felt on this score, also, in view of the fact that the Department expects to have the government projectile factory in operation within a year. If the domestic manufacturers continue to find themselves unable to bid on the 16-inch shell, this factory could easily be set at work on just that type of munition.
The reduction in the bids of the American concerns on the 14-inch shells was effected after several conferences between representatives of those concerns and Navy Department officials. In every case, it is understood, the manufacturers expressed themselves as very anxious to do everything to assist the government, even to taking the contract at a figure which represented an actual financial loss.
Great Britain has withdrawn her objection and made known her permission for Hadfields, Ltd., to contract with the United States Navy for armor-piercing shells of the 14- and 16-inch type.—Army and Navy Journal.
Submarine Net at Hampton Roads.—Rear Admiral Walter McLean, United States Navy, commandant of the navy yard at Norfolk, Va., issued a warning to mariners on February 16, that a big steel net such as Great Britain has used as a guard against submarines was being placed in position at the entrance to Hampton Roads. The net's position is indicated by a line of buoys, on which searchlights will be trained at night. In his warning Admiral McLean instructed masters and pilots of merchant craft not to approach the buoys without first signaling the boat on duty for orders. Nets have also been placed at Guantanamo harbor, the Narrows at New York, and other places, and provision has been made for the placing of nets at other important points, according to unofficial report. Ships are barred from entering or leaving port at night, where nets have been permanently fixed.
Further official confirmation of the numerous press reports as to "an immense submarine net" stretched across Hampton Roads, Va., came from the War Department on February 20, in the shape of the following memorandum:
"The efficiency shown in the rapid construction and planting of the submarine net which now closes Hampton Roads is a matter of satisfaction to the War Department. This net, which is considerably over a mile long, and in places nearly 60 feet deep, was built and planted by the coast artillery troops at Fort Monroe, Va. Swinging sections, or gates, are provided, to permit the passage of shipping, which is convoyed through the net by naval vessels."
The net, it is learned, is constructed of wire rope of about the thickness of an ordinary lead pencil, with meshes 12 by 15 feet square. On the top of the net are floats, while weights attached to the lowest meshes serve to keep it upright in the water. The slightest disturbance to the net is communicated to the floats on the surface, and the men assigned to watch the contrivance can immediately investigate at that point. The chances of a submarine getting through or, in fact, of touching the net without becoming hopelessly entangled, are practically nil. Once "caught," the floats inexorably follow to point out the position of the enemy to the swift destroyers. It is the opinion of army officers that the use of nets similar to that described above has enabled Great Britain to maintain so effectively her stream of supplies across the English Channel, the Channel being sufficiently narrow and shallow to permit the use of nets for its entire breadth.
The first "fish" entrapped by the net at Hampton Roads was the peaceful Old Dominion Line steamer Madison. On the night of February 19 her propeller became entangled in the net, and it was only after more than 12 hours' hard work that she was freed. The steamer was bound at the time for New York with passengers and cargo.—Army and Navy Journal.
UNITED STATES NAVAL MILITIA AND NAVAL RESERVE
Patrol Fleet Explained by Rear Admiral Usher.—Read Admiral Nathaniel R. Usher, commandant of the New York Navy Yard, issued a comprehensive statement explanatory of the task of mobilizing the patrol fleet which will guard New York harbor surrounding waters and the Atlantic coast in what is known as the third naval district, extending from New London, Conn., to Barnegat, N. J. Rear Admiral Usher also is commandant of this naval district.
The statement urges immediate enrolment in the United States Naval Reserve force, authorized last summer, and announced that arrangements now are being made for an enrolling officer to spend one day a week at each of the towns and harbors along the Atlantic coast.
Rear Admiral Usher's statement follows:
"The naval defences, which are additional to and supplement the activities of the regular navy, consist of harbor defence vessels, monitors, armed merchant vessels for off shore scouting, large power boats for patrol work along the coast, and smaller power boats for inland waters and for use at the mouth of the harbors and tugs for mine laying and mine sweeping.
"The vessels of the coast guard will form part of these forces, and the lighthouse tenders also will be employed in connection with the laying of mines and handling of nets.
"The communications are taken care of by the radio stations under control of the government; all of which will be under the control of the Navy Department, and the coast guard and the life saving stations will be under the commandant of the district, and will be available for keeping a lookout along the coast.
"As all of the above vessels except the coast guard and lighthouse vessels will be officered and manned by the United States Naval Reserve Force, almost none of the naval officers or men of the regular navy will be available, as the battleship fleet and regular navy will require their services.
"The naval militia or state naval forces will reinforce the crews of the ships of the regular navy; therefore, few of them will be available for the naval district defences.
"The above named coast defence vessels and tugs and patrol boats will, therefore, be manned by the United States Naval Reserve Force, which was authorized by an act of Congress last August. This force is being enrolled and consists of officers and crews of merchant vessels, and of owners, officers and crews of power boats, yachts, fishing vessels and work boats.
"Many competent officers and men have already enrolled, but to man the number of vessels planned it will require many others, especially engineers, quartermasters, firemen and sailors for small vessels, power boats, yachts, tugs, etc.
"Steps have been taken to reach these men through the various maritime organizations, clubs and societies, etc., and it is particularly desired at this time to have local agents in the various harbors and towns along the coast line who will collect the names of men who are willing to enroll and communicate with the commandant of the district.
"Arrangements will be made to send out full information to these agents (as has already been given to the above-mentioned societies) in regard to the United States Naval Reserve Force.
"Enrollments can be made now at the Brooklyn navy yard, and within a week at the New York office, where all applicants will receive full information.
"Plans are being made for a travelling enrolling officer to visit the different towns and harbors along the coast line, spending one day per week at each place for the purpose of enrolling those who have signified their willingness.
"It should be especially stated that men who enroll in class 4 of the naval coast defence reserve and will serve only on above vessels or at local shore stations are not to be drafted into the regular navy.
"They are not subject to call except in time of war and will not be called to do duty on the Mexican border or any similar duty. It is the Navy Department's intention that the officers and crews of class 4 naval reserve shall be employed as far as possible on those boats that they have previously served on and they will also be employed on boats assigned to their own neighborhood, that is to say men recruiting on the south side of Long Island will be given duty on boats in that district as far as possible; men recruited on Long Island Sound will be given duty if possible on boats in Long Island Sound.
"The United States Naval Reserve force consists of the following classes:
"Class 1. Fleet naval reserve, composed of one-time regular navy men.
"Class 2. Naval reserve. Any seafaring men and officers for general naval service under 35 years of age.
"Class 3. Auxiliary naval reserve. Officers and crew of merchant vessels which may be purchased or chartered for naval use.
"Class 4. Naval coast defence reserve. Officers and crews for vessels for local coast defence mentioned above and local shore stations.
For the latter class are desired men familiar with power boats, fishing vessels, tugs and seagoing vessels.
"There are also wanted officers and men for technical and administrative work on shore and naval bases.
"Men are enrolled for four years, but in time of peace they may resign at any time. To be confirmed in their rank or rating they must have three months training. They may have continuous active duty on full pay if they desire it, and their services are needed. After three months' training and confirmation, officers and men receive a retainer every year, of two months full pay without performing any service except three weeks annual training. Before being confirmed they receive an annual retainer of $t2.
"Men may enroll in any naval district they choose. Many owners and crews of vessels enroll and wish to serve aboard their own boats. It is the intention of the Navy Department to assign such men to localities and boats with which they are familiar."—New York Herald.
Naval Reserve Force.—Very satisfactory progress is being made toward the creation of the personnel of the naval reserve force authorized by the naval appropriation act of August 29. The Meet naval reserve now consists of more than 1000 members, the increase being at the rate of about 100 a week. In class 2 of the reserve there are about 200 seagoing members. Class 3, devoted to auxiliary ships, is made up of men connected with 105 vessels which have been listed by the Navy Department, and enrollments of the personnel is being conducted as rapidly as possible. Class 4, the coast-defence naval reserve, has 1000 members, and by the end of the month there will be five times that number. The reserve flying corps possesses but one member at this time, Ensign Mark L. Sperry, Jr., attached to the U. S. S. Wyoming. About 180 men and six officers from ships on the Great Lakes are now with the Atlantic fleet on the winter cruise and will stay with the fleet until the 1st of March or, in the case of those who desire to do so, .until the fleet comes north; in case of war, of course, all of these men will remain with the fleet. All the naval districts have been organized for enrollment, and the work in that direction is progressing with celerity. In the event of war it is expected that there will be many enrollments in the naval reserve, and in such cases the period of service will be for the war, separation from service being automatic on the termination of hostilities. This will be accomplished without resort to new legislation and to that extent constitutes an improvement over former conditions. A flag has been adopted for the naval reserve force. Its design is that of the device used on officers' caps, an eagle and shield on crossed anchors. The body of the flag is blue, the eagle and anchors are white, and the shield is red and white. This flag will be flown at the mainmast of those ships which have been listed by the Navy Department and commanded by officers of the naval reserve force. —Army and Navy Register, 17/2.
To Mobilize Youth for Naval Service.—The youth of the country is to be mobilized for naval duty and 2000 are to be recruited in this city. This was decided March 13 at a meeting in the Astor Hotel which was attended by several men interested in the United States Junior Naval reserve. Boys between 14 and 17 years old, in the event of mobilization of all the naval forces, will act as messengers in the navy yards, arsenals and government munition plants. The older boys be detailed for gunnery work and signaling duty on board the vessels of the mosquito fleet.
Dr. William T. Hornaday is president of the organization and Perry Belmont is vice-president. The latter was said to be in Washington arranging further details for the mobilization. Through the recruiting station opened two weeks ago at No. 231 West Fifty-eighth street, 250 boys already have been enrolled. Another station will be opened this week in Brooklyn. Among those present at the meeting were Lieutenant Richard P. McCullough, United States Navy, and Lieutenant Ernest D. McWhorter, United States Navy.—New York Herald.
California Naval Reserves Active.—The Los Angeles Naval Militia recently issued a call for volunteers as follows:
"This is an hour of immediate and increasing danger to the United States when every patriot must weigh in his own mind and conscience the full duty he owes to his nation, in time of war.
"That duty is to prepare. Each man, be ready.
"The world is aflame with war. Hatred, aggravated by envy of our peace and prosperity, is leveled upon this nation from all directions. Intrigues, based upon the lust to conquer and to oppress, are insidiously working to send at our throats peoples from whom we think we are entitled to gratitude, friendship and respect.
"This nation will not strike the first blow in any war. When that blow falls—if it falls—it will come upon us like a meteor from the firmament, without warning. Our most prosperous, our most beautiful, our most precious territory will be the target for the first ravages. There is a man, to-day, drilling and training, whose attack, behind some terrible engine of war, may already be planned and even under way,
"Would you avoid war?" Then let it be known that for every such attack that may be launched against us we are ready to stand—ship for ship, gun for gun, and man for man.
"Patriotic Citizen.—When your country needs you, in the moment of bitterest peril, can you be ' the man behind the gun,' ready to fight, trained to fight, accustomed to the use of arms and defences? Your choice is single—Be ready, or resign yourself to be herded like sheep in training ramps, or, more likely, be seized by a triumphant invader and become his serf.
"You can make this single choice now, to-day. You cannot make the choice after war is upon us.
"Mothers, Wives, Daughters.—Remember the women and the babies of Belgium and of Poland. Urge your brothers, your sons and your husbands to do their full duty to you, to their homes and families and be prepared to protect against the worst horrors the human imagination can depict.
"The naval forces of California are our first line of defence. Our dangers lie by sea. If our navy is strong enough and prepared enough it may prevent any attack by any foe.
"The United States Navy needs, immediately, to man the ships that are ready for service, 100,000 trained men. Every man who wants to serve his country must be training now.
"The naval militia of the state of California offers to the young men of Los Angeles County the opportunity to secure this training at the minimum sacrifice of time or money.
"The state of California has provided the armory and the equipment for so much of the drills and training as can be done on shore.
"The United States Navy keeps in Los Angeles harbor available for the use and training of the naval militia warships, destroyers, torpedo-boats and submarines. Almost any Sunday, members and squads of the militia can and do train or practice upon a ship of the navy.
"The United States Navy furnishes every summer to all members of the naval militia enlisted before April 1, a battleship for a cruise of three weeks, in which the drilling and training of the year may be perfected in actual application with the latest fighting machinery.
"The state of California and the United States Navy furnish to the ambitious every opportunity for study and advancement in any line of the service. It is possible for a young man to enter the naval militia, perfect himself in his drill, pursue technical study and training and perfect himself to assume the duties of a warrant officer or even a commissioned officer in the navy. And all this entirely without expense to him.
"The Practical Patriots' League has assembled the funds to pay members of the naval militia in Los Angeles for the time they spend in drills, cruises and organized preparatory work. The same league is assembling a guarantee fund, available in case of war, so that when a man is called to the colors he may go to his country's service secure in the knowledge that his responsibilities to his family and dependents will fall upon the shoulders of the man behind the man behind the gun.
"If no war comes, you will be the gainer by this patriotic preparation. If war does come, you will be able to offer your nation something worth giving—the services of a man who is trained.
"Volunteers.—Present yourselves at the armory, at Exposition park, Thursday evening March 8, 7.30 o'clock—the regular drill night of the naval reserve. See the work, choose your division or section and enroll. Your country needs you. Age limit, 18 to As years."
A "Practical Patriots' League" has been organized in Los Angeles with the objects of increasing the naval militia, and providing funds to be used in training and in supporting dependents in case of war. At the first meeting of the league, held March 7, with Mr. E. L. Doheney presiding, about $110,000 was contributed by members.
Los Angeles motor-boat owners are organizing for patrol duty.
Plans Power Boat Tuition.—The United States Power Squadron Association, following an all-day session March 5, took action to place its resources, comprising 20 squadron units in the principal Atlantic and Great Lakes ports of the country, at the disposal of the government. Owing to the fact that of the thousands of motor boats owned in the United States comparatively few are of sufficient size and power to be used in operations against submarines, the association decided to place the hundreds of vessels represented in its fleets at the command of the Navy Department, to be used as training vessels for personnel while the larger craft are being built.
The proposition to utilize the motor-boat fleets for training purposes was transmitted to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt by Theodore I. Coe, head of the Power Squadrons Association. The plan, as submitted to Mr. Roosevelt, is described in part as follows:
"In each city where a power squadron unit exists, instruction classes will be immediately formed for teaching all the things pertaining to seamanship and coastwise navigation. These instruction meetings will be held several nights a week, and will be open to every one who cares to attend. An effort will be made to reach the young men of all classes.
"After the theoretical training in the classrooms, and as soon as the boats owned by the members of the power squadrons can be put into commission, the training will be transferred to the boats. Men who perhaps never have been aboard a power boat before will be taken on the water and given a chance to learn seamanship and simple navigation.
"During all of the training the men will be under no obligation to join the United States Power Squadrons unless they see fit. The one object will be to assist the Navy Department, encourage enrollment in the naval coast defence reserve, and to train men. The training of the men will come under the supervision of the existing Central Committee on Instruction of the United States Power Squadrons. This committee consists of H. A. Jackson, New York; Dr. A. B. Bennett, Washington, and C. F. Chapman, New York."
The men who have been put in charge in the various districts are C. N. Burnall for Boston, H. M. Williams for New York, Dr. E. P. Sweet for Providence, J. K. Murphy for New Haven, L. P. Clephane for Washington, H. H. Hungerford for Chicago, and Maurice G. Belknap for Philadelphia.—New York Times.
The United Fruit Company’s Fleet.—It is news of welcome significance that the United Fruit Company has recently placed an order with the Harlan & Hollingsworth Corporation for four passenger and freight vessels of notable tonnage and speed for the company's regular services between the Caribbean region and Atlantic ports of the United States.
During many years the United Fruit Company, though of thorough-going American management, has procured nearly all of its steamers from yards of the United Kingdom, where they could be built at a lower cost than in this country. The war, of course, for the time being has equalized conditions in this respect, and, indeed, has now left only American yards available. But the appearance of large American-built steamers in the United Fruit fleet may well prove to be the beginning of agreeable relations which will lead to a constant use of American yards hereafter—as has been the experience of the Ward Line to the West Indies and Mexico (the well-known New York and Cuba Mail Company), most of whose ships have been of native construction.
Most valuable to the United States of all the new accessions which the war has brought is the fleet of about 30 steamers flying the United Fruit flag which have been transferred from British to American registry under the emergency act of August 18, 1914. This "White Fleet" is a credit to the Stars and Stripes flying at the taffrail. Most of these steamers are of more than ordinary speed, and all are admirably equipped and maintained in fine condition. They represent a genuine addition to the naval reserve of the United States.—Marine Journal.
Admiral Edwards on Preparedness.—On February 22 Rear Admiral Edwards delivered an address at Bristol, R. I., which we reprint from the Bristol Phoenix, as follows:
"Admiral Edwards began by giving an outline of a famous play named 'Milestones,' that had a long run some years ago in London, and that served to arouse the English people to a knowledge that something was wrong with the empire, and that really made possible the leadership of David Lloyd George. After telling how Great Britain at last took note of the warnings on the milestones of her progress, Admiral Edwards spoke of our own land as follows:
"'And all this time America, apparently peaceful and prosperous, regarded herself as a nation triumphant, when, in fact, she was the one power that should have been contemplant instead of exultant. We should have realized that our own plight as regards national defence was even worse than that of England, since shadow after shadow of coming events ought to have been observed and served as a warning that we should place our own house in order. In our self-complacency and prosperity we considered that the possibility of our becoming involved in this war w-as but little less remote than a conflict with Canada. We contracted, however, for a few aeroplanes when France and Germany were experimenting with hundreds of such appliances. Each year a few submarines and destroyers were authorized, while our possible foes were building such craft by the dozens. We built battleships and yet failed to develop the naval stations that were expected to repair them. At over half of our naval stations we did not possess a crane with sufficient hoist, reach and capacity to handle the boilers, turrets, or guns of a modern battleship. Even where coastwise guns were mounted we failed in some cases to provide a full complement of men for their maintenance and operation.
"'The patriotism and integrity of our shipbuilders were impeached, and therefore the industry was discredited. It was the one industry of all others that should have received national encouragement and assistance, for the possession of an extensive merchant marine is but one remove in importance to national defence to the development of a powerful fleet,
"'There were so few urging national preparedness that in the years 190S. 1009, 1910 and 1911, only two battleships were authorized during each of those years. In 1912, as well as in 1913, but a single capital ship was authorized. In 1914, three battleships were authorized, but it must be remembered that we had then sold to Greece the second-class battleships Mississippi and Idaho, and therefore two of the three capital ships obtained that year were but simply replacements of those that we had lost by sale.
"'The apathy of this nation to military affairs for the past ten years has been simply surprising, and therefore our relative military strength has been regarded as negligible. Our indifference to the admiration and esteem of the other nations of the world can only be termed humiliating and appalling, for even during the past two years, when nations have been fighting for their very existence, some of our manufacturers have discredited their own country by the unscrupulous manner in which they have attempted to foist inferior supplies and machines in lieu of the superior appliances that were called for. In certain quarters of Europe we are looked upon as absolutely without conscience by reason of the manner in which we have subordinated our self-respect to financial gain.
"'During the past year, however, America has been aroused at least in part to not only her military weakness, but to her impaired honor and standing. Measured from the standpoint of national defence, we are commencing to make an inventory of our military assets, and therefore we are procuring stores and implements that should have been purchased years ago. We are rapidly awakening from the happy dream that only a glorious Trafalgar awaits our fleet when it meets an opposing force; and an army that was recruited over night could meet our military needs.
"'Our real national weakness, however, is founded upon other causes than lack of an adequate army and a suitable sized fleet. We are keen in wearing flags, buttons, and rosettes representing the national colors, but we appear to forget that courage in a worthy cause means, if necessary, the shedding of blood, and that the color red is the symbol of courage. Our youth dream, that if they had lived centuries ago they would have striven to have been knights at Arthur's Court, and yet they forget that the best of his knights spent most of their time beyond, rather than within the castle walls, and that King Arthur measured the courage and manhood of his knights by the number of wrongs they had redressed, rather than by the garb in which they appeared at court, by the prizes they won at the tournaments, or by the minstrels they sang to the maidens of the realm.
"The great nations have ever been those in which people were ready to render to the state some distinct service that represented personal sacrifice. Personal sacrifice is something more than verbal utterance, or the contributing of a pittance for some worthy cause connected with military affairs.
"That nation will perish, which will not, at least upon its national holidays give its best thoughts to the uplift and betterment of the nation. Of all our national holidays, the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington ought to be the most appropriate ones when we should take measure of existing national thought and purpose, for among the highest tributes that will ever be paid to America will be that it produced a soldier and statesman like Washington, and an emancipator and an overshadowing majestic figure like Lincoln.
"If this country is to maintain a high place among the nations of the earth and to fulfill the great mission contemplated by the framers of the constitution, then it is our bounden duty to more closely study the life and character of both Washington and Lincoln and to note if our existing standard of honor and action would appeal to these leaders—-the greatest that we have produced. If we believe the teachings of the Bible, then we must believe that there are times when the spirits of these men hover near us, and that if we are receptive for counsel, then in some mysterious yet unmistakable way, there will come to us not only warning of impending danger, but means of guiding us to ways that not only make for peace, but for honor.
"Surely the thought must have forcibly and repeatedly come to this nation during the past two years that all is not well with us, and that we lack at least to some extent, the virile qualities that prompted us in past generations to fight for the persecuted and oppressed. Would not Lincoln, as well as Washington show, by their saddened expressions if they appeared to us in a vision, that however much America may have advanced as regards benevolence, generosity, inventive talent, internal development, business capacity, unselfish philanthropy, and material wealth, and that even though we are still the most favored and ought to be the happiest nation in the world, that we have retrograded along certain distinct lines?
"Has not President Hibben of Princeton University expressed the duty of America when he calls for a revival of national spirit, for devotion to duty rather than reliance upon service, and for the spirit of self-sacrifice, if need be, for national safety and honor. And then he states that although we have coined money in fabulous amounts out of this war, even New Zealand has been more liberal to Belgium than we.
"If this nation ever accepts the doctrine that another power shall tell the "United States just how we shall mark our ships, just where these vessels shall go otherwise than as we desire, and that the freedom of the seas will be denied us, then it is about time we questioned ourselves as to whether our national emblem means anything to us. The answer will be found in the words of Doctor Hibben, who says:
"We do not want to become involved in war; we do not want to fight. But we should have the spirit of being willing to fight rather than to sacrifice our national honor. Our fathers struggled heroically for the cause of liberty, not merely that America might be a land of liberty, but that the idea of liberty might be given to all nations of the earth.
"We must show by our deeds that we prize honor above comfort, justice above gain, and mercy above justice, and that we would gladly lay down our lives rather than, by living to ourselves in peace and prosperity, prove false to God and man."
"We, of all other countries, should be the last to engage in lamentations and miseries, for I believe that this nation is yet the best land to live in and that it offers greater possibilities than any other to the betterment of mankind. All may not be well with us, but all is not wrong. We must, however, manifest American manhood and spirit at its highest and best, to maintain even our own self-respect. We have already endured much to maintain peace, but the time has now arrived when we should make our flag respected on every sea where we have the right to trade, and by taking such action, assume our real place among the nations of the earth.
"We owe it to the weaker republics of America if not to ourselves to prepare for war, and we should let it be unequivocably known that if we are ever forced into war we will not sheathe the sword until our foe has been made to meet the fate that was intended for us.
"We should now recognize the fact in its fullness, that we have distinctly retrograded as a nation in certain important respects, because we have been so bent upon filling our purses that we have neglected to maintain our manhood. This nation has simply lost all sense of perspective if we have failed to observe certain 'Milestones' that show our national short-comings. Who can deny that we are weak along the following lines:
"The lack of national spirit is so manifest that one can almost say truly that until two years ago it was not in good form in every section of the country to be sincerely enthusiastic as regards love of country. We should ere this have developed national airs that would have reflected the best spirit of America. We have not, in fact, a national hymn which can be sung by our people—a hymn which arouses that patriotism and inspiration which comes from hearing such airs as the 'Marseillase' or 'Eine Feste Burg.'
"'There are but few agencies of the land that are doing systematic and continuous work in developing and maintaining patriotism, and in all sincerity I believe that the most powerful and influential factor that is engaged in this far-reaching purpose is your own splendid organization—the Daughters of the American Revolution. In past years, the Grand Army of the Republic has done invaluable service along this line, but that organization would ere this have been substantially disbanded if it had not been for the patriotic and untiring energy and inspiration of its Women's Relief Corps. Even the uniform of the army and the navy is discredited in certain quarters, for from time to time we read that some judicial officer has disgraced himself and impeached the honor of his country by informing self-confessed or convicted criminals that deserved jail sentences meted out to them would be remitted in case they enlisted in some branch of the military service.
Patriotism will never become a national virtue unless it is instilled in the child at home, and the revival if not the survival of the highest spirit of America is therefore dependent upon the action of the mothers of this land. One central and most effective agency that can render far-reaching service in this special direction is your own organization, for it is recognized that it is a distinction to be entitled to wear your badge and insignia for it was your society that did the pioneer work in the renaissance of patriotism.
Even in the Far East to whose countries we send missionaries and whose people we term heathen, the lack of discipline and respect for age upon the part of our children excites surprise and even indignation. The nations that have survived the longest, and the children who are the happiest, are those who honor age and heed the counsel of their parents. That nation is on the decline where the children rule the home, and where their wishes and desires predominate over the judgment of their elders. Something must be done and done quickly to subject the youth of American to yield due respect to the experience and judgment of their teachers and parents.
Probably one of the most promising measures that has yet been inaugurated for inculcating discipline in youth of America is the contemplated establishment throughout the country during the coming summer of junior military camps, for the military training of boys between the ages of 15 and 18 years. The organization and administration of these camps are to be absolutely under the direction of commissioned officers of the United States Army. During the coming summer it is desired to have at least 25,000 boys under training in these camps, and Bristol should send at least a dozen such volunteers. There will be a camp of this character at Portland, Maine, and another on Plum Island, near New London, and the only expense attached to entering these camps will be the actual cost of subsistence together with necessary clothing and traveling expenses.
"The mothers of America have a very direct interest in these camps, for it may ultimately mean the life of your son as well as the development of his manhood to have him volunteer for such duty and to have him receive training that may conserve his life and health. The soldier that has little to fear from typhoid camps, and the man that can be relied upon to develop rather than to impair his character and manhood under the demoralizing conditions of war, is the man who when a boy, had been subjected to discipline, who realizes the import of obedience, and who had been unequivocally told as to the resultant of vice and dissipation. And this is what will be told to your boys at the projected junior training camps.
"There are in America thousands of men who are making the nation's necessity their individual opportunity. Such men appear to have no conception of the fact that in rendering service to the state, one should be willing to make sacrifices, rather than to look only for profit and gain. It should be regarded as bordering upon treason for any citizen to deliberately furnish defective supplies or munitions for an army in the field or for the fleet, and the Congress should therefore enact such drastic legislation as would place a felon's garb upon every one directly responsible for such action.
"There are of course 'lean' years in the life of every industry, and every manufacturer ought have the right and prerogative in prosperous times to make sufficient profit to cover the loss of these lean periods. Willful fraud, however, in the manufacture of supplies for the troops in the trenches should not be condoned, and where it likewise appears as if inordinate profits had been exacted in the manufacture of munitions of war, the government should either commandeer such plants or else put a heavy surcharge tax upon dividends that are unduly excessive. With a reasonable legal limit as to the extent of profit that would be permitted upon manufacture of war material, there would be decreased temptation to turn out an unsatisfactory output, and for this reason if for no other, the government should take effective means in preventing its necessity and peril from being utilized by manufacturers in demanding profits that are almost staggering in amount.
"Personally, I believe that the man who is keeping another on the firing line is rendering valuable military service, for every belligerent in the present war has found out that it was a blunder to take into the army men who would have been much more useful to the nation had they remained at home working at their ordinary trades or directing the operations of great industrial establishments. Both Great Britain and Germany have found that the ablest ministers of munitions were those who had experience as captains of industries rather than those whose training had been in command of troops.
"Every nation is justified in time of war in enacting measures that will prevent any man from becoming a millionaire in supplying the military needs of the country. If necessary, our captains of industry as well as our greatest technical experts, should be drafted into the public service if they will not volunteer for such duty. The highest honors of the Republic should likewise be paid those who put conscience and patriotism into meeting the military necessities of their country. Where national spirit, however, is lacking upon the part of the individual, and wherever there is an attempt to reap inordinate gain at the expense of the families of the men in the trenches or those on the fleet's battle-line, there ought to be assembled a military court to deal with such cases, for such overcharge should be placed in the category of furnishing aid to the enemy.
"The distinguishing and overshadowing weakness of America is our lack in national leadership. We have, of course, able men and prominent personages in public life, but few overtopping leaders. The inordinate desire if not craze for wealth to meet the social demand of modern life is rapidly depleting this nation of commanding figures in our executive departments and legislative halls.
"The efficiency and usefulness of our great hospitals are being impaired because many of our ablest surgeons are unwilling or unable to subordinate their private practice to hospital work. Our greatest lawyers are refusing to accept appointments as justices in our highest appellate courts, because such service involves excessive financial sacrifice. The most impressive fact in reviewing the work of some of our past congresses is the scarcity of leaders whose names will go down into the history of our nation. These arc men like Mr. Root, whose services should be requisitioned without delay, and it is lamentable that we should not follow the British policy of having some men resign their offices to permit such overshadowing leaders to at least temporarily assume their duties. And along this line it may be that within a few months we may have to follow the action of England and France and form a coalition cabinet.
"It borders upon a national peril that public service, under existing conditions, does not offer a promising field for the development of great leaders. In our diplomatic service we are substantially demanding every four years the resignation of our ambassadors. The tenure of office of the average Cabinet Minister will not exceed three years. Not one single general on the active list of our regular army has ever had opportunity to drill an army corps, and it has only been within the past few years that the opportunity came for these leaders to review even a brigade of troops.
"As compared with an autocracy, democracy appears to have but a limited vision, of the worth to a nation, of great leaders. Napoleon was ever seeking brilliant marshals, and his soldiers understood that every private carried the baton of a marshal in his knapsack if he possessed the commanding military talent to assume such duty. Is it envy and jealousy, or a narrow perspective of statesmanship that makes us blind to the fact that the greater the crisis the more needful for overshadowing leadership? Even where there comes forth one possessing the commanding traits of the leader, it sometimes appears as if the greater his possibilities of achieving such distinction, the more distinctly he becomes the target for official elimination.
"Our railroads have not only been legislated to a point bordering upon insolvency, but have been subjected in many instances to such financial chicanery that to-day there is almost a dearth of commanding figures as regards railway transportation. It has been conservatively estimated that it will require ten billions of dollars for necessary expenditures in placing the rolling stock and track equipment of our railroads in good order. As one of the greatest of our trade papers states:
"The railway system of the country has broken down. This vital factor in the business life of the country, and in national safety if war should come, has practically collapsed, since embargoes on freight arc being issued in every direction, traffic is congested, manufacturing enterprises are hampered and all business is restricted.
"The great problem before the American people to-day, because it is as vital to safety in time of war as to prosperity in time of peace, is how to rind the billions that must be expended for an enormous expansion of railroad interests. We are squarely up against this problem, the magnitude of which legislators, national and state, financiers, business men and even railroad people themselves have not heretofore seemed to adequately grasp. Delay cannot be endured longer without great disaster. How shall we meet the problem is the nation's question.
"America is to-day strikingly efficient along but very few lines, and these lines are primarily in the direction of manufactures and finance. We are, however, making strides to efficiency as regards higher education, because the great universities arc seeking leaders and administrators rather than scholars as presidents of such institutions. In the administration therefore of our great financial corporations, in organizing and operating vast industrial plants, and in carrying on the varied and extensive work of our great universities, leaders are being developed. It is simply because there is such a lack of commanding leadership in the Congress of the United States that the people have ceased to look to that body for constructive legislation of a character commensurate with the needs of the nation, since for at least ten years our legislational bodies have but substantially followed the will of the executive officials.
"We should, however, be optimistic as regards the future, for I believe that not even a world combination of military powers could crush us, even though our soil might be invaded. If war should come, we possess within our own land nearly every mineral or vegetable product that we would require to conduct vast military or naval operations. The spirit of optimism, however, will never be acquired by a nation until its people make a complete and reliable inventory of its weaknesses and limitations, as well as of its assets and possibilities. If there has been a strain of pessimistic thought in this talk, then reference has been made to such matters only because we may thereby more fully appreciate the handicaps that confront us in assuming the place that we should occupy in the council of nations, and in pursuing the only policy that is consistent with self-respect and honor.
"The spirit and purpose of a nation is but the reflection of some efficient central agency and national purpose that dominates the thought of its people. We have had evidence during the past two years, that dominant and centralized militarism of an autocracy develops efficiency of a certain character, but it is yet to be proved that brutalized energy is enduring efficiency. The new conditions that confront us demand that national purpose should now conform to the trend of the affairs of the world and that we must recognize the fact that new issues call for new purposes. There was one period in our history when the influence of the public schools and colleges dominated American thought. At another time, the influence of the churches combined with community spirit were contributing factors in the determining national purpose. Then again, great moral issues directed the purposes and actions of this nation.
"The saving inheritance of America at this time must be a determination to uphold its rights upon land and sea and to demand that the protection we afford the citizens of other lands must be accorded our people when residing in those lands. We ought not forget that from the days of the Goths and Vandals, the prosperous lands have been the envy of the marauder, and national protection whether it be founded upon humanity or upon the defence of our frontiers and coasts, can only be maintained by force of arms. There are undoubtedly periods when high ideals should control the policy of a nation, but there are likewise times when the sword should be unsheathed.
"If war awaits us, then it will be the women of our land who will be the greatest sufferers, and from this viewpoint, you Daughters of the American Revolution are vitally concerned in what may transpire even before the setting of to-day's sun. As one writer states:
"This month, this day, may be one of the supremest in the life of the nation, and perhaps in human civilization. It may be a month, a day, big with destiny and momentous beyond the human mind to grasp. It ought to be a month that will definitely decide our relations with the Entente Powers.
"As regards your brothers, fathers, loved ones and husbands, what may be required of them may but be the inspiring courage of the crisis, while from you will be demanded the patient, continued, and depressing courage of conviction and what Dean Hodges terms common-place service. It is a courage that is far higher than that of the crisis, for it is in general, an attribute that brings but little recognition and distinction, but rather sorrow and suffering. It is courage that demands toil and self-sacrifice and of the carrying of a great burden, and yet there comes with such sacrifice something more than the consciousness of duty well done—for there will come peace, and peace with the knowledge that you gave your best and your all to your country. Is it not expected, of such as you, that the military service and traditions of your continental forbears will be exemplified in the patriotism and loyalty of their descendants?
"While awaiting the destiny of events, certain patriotic duties devolve upon the women of America. The children of this land should be taught thrift, for in time of war it will be needful to conserve all our resources for military purposes. It will primarily be your duty to inculcate in the younger generation a deep sense of loyalty to country; but the final and severest sacrifice that you may be called upon to make will be that you will even urge, if necessary, that those who are the most dear to you should go to the battleline."
NAVIGATION AND RADIO
Radio Distance Determining Apparatus.—The following is furnished by the Bureau of Steam Engineering, United States Navy Department:
The attention of all ships navigating the approaches to New York Harbor is invited to the recent installation on Fire Island Light Vessel of a combined radio and submerged sound signal transmitter which determines the receiving ship's distance from the light vessel. (Call letters, NLS; station, lat. 400 28' 33" N., Ion. 73° 11' 24" W.)
The station was put in commission on January 15, 1917.
This apparatus will be in operation during fog, mist, rain, or falling snow. The range of this apparatus is limited to the receiving range of the submarine bell receiving equipment employed on shipboard, and in all practical cases this is within six or seven miles.
The submarine bell strikes six strokes, pause, then eight strokes once every 38 seconds: Thus: Six strokes (10 seconds), pause (four seconds), eight strokes (14 seconds), and then an interval of 10 seconds. Total time required, 38 seconds.
A clock mechanism on the light vessel operates so that about one-half second after the first stroke of the six-bell character is made the light vessel emits 15 radio dots, spaced so that the interval between them is that required for sound to travel one-half mile in sea water (about one-half mile a second). Since radio waves travel with the velocity of light, for moderate distances the time for transmission can be neglected. It requires 8.75 seconds to send the series of 15 radio dots.
A vessel determining her distance from the light vessel should, when within range of the submarine bell (six or seven miles), listen to hear the bell strike six, interval eight; then after a silence of about 10 seconds (depending on the distance from the light vessel) the radio dots will begin to be heard; and it is necessary to count each of these dots until the first stroke of the six submarine signals is again heard. The number of dots thus determined gives the distance in half sea miles from the light vessel.
Example.— (a) Eleven radio dots are received before the first stroke of the bell; the distance is 11/2 of 5 ½ miles.
(b) Four radio dots are received; the first submarine bell signal appearing midway between the fourth and fifth radio signals; the total number of radio signals received is 4 ½, and the distance is 4 ½ divided by 2, or 2 ¼ miles.
The most convenient method of receiving these signals is to have one receiver connected to radio and the other receiver connected to submarine bell detector, thereby connecting one ear to radio signals and the other to submarine signals.
These signals will also be furnished in clear weather when requested to do so by radio. It is requested that all passing vessels equipped with submarine signal receiving apparatus familiarize themselves with this apparatus and report success obtained to the Hydrographic Office.
Wave length used is 400 meters for distance signals and 600 meters for ordinary communication.
Watches are stood as follows:
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- Continuously during thick weather.
- During clear weather, first 15 minutes of every hour from 8 a. m. to 9.15 p. m.
Although this station has proved accurate on test, the apparatus is in an experimental stage and too much reliance should not be placed on it until its worth has been proved under service conditions.
Admiral Fiske Tells of Torpedoplane.—Rear Admiral Bradley A. Fiske, U. S. N., spoke at the Pan-American Aeronautical Exposition in New York City, on February 12, and devoted most of his address to describing the importance of the torpedoplane, an invention of his that he patented in 1912. It is used for the aerial launching of Whitehead torpedoes.
"We can only hope to catch up with the other countries of the world," Admiral Fiske said in his address, "by including in our naval program the most effective new inventions, and the torpedoplane, under favorable conditions, would make the $20,000 airplane a worthy match for a $20,000,000 battle cruiser. That the torpedoplane will become an important factor in naval warfare in the near future, many people have no doubt. It is a scheme whereby the regular Whitehead auto torpedo may be launched from an airplane as effectively as it is launched from a destroyer.
"The aviator approaches his target from a great distance and high up in the air, and when say six or seven miles away he volplanes toward the water, runs above the surface of the water a short distance, heading toward his target and when ready simply pulls a lever. The action of pulling the lever releases the torpedo, which is rigidly held under the airplane, and at the same time throws back the starting lever, with the result that the torpedo falls into the water in the same way as if it had been dropped from a destroyer.
"I received private information from Europe about a year ago that a lieutenant in the British Navy made four flights over the land into the Sea of Marmora in an airplane, under which a Whitehead torpedo was secured, and sank four Turkish vessels, using 14-inch torpedoes weighing 731 pounds each. For this service he received the Distinguished Service Order. A short time ago I got a verification of this news from a wholly different source, and I also received further information which is of absolute reliability that one of the belligerent countries is taking means to use this plan on a large scale."—Army and Navy Journal, 16/2.
ENGINEERING
Danger in Filtering Gasoline.—Static charges of electricity of considerable magnitude may be produced when gasoline is filtered through chamois skin and other insulating filtering mediums. Greater charges result when the air is dry and cold than when it is warm and damp. Recent experiments at the Bureau of Standards show that in cold, dry air it is extremely difficult to avoid the production of such charges, if the gasoline is filtered through chamois skin, but that the use of fine wire gauze in place of the latter practically eliminates the danger. In addition to the electric charge produced by filtering, charges may be produced by the friction of clothing against the cushions of automobile seats, by gloves against other objects, etc. The danger due to charges produced in either of these ways may be avoided by touching the funnel against the metal tank at some distance from the opening before inserting the funnel and then inserting it into the opening in the tank in such a way that it remains in metallic contact with the tank throughout the filtering process. These two precautions, says the Bureau of Standards, prevent the accumulation of charges of opposite sign on the funnel and the tank, respectively, and eliminate the possibility of the passage of an electric spark between them.—Scientific American.
AERONAUTICS
Note.—There are no changes in the table of Zeppelin Losses as published in the March issue of the Proceedings.
The Zeppelins’ Failure.—While it may or may not be true that the Zeppelin Works at Friedrichshaven have been closed down, it is becoming more and more evident that these great dirigibles that Germany had placed her confidence in as effective weapons of offense in time of war have failed to realize what was expected of them. The Zeppelins are from all experience too liable to disabling accidents and too unreliable in the matter of dropping bombs effectively. There is no doubt about their ability to fly and to do effective work under favorable conditions, but calms and clear skies cannot always be relied upon and the result has been such terrible disasters as have overtaken the L-1 and L-2. The first was made helpless by a sudden storm which wrecked it in the North Sea and drowned the 15 or 20 men in the crew, and the second exploded in midair, killing 28 men. These disasters occurred before the breaking out of the war, while since hostilities have been in progress the vulnerability of the Zeppelins has become even more apparent. There are two contributing causes for the failure of these great airships, namely, their bulk and the elevation, 5000 feet, at which they are compelled to maneuver. The first makes them unwieldy and a ready target for the modern anti-aircraft gun; the second makes accuracy of attack by them very uncertain.
To the German Government, broadly speaking, this failure may not be of such very great moment, as at best air navigation and the conquest of the air is still largely in its infancy, so that Germany is no worse off in this respect than any other military power.—Marine Journal.