Cheyenne record., 1918-04-11

highly trained personnel and the most
intricate equipment with practically
NO foundation to start from.
Three large appropriations. inciud-
ing the $840. 900 900 act passed without
Q roll call. made total Of $691 .00O,0
available for the first year. All Of this
has since been obligated.
Last April the air service had an
almost negligible force of IS officers
and 1,12O men, small flying fields.
less than 800 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 stan,
and work out the program finally
adopted. The problem was twofold-
first. personnel; and. second equip
ment. A
To-day. the personnel IL over 100
times that Of q year ago. practically
every member q skilled man who has
gone through an intensive course Of
training. Schools Of II different
kinds have been instituted. courses
of instruction laid out, and instruc-
tors secured, including forefkn- sx-
ports in a score Of lines. E
Development Of Navy.
The development Of the nayY during
the nrst year Of war has Owen the
greatest satisfaction. Its growth and
achievements during this ,psf1od may
be epitomised in the following para
graphs:
Strength Of the navy today IL
nearly n 900 oficers and $4,000 en-
listed men; strength q year ago was
4.7o2 officers and 77,046 enlistf men.
Estimated total expenditursS Pf sths
navy during first year Of waf: pis-
burssments and outstanding .,oblisa-
lions. 1851 .O00,O 900.
Total naval appropriations. real and
pending, 1855, III ,oeb.04.
American dsstroyers arrived At
British port to assist in patrolling Eu-
,ropean waters rs days after the decla-
ration Of war.
There are now four times ~ many
vessels In the naval service as q year
ago.
Nearly 1900 mechanics and other
civilian employees are working at
navy yards and stations.
When war was declared. 128 naval
vessels were building or authorized.
and contracts have been placed since
that time for $40 vessels.
More than TOO privately owned vss-
sells have been purchased or chartered
by the navy.
Six new authorized battlsships are
designed to be Of Il. 300 tons, the larg-
est battleships in the world.
Our 35.O00-ton cruisers, % knots,
will be the fastest In the world. their
speed equalins the fastest destroyers.
Prompt repairs Of 100 interned Ger.
man ships, partially wrecked by their
crews, added more than 100000 tons
70 our available naval and merchant
tonnage.
The navy has developed an Amesi-
can mine believed to combine all the
good points Of various types Of mines,
and IL manufacturing them In quanti-
ties.
During the year the latest type Of
naval 10-inch gun was completed for
our new battlsships; It throws q pro-
jectfls Weighing 2,10o pounds.
Navy has in it's 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 q ca
pacity Of 100000 in summer, $4,000
men in winter.
Shipping Boards Progress.
Up to date congress has authorized
$2.O84, 100000. Of which 81, 1s5, ,O0o. 900
has been appropriated, for the
United States Shipping board and
Emergency Fleet corporation, on
March 1, 1858, pa, ,e55.S7 Of this sum
had been expended.
The Emergency Fleet corporation
had requisltioned March 1. 426 steel
vessels and contracted for 720 steel
vessels. making q total Of 1,145 steel
ships, Of an aggregate dead-wsisht
tonnage Of S,184,50s tons; 1t had let
contracts for 400 wooden vessels. a..
gregating approximately 1,716,000
dead-weight tons; 1t had repaired and
put In operation 7os,OO0 dead-weisht
tonnage seized from Germany and
Austria.
On March the building program
of the Emergency Fleet corporation
was being carried on in 1S1 plants.
First Years War cest.
Total estimated expense Of he
United States government in the flrst
year Of war, without loans TO ne
allies, 10 S12, ,O67, ,27S. .o7e.O7.
To help meet this expense, the treas
urv daDartmept doated %. .616 b02 100