The Washington herald., 1917-10-07

been completed and four have been
shipped to our forces abroad.
The Surgeon Generaf OF the army
has increased the enlisted personnel
Of the Medical Department to more
than ten time its size at the outbreak
of the war, there now being more
than 5000 men In 1t. The following
sections have been added:
Internal Medicine, Medical Omcers'
Training Camps. Medical Military In
struction. psychology, neurology and
psychiatry, surgery, infectious dis
eases and laboratories. head. eye. ear,
mouth and brain. military orthoped-
les. special hospitals and physical re-
construction. gas defense, food, ONCE
development and filing system
Navy Department.
The navy now has In service more
than thres times as many men and
nearly three times as many vessels
as when war was declared.
The navy and Marine Corps con-
stitute Force of more than 100000
men. On April 6. there were 64.6s0
enlisted men in the regular army;
now there. are 143.726. an increase
of 7s,046. The Naval Reserve Force
has increased from about 10000 to
4s, 900; 1880 naval militia are in
the Federal service; the Coast Guard
with its force of 5000. has been
transferred to the navy for the dura-
tion of the war; the Hospital Corps
has been increased from 1000 to
$500. The Marine Corps has in
creased from 1896 enlisted men on
April 6 to an enlisted strength, with
reserves of 32,s4S. There are about
$4,000 officers in the navy and 1,122
in the Marine Corps.
Hundreds of vessels of various
types. yachts and fast motorboats.
formed into patrol boats. submarine
chasers, mine sweepers and the vari-
Gus types needed for anti-submarine
warfare, coast defense and other
purposes.
as many vessels as in peace times.
Every battleship and cruiser that
was in reserve has been fully man
ned and commissioned. Every war
ship Is now a training school for
the instruction of men in gunnery
and engineering. and notable re-
suits have been achieved. especially
in target practice with guns of the
smaller calibers used in fighting
submarines.
Thousands of expert gunners are
serving in the gun crews on Amer
lean merchantmen. which have been
armed to repel attacks by U-boats.
Since early in May. a month after
war was declared. United States de-
stroyers have been operating with the
naval forces Of our allies In European
waters in the campaign against the
submarines. Practically all our mer-
chant ships are now conveyed by
naval vessels.
The navy has organized, manned and
Is operating the transport service and
conveys the vessels carrying Ameri-
can armies to Europe. Not a trans
port has been sunk or a soldier lost In
transportation across the Atlantic.
The largest ship construction pro-
gram in history Is being carried out
by the navy, comprising hundreds of
vessels of various types from super
dreadnoughts to submarine chasers.
Months ago contracts were let for
every destroyer the American yards
could build, and considerable extern
sion Of shipbuilding facilities has been
arranged to build the large additional
number provided for in the bill now
pending in Congress. New records in
construction are being made. destroy
ers which formerly took twenty to
twenty-five months to complete, now
being scheduled for completion in half
that time.
Twenty training camps have been
erected, accommodating &, 900 men, to
provide for housing and training OF
recruits.
Navy yards have been enlarged, i'm
mense foundries, machine shops and
warehouses erected; work Is being
pushed on dry docks, shipways and
piers. A big projectile plant Is being
erected at Charleston. W. Va, and
100000 air craft factory at Philadel-
phia- Extensions Of the naval gun
factory will make that plant one of
the largest Of its kind. The entire
shore building" program embraces an
expenditure of s100.0Oo,0oo.
Work Is proceeding rapidly on the
feet operating base at Hampton
Roads. which will include training sta
tiop for 1000 men, aviation station,
submarine base, coal piers, storage
facilities for fleet supplies and various
other features
Department of Agriculture.
Seeking to stimulate the production
Of foodstuffs for the sustenance not
only Of the armies and people of the
United States, but partly FOR the sus-
tenance of our allies, the Department
OF Agriculture has been active since