, 1918-09-05

Sayt c1O AA
in the service In coming year.
From a vast armada of 1900 ships of all KINDS
In July, 1919, to the worlds greatest merchant
marine for all time to come. This epltomlZes tie
devout hope of every man in the transportation
service.
The naval overseas transportation service ls
an %outgrowth of the recruiting for class NO. y OF
the naval reserve. 1t developed early IN tue
autumn of last year when the urgent need Tor
military supplies impressed the navy department
with the necessity Of giving separate entity TO
the operation of cargo ships. There now are
1.70O officers and 1000 men in this branch OF the
navy's service.
A commander of the navy is supervisor of the
entire naval overseas transportation service, with
headquarters at Washington. The New YORK
division is under the supervision of a naval lieu
tenant.
The great conflict raging in Europe has been
described as a war of transportation. 1t Is gen.
orally conceded that the war cannot be won with
out the American army But the American army
at home Is more than 5000 miles from the front.
The problem of winning the war resolves itself,
therefore, into one of transportation, To remedy
the weak points in this means of communication
the navy overseas transportation service was es-
tablshed. Thus far from a small beginning 1t
has overcome what for a while appeared to be
lnsurmountable obstacles, and 1t is doing a work
that for Importance and ~efhciency Is second TO
none in the army or navy.
For every man that the United States sends
to the front about four lightweight tons of ship
ping must be set aside to maintain him. To send
him across without thus providing for his exis-
tepce would be nothing short of a. crime. 1t Is
the duty of the navy overseas transportation serv-
ice to see that there is an fncessant flow of sup
plies to that man. Any interruption through lack
Of shipping or men to man ships would be dis
astrous.
Besides supplying the troops at the front, it is
the duty of the transportation service to fetch
necessities to the United States from other coun-
tries. Navy YES sels are used to bring hemp, MI
trates. manganese and chrome. Coal is trans
ported to important manufacturing points in New
England to relieve railroad congestion.
American destroyers running about at high
speed in European waters are in constant need
Of fuel oil, which must be supplied by the trans
p~ortation service from the oil fields of the United
States or Mexico. All other sources Of supply are
controlled by Germany.
Already the United States has in Europe more
than 1.OOO,0OO men. By the end of next year
there probably will be S.OO0.000 men on the other
side. This. reckoning four d~eadweight tons for each
man, will mean that America will have to provide
12,OCO.0c0 tons of shipping to supply these men.
Charles NJ. Schwab, director of the shipping
board, has said that he is going to build 100000
lightweight tons Of ships In the coming year.
The aim of the transportation service is to be
ready to man and operate all or any of the new
ships. If the service can have the necessary adj
vance notice as to personnel requirements there
need be no hitch from this standpoint in the
number of troops sent over. They will be amply
provided Ir aIter tney arrive ana tney VIII De
brought back home at the close of the war.
The question of manning this enormous array
Of ships seems to be about solved by Edward 81.
Hurley, chairman of the shipping board. who Is
reported to have requested the secretary of the
navy to begin at once the training OF $4,000 off,
GERS and 100000 men to man the merchant ma
rine.
1t thus appears as II the navy may be asked to
man not only the war-zone ships. but those plying
among American seaports and to North and
South American ports. Naval officers would not
be surprised IL 1t should mean eventually he
manning by the navy Of coal barges and tow
boats
About 100 companies owned the American mer-
chant marine at the time the United States en-
tered the war. Enormous profits were made in
the transportation of essentials by water. ANY
old tub that would float was worth almost her
weight In gold. Many abandoned ships were re-
paired and put into service. Some were raised
from the ocean. where they had lain for years
and were rebuilt. Coastwise steamships were
put into ocean service. Schooners and ofE-shore
barges took the place of the coastwise vessels.
America had at the beginning of the war about
100000 lightweight tons of shipping. Only 70
per cent of this was available for ocean travel.
In addition to any submarine losses America
may suffer she will have to provide perhaps H.
100000 tons to supply the troops overseas aud