Meade County news., 1918-04-11
Intricate equipment with practican,

a roll call, made total Of $691, 100000
available for the first year. All Of this
has since been obligated.
Last April the air service had an
almost negligible force of 65 officers
and 1,120 men, 3 small flying fields,
less than 800 second-rate planes, prac-
tically no aviation industry. and only
the most scanty knowledge of the ka-
leidOscOplc development abroad. The
first two months of war were required
to secure information, establish q staff,
and work out the program finally
adopted. The problem was twofold-
first, personnel; and, second. equip
ment.
Today the personnel Is over 100
times that Of year ago, practically
every member a skilled man who has
gone through an intensive course Of
training. Schools of IL different
kinds have been instituted, courses
of instruction laid out, and instruc-
tors secured, including foreign ex-
perts In score of lines.
OcNCloPHSHt VI NaNJ'
The development of the navy during
the first year of war has given the
greatest satisfaction. Its growth and
achievements during this period may
be epitomized in the following para
graphs:
Strength Of the navy today Is
nearly 21,0OO officers and 100000 en-
listed men; strength year ago was
4,792 officers and 1916 enlisted men.
Estimated total expenditures Of the
navy during first year of war: Dis
bursements and outstanding obliga-
tions, $1,SS1 100000.
Total naval appropriations. real and
pending, S3,333, III, ,665.04.
American destroyers arrived at a
British port to assist in patrolling Eu-
ropean waters % days after the decla-
ration of war.
There are now four times as many
vessels in the naval service as year
ago.
Nearly $1,000 mechanics and other
civilian employees are working at
navy yards and stations.
When war was declared, 123 naval
vessels were building or authorized,
and contracts have been placed since
that time for 949 vessels.
More than 700 privately owned ves-
sells have been purchased or chartered
by the navy.
Six new authorized battleships are
designed to be of 41,500 tons, the larg-
est battleships in the world.
Our 35,OOO-ton cruisers, 35 knots,
will be the fastest In the world, their
speed equaling the fastest destrOyers
Prompt repairs Of 100 interned Ger.
man ships, partially wrecked by their
crews, added more than 100000 tons
to our available naval and merchant
tonnage.
The navy has developed an Ameri
can mine believed to combine all the
good points of various types Of mines
and Is manufacturing them in quaint
ties.
During the year the latest type Of
naval 16-inch gun was completed fol
our new battleships; 1t throws pro
jectile weighing 2,100 pounds.
Navy has in its possession now &
stock Of supplies sufficient for thu
average requirements for at least onC
year.
Several hundred submarine chasers
built since the war, have been deliv
cred to the navy by 81 private con
Germs and six navy yards; many O
these boats have crossed the Atlantic
some in severe weather.
Naval training camps have a ca
: pacity of 100000 in summer, 94,0Ot
men in winter.
ShipbuiIdine Progress.
Up to date congress has authorizes
34,OO0,OOO, Of which 81, 5,0O0O0
has been appropriated, for tn
' United States Shipping board an
Emergency Fleet corporation; o.
March 1, S353,247,955.37 of this sur
had been expended.
/, The Emergency Fleet corporation
had requisitloned March 1. 425 stee
vessels and contracted for 720 stee
vessels, making a total Of 1,145 stee
ships, Of an aggregate dead-weigh
} tonnage Of S,164,50S tons; it had lie
contracts for 400 wooden vessels, as
gregating approximately 1,715,o0
dead-weight tons; it had repaired an
put in operation 7SS,000 dead-weigh
: tonnage seized from Germany an
Austria.
On March the building program
!. of the Emergency Fleet corporate
was being carried on in 151 plants.
: First Years War Cost.
: Total estimated expense Of tn
United States government in the FIR!
e year of war. without loans to tn
n allies, is S12,O67, ,278, ,679.07.
: To help meet this expense, the trea
U ury department floated $685. ,532, sc
d subscriptions to Liberty bonds.
Bonds, certificates Of indebtedness
: War Savings certificates, and Thri
s stamps issued by the treasury up
h March 10, totaled $500, ,S02 ,052.96.
+ The United States government ha
d loaned to foreign governments ass
clated in the war on March IL, 191
S1 12R 900 750