Meade County news., 1918-04-11

candidates, consisting largely Of en-
listed men, have been In attendance.
Corps Of Engineers.
At the beginning Of the war the en-
gineer troops consisted of three regi-
ments of pioneer engineers, with
trains, one mounted company, one en-
gineer detachment at West Point. The
aggregate strength was approximate
ly 4,125 officers and enlisted men. At
present the aggregate authorized
strength Is over 100000, with an act
ual strength Of approximately 100000.
OF the special engineer units re-
cruIted for service on railways and in
the maintenance of lines Of communi-
cation, many are already in France
and others are awaiting recruitment
to full strength in order to be- ready
for overseas service. The first 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-
glneering 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-
preparations Of about $14,000,00O and
with manufacture largely confined to
government arsenals, to 5000 officers
in this country and abroad, transacting
an unprecedented war program for the
supply of ordnance, the total direct
appropriations and contract authoriza-
tlOns for one year having been $4,-
756, 1903, 1875.
While building the foundation for
greater production, the ordnance de-
partment has provided 1,400,000 rifles
has brought the rate of rifle production
up to $4,000 per week, sufficient tC
equip three army divisions; secured
deliveries on more than 1000 ma
chine guns; brought the rate of pro
duction Of machine guns from 2O,OOC
to 225,000 per year; increased the rate
of production Of 31a to 9-inch cali
ber guns from 1900 to $4,000 per year
and has arranged for the manufacture
of some $4,000 motortrucks and trac
tors for hauling heavy guns and am
munition, which are being delivered
almost as fast as they can be shipped
One billion rounds of ammunition
has been purchased for the training
of troops in the cantonments alone.
An idea of the extent of the ord
nance program may be gained iron
the following few items Of purchase
Twenty-three million hand grenades
725,O00 automatic pistols, 250OOO re
volvers, 23,OO00O0 projectiles for al
calibers Of heavy artillery, 427 ,246,OO
pounds Of explosives, 100000 machin
guns, and 24S4,O00 rifles.
,Quartermaster Corps.
The magnitude Of the work Of tn
Quartermaster corps is indicated b
the operation of the subsistence div
sion, which is charged with the re
sponslbility of seeing that food SUI
plies for the army are available at a
stations from the Philippines to Lol
raine. Purchases recently made II
cluded 100000 pounds dried beans
116,OO0,0O0 cans baked beans of tn
1917 crop, 65,194,475 cans Of tomatoe
81 100000 cans of condensed milk, an
20,2S7, 900 pounds Of prunes.
The establishment of the subslstenC
, division centralized the purchases
! foodstuffs for the army, previous
+, which such products were distribute
, through the depot quartermaster. E
fective January 1, the central contf,
system has resulted in greater eff
, cheney and big saving. In Januar
for instance, 100000 was saved undC
, this system as compared with Il
= prices obtained by depot Quarterma
! ters, and In February saving
:. $50, ,740 was made on potatoes alon
The central control system is still b
n ing perfected.
n Production of 10000 new automobi
!. trucks is in progress for the army,
q addition to purchases Of $500 passe
6 ger cars, 6,126 motorcycles, and so
bicycles, with appropriate repair al
( replacement equipment.
v In three months the cantonment
|. vision of the quartermaster general
/ department built 16 cantonments, eat
+ one practically small city, cOmpri
s ing about 1,400 separate buildings al
l. providing quarters for $4,000 men.
!. Air Service.
s The air service has been call,
s upon In the past II months to bul
8 an enormous structure of the mo
s. highly trained personnel and the mo
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