The Monticellonian., 1918-04-12

were still missing on March Is.
 To secure an adequate number of competent officers to lead the new armies various plans were devised. Two classes at West Point were grad uated in advance of the usual gradu- ating dates and special examinations were held in various parts of the ceun- try for appointments from civil life. Three series of off ficers' training camps have been held. Of 63,203 candidates in the first two series of camps 44.57S qualified and were awarded commis- sions. In the third series of camps. opened January 5. 1918. about 1S,000 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 fy 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 eruited for service on railways and in the maintenance of lines of communi- cation, many are already in France and others are awaiting recruitment for overseas service The first en- gineer troops. HOO 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- gineering work. including the con- struction of railways, docks. wharVes, cantonments. 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 or officers, operating with yearly ap- propriations of about $14,00o,000 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- tions for one year having been S4,- 756. .503, ,1S5
 While building the foundation for greater production. the ordnance de- partment has provided 1,4000 900 rifles i: has brought the rate of rife production up to 45,000 per week, sufficient to equip three army divisions; secured deliveries on more than 1000 ma chine guns; brought the rate of pro duction of machine guns from 20.000 to 225,000 per year; increased the rate of production of 31a inch to 9-inch cali Der guns from 300 to 15000 per year; and has arranged for the manufacture of some 5000 motortrucks and trac- tors for hauling heavy guns and ann intuition. 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 from the following few items of purchase: Twenty-three million hand grenades. 725000 automatic pistols, 250,000 re- velvers. 23000,0o0 projectiles for all eaibers of heavy artillery, 427 246,000 pounds of explosives, 240,0oo machine guns, and 2.4S40o0 rifles.
 Quartermaster' Corps.
 The magnitude of the work of the the operation of the subsistence divi- sion, which is charged with the re- Sponsibility of seeing that food SUD- plies for the army are available at all stations from the Philippines to LOT raine. Purchases recently made in- cluded 4o0o0,0o0 pounds dried beans. 1160oO.000 cans baked beans of the 1917 crop, 65,1S4,475 cans of tomatoes, 91 ,O0O, ,OOO cans of condensed milk, and 202S7 900 pounds of prunes.
 The establishment of the subsistence
 
 division centralized the purchases of foodstuffs for the army, previous to which such products were distributed through the depot quartermaster. Elf fective January l, the central control system has resulted in greater eff ciency and big saving. In January for instance, S100000 was saved under this system as compared with the prices obtained by depot quartermas- ters, and in February saving of S39, TAO was made on potatoes alone. The central control system is still be ing perfected.
 Production O. 10000 new automobile trucks is in progress for the army, in addition to purchases of 3.520 passen ger cars, 6.126 motorcycles, and 5,o40 bicycles, with appropriate repatr and replacement equipment.
 In three months the cantonment di vision of the quartermaster generals department built 16 cantonments, each one practically 8 small city, compris- ing about 400 separate buildings and providing quarters for 1000 men.
 Air Service.
 The air service has been called upon in the past 12 months to build an enormous structure of the most wire A lid, or "cap," for the lighter is made from another piece of brass shell