The Arvada enterprise., 1918-04-11

candidates, consisting largely Of -
listed men. have been In attendance.
corps ~ Engineers.
At the beginning Of the war the en-
ginssr troops consisted Of three regi-
ments Of pioncsr engineers, with
trains. one mounted company. one en-.
gineer detachment at West Point. The
aggregate strength was approximate
ly Alps Officers and enlisted men. At
present the aggregate authorized
strength is over 100000. with an act
ual strength Of approximately 100 900.
OF the special engineer units re-
cruited for service on railways and In
the maintenance Of lines Of commune
cation. many are already in France
and others are awaiting recruitment
to full strength In order to be ready
for overseas service. The Arst en-
gineer troops, LOO strong. to be sent
abroad, arrived In France about three
months after war was declared. Since
that time the number has been greatly
augmented. These troops have been
constantly engaged In general en-
cheering work. including the con.
struction Of railways, docks, wharves.
environments, and hospitals for the use
Of the American expeditionary forces.
They have, In some instances, In the
performance Of their duties, engaged
In active combat with the enemy.
Ordnance Department
Since the outbreak Of war the
commissioned personnel Of the ord.
nance department has expanded from
81 officers, operating With yearly ap-
propriations Of about ~. 900 and
with manufacture largely confined to
government arssnals, to 5000 Officers
In this country and abroad, transac citing
an unprecedented war program for the
supply Of ordnance. the total direct
appropriations and contract authorize.
lions for one year having been a..
To, o,1e5.
The ordnance storage properties
embrace separate warehouse buildings
and miles Of railroad siding, all COM
pretended within the depot premises,
which are inclossd BY electrically
charged wire barriers and lighted and
patrollsd With unrsmitting vigilance.
One Of these dspots. now under con.
struction. will include 100 separate
buildings and 30 miles Of railroad sps-
cialiy built to servo the dspot's needs.
The supply divisisn Of the ordnance
department handles material amount.
ing to approximately 10000 carloads q
month.
While building the foundation for
greater production, the ordnance de-
partment has provided 100000 rides ;
has brought the rate Of rife production
up to 5000 per week, sufacisnt b
equip three army divisions; secured
deliveries o. more than 1900 ma
chias guns; brought the rate Of pro-
ductioo Of naehias guns from 10000
b $4,000 pr ysaf; Increased the rate
Il production Of 8k.ineh 70 e-inch cali
bsr guns from 1,6oo b 1900 per year :
and has arranged for Tie manufacture
Of some 5000 metertrucks and trac.
tors for hauling hsavy guns and an
munidoa. which ere being delivered
almost % fast % nv can bs shipped.
One billion rounds Of ammunition
has been purchased for tAs training
Of troops In the eantonments aleas.
An idsa Of the extent Of the erd.
nance program nay b gained from
the following few items Of purchase
Twenty-Five millioa hand grsnadss.
72o.0oo automatic pistols, $4,000 ~
volvsrs. 100000 projsctalss for all
calibsrs Of heavy artillery. "a. 80 900
pounds Of explosives. 10000 machine
guns. and 2.4s4.000 rides.
Tho ordnance problem. however. IL
no LEES one Of quality than of quantity
production. The American soldier IL
being provided with weapons which
give him an additional safeguard to
life and further guaranty Of victory.
Achievements Of the ordnance de-
partmsnt include the Browning ma
chine rife. model Of 1918. and the
Browning machine gun. heavy type.
model Of 1918. production Of the for.
mer now being % q quantity basis BY
machine process, while similar produc.
ton Of the heavier type 70 imminsot.
The heavy Browning machine gun.
water cooled. IN Q government test
nrsd 10000 shots In ~ minutes and
10 seconds without malfunction.
ovaetssmsstsr csrpa
The magnitude Of the work Of the
quartermastse corps % indicated BY
the operation Of the subsistence divi.
sion, which 10 charged with ~ r.
sponsibility Of sssins that food sup.
piles for the army are available at all
stations from the Philippines to Lor.
rains. Purchases recently made 10.
cludsd 100000 pounds dried beans.
100000 cans baked beans Of the
1917 crop. o6.ls4.47b cans Of tomatoes,
81. 100000 cans Of eoadsnssd milk. and
20.2S7. 900 pounds ef prunss.
TIE establishment Of the subsistence
division eentrslissd the purchases Of
foodstufss for the army. prsvseus 10
which such products were distributes
through he depot quartsrmastsr. X.
fsctivs January I. the csotrsl control