Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-04-12

intricate equipment with practically
no foundation to start from.
Three large appropriations, includ-
Ing the $640.00O.O0O act passed without
a roll call, made a total OF $691.0OO,0O0
available for the first year. All Of this
has since been obligated.
Last April the air service had an
almost negligible force Of IS oficeFs
and 1,10 men, 8 small flying fields
less than 800 ~second-rats 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 q stan.
and work out the program finally
adopted. The problem was twofold-
first. personnel; and. second. equip
ment.
Today the personnel IL over 100
times that Of q 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 q.
perts in a score Of lines.
Development Of Navy.
The development Of the navy during
the first year Of wal 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 10
nearly $1,000 officers and $4,000 en-
listed men; strength a year ago was
ATOP officers and 77,948 enlisted men.
Estimated total expenditures Of the
navy during 6rst year Of war: Dis
bursements and outstanding ebliga.
tons, 1851, 0O0, 900.
Total naval appropriations. real and
pending, $685. III, ee5.04.
American destroyers arrived at o
British port to assist In %patrolling Eu.
ropean waters % days after the decla.
ration Of wal.
There are now four times as many
vessels In the naval service as q year
ago.
Nearly $1,000 mechanics and other
civilian employees are working at
navy yards and stations.
When war gas declared. 1913 naval
vessels were building or authorized.
and contracts have been placed since
that time for 949 vessels.
More than 100 privately owned yes.
sells have been purchased or chartered
by the navy.
Six new authorized battleships are
designed to be Of 1880 tons. the larg-
est battleships in the world.
Our 35.000-ton cruisers, IS knots,
will be the fastest In the world. their
speed equaling the fastest d~estroyers.
Prompt repairs Of 100 informed Ger.
man ships, partially wrecked by their
crews. added more than 100000 tons
to Jul 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-lnch gun was completed for
our new battleshIps; It throws q pro-
jectile weighing 2,1OO pounds.
Navy has in its possession now q
stock Of supplies sufficient for the
average requirements for at least one
year.
Several hundred submarine chaserH,
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 v weather.
Naval training camps have a ca
pacity of 10000 In summer, $4,000
men In winter.
shIpbuIIdIno Progress.
Up to date congress has authorized
$2,O34,OOO,0OO. Of which ST. 1875, 5000
has been appropriated. for the
United States Shipping board and
Emergency Fleet corporation; on
March 1. $353,247 ,855.37 Of this sum
hsd been expended.
The Emergency Fleet corporation
had requlsltloned March 1, 425 steel
vessels and contracted for 720 steel
vessels, making a total Of 1,145 steel
ships, Of an Aggregate dead.welght
tonnage Of 8,164,50S tons; 1t had let
contacts for 400 wooden vessels, ag.
~gregating approximately 1,715,OO0
lightweight tons 1t had repaired and
put In operation $4,000 lightweight
tonnage seized fpam Germany and
Austria.
On March 8 the building program
Of the Emergency Fleet corporation
was being carried On In ISL plants.
First Years War Cost.
Total estimated expense OF the
United States government in the first
year Of war, without loans to the
allies, Is $12y087. 27S, 679.O7.
To help meet this expense, the treas