The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-12-05

plete units had been contracted Tor. On
Nov. l. 1854 had been delivered. d.
vided as follows: Trench 5,oo": llght
{feld Euns) $3.50: medium 1910; heavy
SIS; railway 10. The contracts were d'-
vided as follows Trench ll.I0o: light
lO.I13: medium 5.3s5: heavy 5.4c; rail-
way ell.
As to rifles. Mr. Baker shows that
"l27nos Of the modified Enf1elds han
been accepted prior TO November l.
Browning machine guns production II
given as follows: Light 4I.ol9: heavy
1856. The following cahlcgram IS
quoted tn show The performances OF
Browning guns IN action:
Experience OF Sevcnty-ninth d:vlalon
In offensive operations September IS to
October 81. Browning machin" guns.
Thirteen machine gun companies on
Eaged weather conditions continuous
rain and mud There was not one
instance where the guns failed To op"r-
ate due 10 muddy and wet belts.
On the whole it may be said that III"
PERFORMANCE" Of the Browning machine
gun and automatic rifle in active op"r-
atinn has been so satisfactory Us to
create an insistcnt demand for these
weapons from machine gun units and
from division commanders.
MIR Baker gives much space TO air
craft problem. Including the production
figures published from time TO time in
the past. He shows that 3.lSs peHaNi-
land and 101 Handley-Page machines
were produced IN this country. and I,!oV
planes had been shipped to FRANCE b.
other side. c.676 planes OF service types
had been provided for the American
sQundrons by the French government,
On September 80. General PcrshtnE had
thiry-two air sauadrons at the front.
the first OF them 70 be equipped with
American planes having reached the bat
tie areas in July.
Air servic" casualties, the report says.
have been higher than in the artillery
and infantry and reports TO October -
showed IS battle fatalities and :%4 by
accident overseas. A total OF Is" mon
had lost their lives in this services
while in training in the United States.
The general health OF the army has
beea SURPRISINGLY good. tho report shows.
the death rate for all forces, al home
and abroad. up TO August 30 having been
at the rate Of So per 900 per year. %
little more than the civilian rate for
parrs with rate OF SIS per 1000 per year
during the Civil War and sc during the
Spanish War. Pneumonia caused SO per
cent Of the deaths.
among the troops In the United States
during tho late summer and fall. and Of
the 26.5OO deaths between September IT
and November 8. $4,000 are ascriecd 10
III" epidemic.
Discussing tn. embarkation service,
Mr.. Baker says thetein nineteen months
4 total Of 2,o76.S34 men and S.l53.OOO
tons Of cargo were shipped overseas the
great bulk Of these movements having
been handled after January ! Of this
year. When hostilities ceased, the ser
vice was engaging 5000. 900 deadwriEht
tons Of American shipping and 100000
more tons had been allocated Its use.
with half million tons additional per
month being delivered.
In closing his report, Mr.. Fakcr speaks
this word for tho men who fought IN.
war at home:
IT desire again to express regret FOR
Its (the report's) !nSurficiencies. / am
conscious Of how far it falls short In tn"
accomplishments OF my associates. of OK
hibiting' IN adequate measure the heroic
achievements Of our soldiers abroad. or
OF our soldiers and civilians at hom0
who have worked together to make tins
Of Americas purpose and
efficiency successful
PERTAINS special word ought to 10
said in recognition OF those who from
civil Iife have come At the country's
call ~ places OF exacting toll and hav"
heen denied the opportunity to partici-
pate abroad in the heroic adventure. but
have, nevertheless. worked on. some
times In uniform and sometimes without
even that badge or distinction. Theirs
has been in An unusual degree the call
10 sclt-sacrificc. but they have heon none
tho less soldiers and have contributed
in no small way to whatever success has
attended our arms