The Ordway new era., 1918-04-12

HlRhiy tThlneu personnel anu tno host
intricate equipment with practically
no foundation to start from.
Three large appropriations. incluo-
ing the S64O,0OO,OO0 act passed without
roll call, made total Of $691 900 900
available for the first year. All Of this
has since been obligated.
Last April the air service had an
almost negligible force of 65 officers
and 1,120 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 a stan,
and work out the program finally
adopted. The problem was twofold-
first. personnel; and, second. equip
ment.
Today the personnel is over 100
times that of year ago, practically
every member a skilled man who has
gone through an intensive course of
training Schools of IL different
| kinds have been Instituted. courses
of instruction laid out, and instruc-
tors secured, including foreign ex-
perts in n score of lines.
Development Of Navy.
The development of the navy during
the first year of war has given the
greatest satisfaction. Its growth and
| achievements during this period may
be epitomized in the following para
graphs:
Strength of the navy today is
| paorlp n0O ofRcors QQ0 mn an
listed men; strength a year ago was
4.792 officers and 77.946 enlisted men.
Estimated total expenditures of the
navy during first year of war: Dis
bursements and outstanding obliga-
tions. 1881 100000.
Total naval appropriations, real and
pending, $3.333, III ,865.O4.
American destroyers arrived at
British port to assist in patrolling Eu-
ropean waters 2S days after the decla-
ration Of war.
There are now four times as many
vessels In the naval service as year
ago.
Nearly 1900 mechanics and other
civilian employees are working at
navy yards and stations.
vessels were building or authorized,
and contracts have been placed since
that time for $40 vessels.
More than 700 privately owned yes-
sells have been purchased or chartered
blythe navy.
Six new authorized battleshlps are
designed to be of Al 800 tons, the larg
est battleships in the world.
Our 35.O0O-ton cruisers, 35 knots,
will be the fastest in the world, their
speed equaling the fastest destroyers.
Prompt repairs of 100 interned Ger
man ships. partially wrecked by their
crews. added more than 100000 tons
to our available naval and merchant
tonnage.
The navy has developed an Ameri-
can mine believed to combine all the
| good points of various types of mines,
and is manufacturing them in Quanti-
ties.
During the year the latest type of
naval 16-inch gun was completed for
our new battleships; II throws a pro-
jectile weighing 2,100 pounds.
Navy has In Its possession now 4
stock of supplies sufficient for the
|
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 4 ca
pacity of 1902 900 in summer, $4,000
nfen in winter.
Shipping Boards Progress.
Up to date congress has authorized
50 034, 900. 900. of which s1,135. 10000
has been appropriated, for the
United States Shipping board and
Emergency Fleet corporation; on
March /, $353. .247 .955.37 of this sum
had been expended.
The Emergency Fleet corporation
had requisitioned March 1. 425 steel
vessels and contracted for 720 steel
vessels, making total of 1.1@5 steel
ships. of an aggregate dend-weight
tonnage of S164,50S tons; 1t had let
contracts for 400 wooden vessels, ag-
gregating approximately 1,715,00O
I dead-weight tons; 1t had repaired and
put in operation 7sS00O dead-weight
tonnage seized from Germany and
Austria.
On March s the building program
| of the Emergency Fleet corporation
was being carried on in 151 plants.
First Years War Cost.
Total estimated expense of the
United States government in the first
year of war. without loans to the
allies. Is $12 .067. .27S. .679.O7.
To help meet this expense. the trens-
ury department fioated $6,616, $50 300
subscriptions to Liberty bonds.
Bonds. certificates of Indebtedness,
W,r Coxipuu cortI6cataa ond Thrif$