The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-04-11

no foundation to start from.
Three large appropriations, includ
ing the S640,000,000 act passed without
a roll call, made d 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, small flying fields,
less than 300 second-rate planes, prac-
tically no aviation industry, and only
the most scanty knowledge Of the ka-
leidoscopic development abroad. The
first two months Of war were required
to secure information, establish 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 eI-
perts in a score Of lines.
Development Of Navy.
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 21,00O officers and 100000 en-
listed men; strength year ago was
4,792 officers and 77,946 enlisted men.
Estimated total expenditures Of the
navy during first year of war: Dis
bursements and outstanding obliga-
tlons, 81 1881 000,O 900.
Total naval appropriations, real and
pending, 1888, III, ,6C5.04.
American destroyers arrived at a
British port to assist in patrolling Eu-
ropean waters 2s days after the decla-
ration Of war.
There are now four times as many
vessels in the naval service as q year
ago.
Nearly 10000 mechanics and other
civilian employees are working at
navy yards and stations.
When war was declared, 1913 naval
vessels were building or authorized,
and contracts have been placed since
that time for 949 vessels.
More than 700 privately owned YES
sells have been purchased or chartered
by the navy.
Six new authorized battleshlps are
designed to be Of 1880 tons, the larg-
est battleships in the world.
Our 35,000-ton cruisers, 80 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; II throws a pro
jectile weighing 2,100 pounds.
Navy has in its possession now q
stock of supplies sufficient for the
average requirements for at least one
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 OF
these boats have crossed the Atlantic
some in severe weather.
Naval training camps have ca
pacity of 100000 in summer, 9400t
men In winter.
Shipping Boards Progress.
Up to date congress has authorized
1904 100000, of which s1,135,000,00C
has been appropriated, for the
United States Shipping board ant
Emergency Fleet corporation; or
March l, S353,247, 7,955.37 of this sun
had been expended.
The Emergency Fleet corporation
had requisitioned March /, 425 stee
vessels and contracted for 720 stee
vessels, making total of LAS stee
ships, of an aggregate dead-weigh
tonnage of S,164,50S tons; 1t had le
contracts for 400 wooden vessels, ag
gregating approximately 1,715,00t
dead-weight tons It had repaired anC
put in operation 7Ss,000 dead-wigh
tonnage seized from Germany ant
Austria.
On March 5 the building program
of the Emergency Fleet corporation
was being carried on in 15l plants.
First Years War coet.
Total estimated expense OF tn
United States government in the frs
year of war, without loans to tn
allies is S12, 27s,679.07.
To help meet this expense, the treas
ury department floated S6,6l6,5 30
subscriptions to Liberty bonds.
Bonds, certificates Of Indebtedness
War Savings certificates, and Thrift
= stamps issued by the treasury up t
) March 10, totaled $500, ,S02, ,052.96.
| The United States government ha,
E loaned to foreign governments asso
| ciated in the war on March u, 1915
S4, ,436, ,329, $50.
To March y the war risk insur
| ance bureau had issued policies for
total of $12, 46j, ,116,500 to the arme
forces.