The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-10-21
Macy Has Three Times as Many Men
and Ships as on First of February
Secretary Daniels and His
Men Have Been Saying
Nothing and, Saving Wood
Since War Broke Out.
sv HARRY Q. HUNT.

Nv "oVuV o. VONV.
Neutrality-suspicious. 2c4 sh,rs in
commission to more than 1900 vessels
in active service; from 55.445 men 10
:G5,5s5 - that is the evolution in
Uncle Sans navy in the eight months
since Germany served notice she pro-
posed to renew ruthless" subma rine
warfare.
There have been SO many visible evil
dences of army activitics--the raising
of men in every village and township
by draft. the building Of environments.
the recruiting Of guards and regulars
that there has been comparatively lit
tie appreciation Of the tremendous
navy development.
veil Of secrecy has nece sa ri Y
hidden much. BY official permission.
however. am able to disclose the
plisheti.
Navy on Job al the While.
To date. the army activity has been
solely In preparation. The navy. how
ever, from the very day Of the declarn-
ton Of war has been out on the firing
line: first III n defensive coast patrol.
then III manning guns on armed liners.
next In the submarine hunt and final
~ in conveying ships and soldiers to
Franco.
That all this has been carried on
without Il hitch, when men and ves-
sells were being more than quadrupled,
proves better than words the efficiency
Of the department. There has been
absolute coordination and harmony.
The navy's work should be con-
sidercd under the four heads Of home
defense, foreign service, men and ma.
terials.
Home Defense, Too.
In home defense a constant patrol
has been maintained Of the Atlantic
coast from Newfoundland to Brazil.
Hundreds Of small sea -going craft had
to be taken over for this manned by
trained navy crews and armed. Most
Of these boats had to be overhauled
before guns could be placed, or before
they were safe for year-around work
at sea.
So thorough is this patrol that man
who recently made a trip from New
York to washington BY water reported
his boat had not, for a minute. been
out of sight of a patrol boat!
In addition to this coast patrol. a
battleship fleet made visit to the
Atlantic ports Of South America. so
cementing relations between the Unit +
ed States and Latin America that Bra
I'll took over the patrol work from Bra
I'll to Argentine.
across tho entrances to all important
harbors
Foreign Service Brilliant.
In foreign service. however. the navy
has shown it's most effective work.
In less than one month after the dec
laration Of war a flotilla Of American
destroycrs reported at an English por,
ready for Instant duty. These have
since been increased by several addi-
tional flotillas. and by American war
ships of other types. AS n result there
are several fewer German submarines
On these dcstroyers have been tested
out a. number of Inventions. and al
least three have been so perfected tina,
they now offer a positive arm agains,
the U-boat.
In just two months after the declara
ton Of war a first contingent Of United
States naval filters and hydro aero.
planes arrived In France.
Merchant Fleet Armed.
In the meantime. tremendous worl
has been done in 'arming and manning
American merchant vessels for self
defense. We have today guns. and sur
| crews from l6 to 80 men each. on NOR,
than 400 merchant ships. their effec'
tivencss proved in more than dozeI
battles with submarines.
Meanwhile organization OF a convo!
and transport system Tor our overseas
armies and their supplies was read!
to begin business within three months
after we declared war.
Tens Of thousands Of men-mor'
than were in the whole United State
ported to France and England withou
the loss of n single man by hostile at
tack.
On the question of materials, til
whole naval establishment has bee
speeded up and enlarged.
| We needed fast boats of the cha ser
type for inshore work. More than 80
are now under construction and man
already have been completed.
Destroyer Fleet Built UP.
The destroyer was found to be tn
most efficient arm against submarines
Those under way were rushed to com
pletion, and work begun on more tina
$50 more.
With an eye to the future. work wa
, pushed on a U-boat fleet Of our owl
Navy yard equipment has been dou
bled and quadrupled.
! The navy's ordnance factories hay
been enlarged and a new projecti
plant Is being constructed at Charles
town. w. Va, where an armor pla
!, plant will be built later. BY April o,
,, production Of navy guns and proje'
tiles will be double that Of a year ae
, |, German liners taken over for nav
: service have been repaired and put
commission.