Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-04


an army division every three days.
.. ordnance supplies. artillcry,
Browning guns etc, as 10 machine
guns; heavy Browning guns for instruc-
ton purposes are in every National
Guard camp and National Army can
Torment in this country where troops
are in training. During May more than
600 of these heavy machine guns were
delivered
$500 LIGHT BROWNING
Guns DELINEREB IN MAY
Moro than $500 light Browning ma
chine guns Were delivered in May.
Probably the most difficult under
taking in the Quitting OF an army is
the manufacture OF heavy artillery.
Not only are the forging and machine
processes extremely difficult. but II has
been necessary TO Great manufacturing
Facilities for vast proportion of the
program. Sixteen plants had 10 he
provided for the manufacture of mobile
artillery cannon. In practically all
cases these plants had TO be retoolca.
ana in some cases they were built from
the ground up. The same difficulty was
met in the design and manufacture Of
artillery carriages. but the artillery
program is now approaching Il poin,
where quantity production is begin
ming.
The first OF four aforementioned
and is beginning 20 produce. In add
ton, number OF private plants are
al work loading shells
Vast as Were the privately owned
facilities for the manufacture OF powder
and high explosives. the government
has provided additional facilities
which are very much larger than those
which private enterprise has created
ENGINEERS MOT0RIZING
THE FIELD ARTILLERY
Ordnance engineers. Il seems. are we'll
on their way 10 Il solution of the prob
lem OF the motorization OF field ar
tillcry. The problem OF .notorization
of light artillery has been a constant
factor in slowing up the advance Of
troops 10 await the bringing forward
Of their supporting guns. Tractors
have been used by all nations of
course, TO haul heavy pieces alon. good
roads. but they have been unable to
develop tractors for hauling light
pieces over shellshattered ground. On
June the ordnance department dem
onstratcd five-ton armorcd artillery
tractor which proved capable OF nc
SotiatinS the most difficult terrain.
hauling 4.1-inch howit2cr, which
weighed approximately 5000 pounds.
Approximately s0G.0o0.00O IS being
spent TO provide for the manufacture
of nitrates. which are essential in the
manufacture Of explosives. hut have
heretofore had to be procured in Chile.
The building OF these plants will add
TO our powder output. will save large
amounts of cargo space. and it is sup
posed after tho war Will produce nj
trate for fertilizing American farms.
s. Port facilities in France: Among
the most drastic stories OF the war H.
that of the development by American
engineers and American enterprises of
No Z
is not permissible to say where this
development has taken place.. but the
scope of IL may be judged by the fact
that 1t would be possible TO handle
during the month of July a maximum
of 10000 tons at the ports of the
American army in France.
UNITED STATES SENT
SAWMII.LS TO FRONT
1t was necessary, before troops of
the American eXpeditionary force could
be landed. to send an organization of
fcresterS into the woods of France. to
send Knocked downed sawmills after
them to cut down trees. to shape them
into timbers and to build them into
docks in order that our troops might
leave their ships. Fast as this work
was, and large rs the flow has been
accelerated the facilities for dockage
have kept pace with the shipments Of
troops and supplies.
.. Morale of the army: Consensus Of
opinion is that drunkenness in the
army Is completely under control, both
in the United States and in France.
General Pcrshing states:
LAS there is little beer sold in
France. men who drink are thus limited
to the light native wine used by all
French people. Even this is dscour-
AGED among our troops in every pos
siblc way"
You may travel for weeks in France
without seeing an intoxicated American
soldier. In the Congressional Record on
or about March 81. there is reprinted
the statement of a journalist in France
beginning:
Everyone is on the water wagon at
the American front. During the pas,