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January 30, 2909.    ARMY AND NAVY JOURNAL.       603

The Japanese premier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of War, in speeches in the Diet at Tokio on Jan. 25, explained that the reduction in armament was warranted by the improved relations between Japan and the Powers.  The leading newspapers of Japan in commenting on the recent anti-Japanese feeling in California said the unfriendliness toward Japan was shown by only a small clique in California, and that the cordial relations established by the visit of the Battleship Fleet could not be affected by the action of a few Pacific-coast Americans.  In line with the editorial in the ARMY AND NAVY JOURNAL of Jan. 23, page 567, is the tone of the special message sent to the California legislature on Jan. 26 by Governor Gillett, calling attention to the attempt of California to lay down a law regarding immigration.  "Congress alone," he said, "is vested with authority to pass legislation to stop Japanese immigration."  As to the pending laws prohibiting aliens from owning land in California, the Governor says it should apply to all nations alike.  He suggests a census be taken to show whether the Japanese are increasing in the state.  In his letter to Governor Gillett, President Roosevelt showed that California is needlessly aroused and that the immigration of Japanese to the United States has almost ceased.  In the last six months only 2,074 Japanese have arrived in America, while 3,281 have returned to Japan.  The President is said to be willing that the alien land law be passed, provided it includes all aliens so as not to wound Japan.  It is instructive just now to recall that last summer the California coast people made strong representations to the Washington authorities to retain the Battleship Fleet in the Pacific Ocean.  In the face of those appeals the fleet is being brought back to the Atlantic seaboard.  Much has been said of the Pacific slope's fear of a Japanese invasion.  While this may appear a rather extravagant apprehension, still it may contribute just enough weight to turn the balance away from a calm and dispassionate judgment, which is especially to be desired in the treatment of so delicate a question.  That the permanent presence of a large American battleship fleet in the Pacific Ocean would remove this apprehension is beyond doubt, and it is worth while to consider whether this result would not put the Californians in a better frame of mind and make them less ready to suspect the sincerity of the Federal government's sympathy in all matters touching Oriental immigration.

The Standard English Encyclopedia of Ships and Shipping, London, notices, among others, John Ericsson for Monitor achievements; Admirals Farragut and Dewey, Commander Perry for Arctic explorations; Constr. D. W. Taylor, U.S.N., who made the highest marks ever recorded at the Royal Naval College, England; Admiral A. T. Mahan, U.S.N., Cyrus W. Field, for Atlantic cable pioneering; Charles H. Cramp, Sir Hiram Maxim, the Maine Yankee that became England's greatest automatic gun inventor, and the Connecticut Yankee inventor of the even keep type of submarine torpedoboats, Simon Lake, of whom we are told that "from 1895 to 1898 he continually engaged in submarine work, and his original Argonaut, a thoroughly practical commercial submarine, was the outcome.  Since then he has built the Protector and five others of the type and now has a number of much larger submarines under construction for foreign powers.  All the boats built by him have fulfilled expectations, safe in performance and unique in their radical departure from other submarines."  Mr. Lake is a member of the Institution of Naval Architects, London, the Technical Society of Shipbuilders, Berlin, Society of Naval and Marine Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Engineers' Club, New York.

At a meeting held in the office of Brig. Gen. James Allen, Chief of the Signal Corps, the Washington Aero Club was organized, with the following officers: President, Secretary Truman H. Newberry; first vice-president, Gen. Robert Shaw Oliver; second vice-president, Thomas Nelson Page; third vice-president, Representative Butler Ames; corresponding secretary, Dr. Allerton Cushman; recording secretary, Dr. Albert F. Zahm; treasurer, Charles J. Bell; trustees, Alexander Graham Bell, Gen. A. W. Greely, Prof. Willis Moore and John Barrett.  The other organizing members are Geo. Squier, Prof. David Fairchild, Lieut. R. B. Creecy, U.S.M.C.; R. M. McClellan, Prof. O. H. Titman, Coast and Geodetic Survey; C. L. Marlatt, Comdr. G. C. Sweet, U.S.N.; C. H. Bromwell, Herbert Parsons, Clarence R. Wilson, Lieut. Frank P. Lahm, U.S.A.; George O. Totten, jr., and Jerome Fanciulli.  Many officers of the Army and Navy have already expressed themselves as anxious to join the club, and these, together with scientific and business men in the city who are interested in the subject, make it likely that the limit of active membership will soon be reached.  The President of the United States was elected the first honorary member.

The unofficial reports from the test cruise with the Mississippi to observe the amount of vibration in the steel woven masts indicate that the supposed difficulty is practically negligible.  The test was conducted by Naval Constructor Robinson, who returned to the Department early in the week.  He found that there was slight vibration in the top of the mast just as there is on the deck of any ocean liner, but, if anything, the motion was appreciably less than on the deck.  There was no trouble in using the range finders and the instruments were found tow work perfectly.  Several shots were fired with a 12-inch gun during the test, while off Key West.  The Idaho was not ready to go on the cruise and will start for her test early in the coming week with Assistant Constructor Gleason in charge of the test.  The effect of these tests will appear at once in the activity of the Bureau of Construction and Repair to build masts enough to provide the complement for all the cruisers and battleships of the Navy.  A large order for the steel tubing used in their construction will be made the subject of an advertisement within a few days.  The new type of mast is to have a protective steel plate one inch thick around the top, containing the range finder.

The News Guide of Eagle Pass, Texas, says: "Gen. Albert L. Myer, commander of the military department of Texas, accompanied by his aide-de-camp, Lieut. Samuel Turner Mackall, arrived in Eagle Pass Saturday afternoon, Jan. 9, and was met at the depot by U.S. Consul at C. P. Diaz, Hon. Luther Ellsworth and Mexican Consul at Eagle Pass, Hon. F. de P. Villasana, and escorted across the river, where General Myer and his aide were the guests of Mr. Ellsworth at the U.S. Consulate. They were called upon by Lieut. Col. Francisco Vasquez, commander of the Mexican military forces along the Rio Grande, with two other officers, and Dr. Lorenzo Cantu, presidente municipal, who had a lengthy conference with the distinguished American officer, relative to the conditions along the border, which General Myer, on this tour of inspection, found very satisfactory and pleasing.  And it is understood that a thorough understanding was arrived at between the military commanders of the two republics represented, the consuls and the civil authorities, which will assure a continuance of the present happy and peaceful conditions now existing on both sides of the river and between the officials of both governments.  During General Myer's visit to the border the General stated that he found the pleasant relations existing between the authorities, civil and military, of both republics an assurance, if such was necessary, that no further 'revolutionary' trouble in Mexico would be likely.  He was much gratified over the pacific conditions, and complimented the Mexican authorities very highly for the excellent and prompt methods used in ridding the country of trouble makers."

In a speech at the dinner of the alumni of Brown University, held in New York Jan. 27, Col. H. L. Scott, U.S.A., Superintendent of the Military Academy, criticized the prevailing character of present work in American colleges.  "The system is based largely on the German," he said, "without regard for the moral training of the student.  This is going too far in the direction of liberality.  The German student, as a rule, has had a military training earlier; there is no such training here. The freedom of the German system is for the man whose habits and character already have been formed. The American boy, who has not had such formative training, should have his character formed for him and to be left to his individual caprice.  The nation greatly needs a larger leaven of military discipline such as West Point gives to increase the respect for law and for the duties of citizenship, and I believe the colleges ought to furnish it."

Following the achievement of wireless telegraphy in the recent collision between the steamers Republic and Florida, the Navy Department on Jan. 28 opened bids for locating a wireless tower in Washington for communicating with ships at sea, to the distance of 3,000 miles.  At the same time the Department asked for bids for two sets of apparatus to be installed on naval vessels, to be capable of transmitting and receiving messages at all times, seasons, and latitudes, to and from a distance of 1,000 miles, and to receive messages from the Washington station at a distance of 3,000 miles at all times.  The bids submitted indicated a lively competition, no less than seven firms submitting proposals.  The most satisfactory of these was that of the National Electric Signaling Company of Pittsburg, which offered to furnish the apparatus and tower for $182,600.

On Saturday, January 23, a thief stole five bronze campaign medals that were hung in a frame in the corridor of the War Department near the office of the Quartermaster General. For six months this frame of campaign medals, embracing the Merit badge, Spanish War, Philippine Insurrection, Congressional, Indian and Civil War badges, had hung in the corridor. The thief carried the frame a hundred feet from where it hung to a water closet and there carefully unpinned three of the badges with their ribbons, and probably hearing someone approaching tore the other two out and left the frame where it was.  The Ware Department furnished the numbers of the badges to the detectives, and there is little chance for the culprit to escape arrest.  A former employee of the Department, who has been caught in numerous thefts, was at once suspected, as he was seen around the Department a little white before the theft occurred.

A dispatch to the Navy Department, Jan. 26, from Commander Key, commanding the scout cruiser Sale, stated that he had put in at Charleston, the boilers of the vessel having given out.  He reported that they had become salted and a condensing tube had leaked badly. The Salem was on the say to Havana to bring home Governor Magoon and his staff, following the withdrawal of the provisional government of Cuba and the inauguration of President Gomez.  Efforts were made to reach the Birmingham by wireless, and have her go to Havana to take Governor Magoon and suite to Knights Key, Fla., where he was to take the train to Washington.  The Birmingham put into Mobile Jan. 28.  It being impossible for her to reach Havana in time, orders were sent to Rear Admiral Arnold to place either the flagship Maine or the battleship Mississippi, at Havana, at the disposal of Governor Magoon for the sea trip to the railroad terminus at Knights Key.

When the transport Dix makes her next voyage home from the Philippines she will carry 2,500 tons of Batan coal for consumption on the trip.  This coal has been in use inter-island traffic for several months, and is proving economical in comparison with other coals available in that region.  Navy engineer say that they cannot make use of it and keep up steam.  There are many clinkers in it, and it carries a great deal of sulphur.  It will do well for the first three or four hours until the clinkers begin to form, and then it makes necessary a constant cleaning of grates.  The officers in charge of the Batan mines report that they are now getting out 900 tons of coal a month, and that the amount is likely to be considerably increased.  The cost of Batan coat is about $3.50 a ton as against about $6 for Australian coat, so that the saving on slow speed traffic would appear to be considerable.

Ralph D. Paine writes a story of college life in "The Stroke Oar," which the Outing Publishing Company publish and Walter J. Enright illustrates.  But the amazing adventures of this stroke oar of a Yale crew also take him far afield, carried off by accident as a stoker abroad a steamer, luckily shifted by a chance collision to the deck of a sailing vessel, and back as stoker on an ocean liner, finally to his college campus and the crew training quarters at New London just in time to stroke the winning crew.  The ambition of his captain aboard the sailing ship to train a crew to beat that of a rival vessel, and the stroke oar's work as a stoker, keep him in fine condition.  His adventures if astonishing are breezily told, and his associates aship and ashore are an amusing lot of sailors and collegians.

I have read with interest," writes a correspondent at Fort Casey, Wash., "the notice in a recent issue of your paper of the companies making 100 per cent, records at Artillery target practice during 1908.  One record of this nature has, however, been overlooked.  The 85th Company, Coast Art. Corps, on Nov. 18, 1908, made 100 per cent hits on a moving target 30 by 60 feet at a mean range of 6,420 yards, the mean longitudinal deviation being 13 1-2 yards.  This was fire command practice and the commands were such that the time of the series of four shots was 2 minutes and 28 seconds.  The rate of hitting was 1.3 hits per gun per minute.  The figure of efficiency of the battery was 38.38, which is believed to be the highest made up to that time."

An important step for securing the much needed rifle range for the National Guard of Greater New York was taken on Jan. 26, when bills were introduced in the state Senate by Senator Rose and Assemblyman McGreggor, chairmen of the Committees on Military Affairs, approving the selection of 324 acres at Blauvelt, Rockland county, by the State Armory Commission as a field rifle range, to take the place of Creedmoor.  The new range when equipped will cost $300,000.  Of this amount $25,000 already has been appropriated, and the bill carries an additional appropriation of $275,000.

Despatches from Tayabas Province, in the extreme southwestern part of Luzon, express the opinion that what was believe to have been an outburst of the volcano of Lagnas last week was not an eruption, but merely a great cloudburst over Mount Banahai.  The area damaged by the storm is apparently very wide.  The Governor of the province reports fields ruined, highways impassable, and bridges destroyed.  Detachments of constabulary have been ordered to ascend the mountains to investigate the causes of the disaster.  First reports were that an outbreak of the volcano had occurred, with a "giant explosion of water."

Lieut. H. M. Nelly, 20th Inf., head football coach of the West Point eleven, has completed the schedule of games to be played by the Army eleven next fall.  Yale is to visit the Point on Oct. 16 and Harvard on Oct. 30.  No game with Pennsylvania appears on the list.  The official schedule is as follows: Oct. 2, Tufts at West Point; 9, Trinity at West Point; 16, Yale at West Point; 23, Lehigh at West Point; 30, Harvard at West Point.  Nov. 6, Springfield Training School at West Point; 13, Villanova at West Point; 20, Washington and Jefferson at West Point; 27, Navy at Philadelphia.

The Quartermaster's Department has advertised during the past week for bids on the following buildings: Fort Omaha, one double barrack, one stable, one stable guard and shop building, one gun shed.  Fort Leavenworth, one double barrack, one stable, one gun shed, one double stable guard and shop, one wireless telegraph station.  Fort Niagara, two double sets lieutenant's quarters.  Forth Oglethorpe, one field officer's quarters, one double set lieutenants' quarters.  Madison Barracks, one field officers' quarters, one double set non-commissioned officers' quarters.

It is not probable that the controversy between Chief Constructor Capps, U.S.N., and Comdr. Albert L. Key, U.S.N., will be allowed to go any further, as the Navy Department are not disposed to take any action in the case.  Commander Key held that there was a direct conflict of statement between him and the Chief Constructor which required that one of them should be brought before a court-martial.  The statements to which Commander Key objected were contained in the annual report of the Bureau of Construction and Repair.

We give on page 622 of this issue an interesting table prepared by Capt. W. S. Scott, 1st Cav., of Cavalry officers affected by regimental promotion under the system in vogue prior to October, 1890.  It shows the grades they would have attained if promotions had always been lineal and by seniority, instead of part lineal and part regimental.  We reserve for another week a similar table prepared by Captain Scott, relating to Infantry officers.

The Military Service Institution of the United States has awarded the gold medal, first prize, 1908 (gold medal, life membership and $100) to Major Wilmot E. Ellis, C.A.C., for an essay entitled "What is the cause of the recent falling off in the enlisted strength of the Army and Navy, and what means should be taken to remedy it"; the second prize (silver medal and $50) has been awarded to Capt. Harrison S. Kerrick, C.A.C., for an essay on the same subject.

The Board of Visitors, U.S. Naval Academy, appointed for 1909, are: Senators J. C. Burrows and Benjamin R. Tillman, Representatives Arthur L. Bates, J. Van Vechten Olcott and Lemuel P. Padgett; civilians, Frank B. Anderson, San Francisco; Capt. J. W. Bostick, New Orleans; Albert T. Fancher, Salamanca, N.Y.; R. St. P. Lowry, Erie, Pa.; Samuel Mather, Cleveland; H. O. Murfee, Marion, Ala.; George A. Sanderson, Chicago.

A board, to consist of Major Carl R. Darnall, Major Frederick F. Russell and Capt. Charles R. Reynolds, Med. Corps, is appointed to meet in Washington to review the proceedings and findings of medical examining boards in the cases of medical officers who have ben found by such boards to be disqualified for promotion for reasons other than physical disability contracted in the line of duty.

Mr. Herbert L. Satterlee, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, made an admirable speech at the dinner of the Maritime Exchange in New York city Jan. 25, in which he took to task those who knew more about running the Navy from the conning towers of monthly magazines that experienced Navy officers.  he advocates that the land critics join the "Peevish Club."

A cable dispatch from Manila announces that a party of armed ladrones looted three warehouses at Laguna Jan. 28, kidnapped 130 persons, including several women, and escaped.  The Constabulary are pursuing them.

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