Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-04-12

tractors profits on the several con
tracts averaged only 2.0S per cent.
Air Service.
The air service has been called
upon In the past II months 10 build
nm enormous structure of the most
highly trained personnel and the most
intricate equipment with practically
no foundation to start from.
Three large appropriations. includ-
Ing the $640,0o0000 act passed without
roll call, made total OF 1901 100000
available for the first year. All Of this
has since been obligated
Last April the air service had an
almost negligible force OF 60 officers
and l,l20 men, small flying fields,
less than 300 seeond-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 we're required
10 secure Information, establish a stafr,
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 score OF lines. as follows
For flyers at ground schools and flying |
fields; for mechanics Mt the flying
fields and at over a dozen different
factories; for photographers. balloon
lists, adjutants, supply officers. engineer
armorers, and instructors OF
Development OF Navy.
The development OF the navy during
the first year OF war has given the
greatest satisfaction. Its growth and
during this period may
be epitomlzed I'm the following para
graphs
Strength of the navy today is
nearly 1000 officers and 10000 en-
listed men; strength a year ago was
4 1902 officers and 77,946 enlisted men.
Estimated total expenditures OF the
navy during first year of war: Dis
and outstanding obliga-
ions. S1.Ss1. 100000.
Total naval appropriations, real and
pending. S3,833. III ,665.0f.
American destroyers arrived at a
British port to assist In patrolllng Eu-
'opean waters % days after the decla-
alton of war.
There are now four times as many
'essels IN the naval service as year
lgo.
Nearly $4,000 mechanics and other
'iyillan employees are working at
lavy yards and stations
When war was declared. 1913 naval
essels We're building or authorized,
nd contracts have been placed since
hat time for 949 vessels
More than 700 privately owned yes
els have been purchased or chartered
y the navy.
SIX new authorized battleships are
eslgned to be of Al 800 tons. the larg- =,
st battleships In the world. ,.
Our 95.000ton cruisers. 35 knots !.
III be the fastest In the world. their !,
peed equaling the fastest destroyers.
Prompt repairs of 100 informed Ger
ian ships. partially wrecked by their !,
rews. added more than 100000 tons
, our available naval and merchant :
image. =
The navy has developed an Ameri- J.
IN mine believed 10 combine all the y
bod points Of various types OF mines, =,
I'd is manufacturing them In quanti- u
es.
During the year the latest type OF .
wal i6-lnch gun was completed for -
If new battleships; 1t throws a pro- !"
ctile weighing 2,100 pounds.
Navy has IN Its possession now -
ock OF supplies sufficient for the ~
-erage requirements for at least one -
ar. -
Several hundred submarine chasers, -,
ilt since the war, have been deliv- 80
ed 10 the navy by 81 private con- h,
rms and six navy yards; many OF or
csc boats have crossed the Atlantic, -,
me IN severe weather. ~
Naval training camps have ca ~.
city OF 10000 In summer. $4,000 On
N In winter.
Shipping Boards Progress.
Up TO date congress has authorized be
oS4 900 900. OF which S1,135. 100000 tyI
; been appropriated. for the de
tied States Shipping board and Ea
iergency Fleet corporation; on me
rch /. 1855. 247,955.37 OF this sum a
been expended. on
rhe Emergency Fleet corporation ov'
, requlsitloned March /. 425 steel or
sells and contracted for 720 steel me
sells. making a total OF l.i45 steel vii
ps. OF an aggregate lightweight cor
mage OF s.i6s.50s tons; 1; had let sib
tracts for 400 wooden vessels. ag- Gro
gatlag approximately 1,7l5,00o col
d.welght tons; It had repaired and ow
in operation 7ss0co lightweight soc
nars seized from Germany and clu