The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-09

OF MILITARY DEMONSTRATION O
,ill be written in the new pages Of TIL
peace times. Gener al Maistre lis seen
star shell was developed which. when
fired in the vicinity of an enemy fleet,
will light 1t up, make ships visible.
and render ii an easy target, without
disclosing the position of our own
ships at night. The bureau of ord
nance under the direction of Rear Ad-
miral Earle, is stated to have met and
conquered the critical shortage of
! high explosives which threatened to
greatly proiong the time OF prepare
ton necessary for America to smash
t the German military forces. TNX. a
high explosive being developed to
take the place of INT, this single unit
of production being sufficient to in
crease the available supply Of high
| explosives in this country to some
| 30.000,000 pounds. The work of the
bureau in completing a successful
Davis neu-recoil aircraft gun is de-
clared to be "a great milestone in
aircraft armament and there is
given an account of "A heavy aero
! plane bomb developed for anti-sub-
marine warfare, and the protection of
! merchant ships by increased arma-
ment, naval gun production bein z
stated TO have kept pace with war
needs. while tho smokeless powder
output was increased. In the flu
ture it is stated. American dread
naughts and battle cruisers will be
armed with sixteen inch gun max =
ing these the heaviest armed vessels
in the world. Depth charges are
stated to be the most effective anti
submarine weapon, and American
vessels were adequately armed with
this new weapon. A new type was
developed and new gun known as
the ~" gun, designed nd built es-
pecially for firing depen charges.
Great strides in torpedo production
have been made "A new long range
proving ground on the Potomac near
MachodUc Greek, Va. has been ac-
qufred. Training in gunnery and en-
cheering has been carried out with
eminent success. Thirty thousand
marksmen a month have been trained
in navy small arms work. and forty
million rounds have been fired with
out an accident This training has
made sailors competent infantrymen.
while the navy rifle ranges have been
opened for use by civilians,
'Nayy That Flies
The navy that flies" is given spe-
. Fldl reverence, II pelnG SIdlFu tftdt
the expansion of naval aviation has
been Of gratifying proportions and Of
i fectiVsness, many air stations being
established at home and abroad In
this branch of the service the total
enlisted and commissioned personnel
on July /, 1918, was about 10000,
with sZS trained naval aviators. some
2.052 student officers, 400 ground of
ficers, 1900 trained mechanics. and
h toe, in, sra ,}r axs.sl
aircraft has been a big factor in the
war and aircraft has come to stay.
says Secretary Daniels, who plans for
its permanency and development. The
work of women us well as men in
aircraft production is commended.
When war was declared the navy
numbered s5.777 men. On the day
Germany signed the armistice this had
increased to $4,000 men and women.
Referring to the excellent work done
by the women who enlisted, the sec
rotary says: "A woman who works
as we'll as a man ought to receive the
sal me pay. and that policy has been
carried out by the navy"
When war was declared there were
1877 ships in commission, now there
are 2.C03 vessels in service, and they
have been furnished with trained Off
GERS and men. and how fit they were
all the world attests." In this con-
Inection' Secretary Daniels says: TOO
much credit can not he given to Rear
Admiral Leigh c. Palmer, the bril-
liant chief of the bureau of naviga-
ton. FOR the foresight. executive
J ability. enthusiastic measuring mp to
the great demand and the hearty CO.
operation secured from the ma val per-
sonnet from top to bottom" both at
home and abroad. The value OF the
naval reserve Is emphasized and the
evolution which brought this into
reinI as an essential pat of he navy
is tecounted. From a small enroll
ment when the var broke OF, til &.
grew to s5,s73 by April. 1918. and
now numbers about 100000. The Of
ficer personnel OF the navy is stated
to be on a sound basis. appropriate
LEGISLATION providing for this. the navy
having made rea iy To Sc ;nre' me-,
and officers before the war was
launched, The promotion of enlisted
men to officers is declared to have
been given careful attention and was
provided for by a system of examina-
ton and special training
/ For the excellent health record oil
the navy due credit is given the med
icai corps. and Rear Admiral Wm
&c. Braisted the surgeon general The
number OF surgeons has increased
from 327 TO 3,074: of dentists from
q thirty ts ASS; woman nurses from
$50 to 400; while the hospital
corps has Grown from l,5s5 to l4.7ls
enlisted men, Navy base hospitals
were established in England. Scot
land. Ireland and France. and extern
sive hospitals created, with from 500
to 500 beds. Scattered throughout
France and Great Britain were pu-
nrerous naval d:spensaries and on the
ships sick bays were maintained. NAVY
doctors were assigned to all troop
ships and rendered valuable service.
Navy hospitals, increased from cap
acity OF 5000 beds TO upward OF
900. are declared to have done
splendid work of the most advanced
{ haracter
/ Warfare Against Vice.
The commission on training carn
activities and other agencies are
highly praised for their efforts Cor the
comfort Of men in camps. and their
moral and material welfare. The con
slant warfare against vice and the