St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1917-12-29

412.0S more became Immediately
available through the passage Of the
act of March 4, 1917. That act car
ried an emergency appropriation Of
$115, 100000. 1t also, in addition
to the second increment Of the three
year program, authorized the con-
struction of 20 additional coast sub
marines (S0O-ton type), toward
which 100000 was appropriate
ed. 1t also provided a further ap-
preparation of $12,O00,000 for the
improvement and equipmet of anavy
yards for the construction Of ships.
The Navy, therefore, at the COM
mencement of our participation in
the war had at its disposal the money
needed for most of the expansion
| Immediately required, and in press
ing cases, where funds were lacking,
overobligations were incurred, be-
cause it soon became manifest that
the appropriations carried in the
first war deficiency bill would be
made available for obligations in
Cured. prior to its passage. C29se-
quently there was no occasion for
it to draw to any considerable eX-
tent upon the appropriation of $780,
100000 for the national security
and Defense" contained in the act
of April II, 1917, Of which. to date,
but $1,36S,000 has been allotted to
this department
Estimates of the first war defici-
ency bill were submitted on April g.,
1917. These estimates were based
upon submissions to the Secretary by
various bureaus and offices in pur-
suanee of his instructions to them
of March 26, 1917. to prepare and
submit estimates Of further appro-
priations required to place the ac-
tivities under their charge lin the
highest state of preparedness in the
quickest possible time The ap-
preparations made in pursuance Of
these estimates, amounting to $515,-
100000, were carried in the act ap-
proved June is, 1917. These We're
followed by the act of October g.,
1917, carrying 1851, 100000 for
naval purposes, including further
emergency fund" of 100000, 00o.
Further Appropriation Asked.
Within the last few days it has
become necessary to ask for furth err
appropriations under certain heads,
totaling 100000, in addition to
the regular estimates, amounting to
81, O39,000 1000, for the next fiscal
year now before the committee.
In addition to the appropriations
carried in the acts of March 3. June
Is, and October 6, 1917, which
amounted in all to s1,592,732,s59.45
the act last mentioned authorized the
incurrence of obligations to the ex-
tent of S60,705,643.50 over and
above appropriations therein and
heretofore made.
Aeroplanes and Submarines.
At the beginning of this conflict
two potent weapons of war sprung
suddenly into being, the aeroplane
and the submarine. There were no
provisions in the military textbooks
of a dozen years ago for either
There were no facilities in this coun-
try for their construction in any
considerable numbers, nor any well
defined tactics for defense against
their attacks
1t is gratifyig to recall that the
| first forces of the United States to
land in France for service against
the enemy We're the United States
| naval aeronautic detachments, and
that the first naval ships of our
country to be engaged in active wa
duty were the patrol boats gnardirS
against submarine attack on our Own
coast, and our destrcyers efTeetr- ell
searching and sinking German sub
| marines off the shores of Europe.
That our great ships of war and
their auxiliaries should be found
ready in time of need for any pcs
sib,e duty under old methods of
warfare was something which the
country had right to expect as a
matter Of course. ThaA We should
be ready with such speed to meet
the new conditions of warfare with
such promptness and such efficiency,
is, ] think, matter OF some con-