The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-08-22

of modern docks. where every day ships are
pouring forth their cargoes of and
materials. and machinery This dock system
is finished. II supplements the old French dock
system In the town. where still more ships
constantly dschargng American cargoes A huge
new warehouse system ut this point is also
ing complexion: even now 1t is able to take care
of the great flood of supplies which Is constantly
pouring in.
In the old part of this same const town the
Americans have Installed motor operation and
cold storage plants motor reception park. and
quarters for storing supplies for ordnance ana
avintion forces. These less tenn
porary quarters. and will be merged in the near
future In the general scheme which is now being
completed in the outskirts of the town.
In addition to the new docks. warehouses and
extensive railway yards (ihese latter have II
tracknge of nearly POO miles). work is well ad-
<,,nced the assembly shop. where III
ready, when l saw it in its incompleted state.
20 odd freight day. of three different de-
signs. were being turned ont and put into imne-
date service Another assembly plant has been
construced-at different point-to handle all
steel cars. which transported here from
America 'knocketl-lOwn'-thn Is, in sections In
order to economize shipping space. AT this plant
these steel cars are now being assembled at the
rate OF complete train day, and plans are
rapidly eliminating for II large extension of the
work. Here. too. huge camp has been built for
the negro stevedores, also a remount camp and
two big rest camps. each providing for many
thousands of American soldiers, who march
thence from the boats to be sfted and rearranged
for dispatch to the various training camps further
inland. Not far from here work Il new 10000
bed hospital Is forging ahend and 30 days from
it will be virtually completed. This is the
largest hospital center vet constructed. 1t is com.
posed entirely of small, onestory. light airy and
attractive structures, divided into small squares,
laid out on a great. open stretch of sand.
rounded by pine trees. and altogether promises
to be an ideal institution of its kind.
In this same section is an immense new artil-
lery camp all ready for the several brigades OF
artillery which expected when was there,
and, like the hospital enterprise. 1t Is in strong
hands and promises well. In includes large re-
mount camp, in which were several thousand
horses at the time of my visit. The work in 'hs
section, which is typical of that at all the other
base ports l visited. is being vigorously and In
telligenty directed. Strong executives are in
charge and the spirit of the workers is excellent
throughout. Everywhere the Americans are real
izing that they have caught up with them
selves" and now that they visualize the com
peton of what few months ago looked so much
like an impossible undertaking they are buoyed
up happy and inspired by their success; they
have conquered obstacles and overcome conditions
which only great ability and indomitabe spirit
could possibly surmount.
One realizes after inspecting the character
and extent of the work ut the several base ports
which the AMERICANS have taken over, that mere
lies the strength of :heir future scheme of oper
ationS. These port scneHes are Sre'i' "'i'iii >
today; but they worked out as to be
caTmbe of almost unlimited expansion. This Is
highly important for the war developments OF
the past two months have clearly pointed the
way toward greater unity of effort by the allies
and greater mobility of action by the French,
British and American fighting forces The ten
dency is toward a pooling both of effort and
supplies the natural outcome of cenralization
under single command This may easily re-
solve the American base ports in France into
main cnannpIS
of distribution will radiate directly to railhends
on all parts of the front, instead of mainly
through the intermediate and advance area cen
ters, which now being constructed. These
latter in that event. would be utilized in con-
necton with the great and er-growing training
centers through which. for long time to come.
the American army of 100000 or more, in the
making must pass.
As at the base ports. so found conditions all
along the hundreds Of miles of the American