The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1918-04-12

1sorua1y q. when The British ship
Tuscania was torpsdos1 and sunk.
The bodies Of IA soldiers. en route to
France. have been found and IS others
were still missing on March 10.
To secure an adequate number oR
competent omesrs to lead the new
armies various plans were devised.
Two classes at West Point were grad
uatsd in advance a ths usual gradu-
ating dates and special examinations
were held in various parts Of the eoun-
Try for appointments from civil hfe.
Three series Of ofncers' training camps
have been held. OF 00,20S candidates
In the flrst two series Of camps A.576
qualified and were awarded commits
sions. In the third series Of camps.
opened January s. 1918, about $1,000
candidates. consisting largely Of en-
listed men. have been in attendance.
Corps Of EneInssrs.
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
ly 4.125 officers and enlisted men. At
present the aggregate authorized
strength is over 100000. with an act
ual strength Of approximately 10000.
OF the special engineer units re-
cruited for service on railways and in
the maintenance Of lines Of communi-
cation. many are already In France
and others are awaiting recruitment
to full strength in order to be ready
for overseas service. The hrst en-
gineer troops, 1.10O 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-
cheering 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 tue ord
nance department has expanded from
81 Officers, operating with yearly ap-
propriations of about $14,O6O.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 authorize.
lions for one year having been -
58.6O3. 1856.
While building the foundation for
greater production. the ordnance de-
partment has provided I, 100000 rifles !;
has brought the rate Of rife production
up to $4,000 per week, sufncient to
equip three army divisions; secured
deliveries on more than 1900 ma
chine guns; brought the rate Of pro-
duction Of machine guns from 10000
to 225. 900 per year; increased the rate
Of production Of 8h-inch to o-inch cali
and has arranged for the manufacture
Of some 5000 motortrucks and trac-
tors for hauling heavy guns and am
munition, which are being deliversb
almost a. fast a. 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,
725, 5000 automatic pistols. 100000 re-
volvers. 2s,0OO,o0O projectiles for all
calibers Of heavy artillery. All, ,246. 600
pounds Of explosives, 24O.0 machine
guns, and 2, 2,484,OOO rifles.
ouartsrmastsr corps.
The magnitude Of the work Of the
quartermaster corps Is indicated by
the operation Of the subsistence divi-
sion, which is charged with the re-
sponsibility Of seeing that food sup
plies for the army are available at all
stations from the Philippines to Lor-
raine. Purchases recently made in
cluded 10000 900 pounds dried beans.
10000, 900 cans baked beans Of the
1917 crop, e5.1s4.475 cans Of tomatoes,
81 ,OOO. 600 cans Of condensed milk, and
2O, ,287 900 pounds Of prunes.
The establishment Of the subsistence
division centralized the purchases Of
foodstufs for the army. previous to
which such products were distributed
through the depot quartermaster. Ef-
fective January 1, the central control
system has resulted in greater en-
cheney and q big saving. In January.
for Instance. 100000 was saved under
this system a. compared with the
prices obtained by depot Quartermas-
ters. and in February q saving Of
$39,74O was made on potatoes alone.
The central control system IL still be-
ing perfected.
Production Of 10000 new automobile
trucks 10 In progress for the army, in