The Prescott daily news., 1918-04-13

S, France. have been found and 55 others were still missing on March 16.
 To secure an adequate number of competent officers to lead the new armies various plans were devised. Two classes at West Point were grad uated In advance of the usual gradu- ating dates and special examinations were held in various parts of the coun- try for appointments from civil life. Three series of officers training camps have been held. Of 63,203 candidates In the first two series of camps 44,57S qualified and were awarded commits sions. In the third series of camps, opened January 5, 1918, about 1S,OO0 candidates. consisting largely of en- listed men, have been in attendance.
 Corps Of Engineers.
 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 first en- gineer troops, HOO 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- gineering 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 the ord nance department has expanded from 97 officers. operating with yearly ap- propriations of about S14,000000 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 authoriZa- tions for one year having been S4- 756. .50S, 1855.
 While building the foundation for greater production. the ordnance de- partment has provided 100000 rifles ; has brought the rate of rife production up to 45000 per week, sufficient to equip three army divisions; secured deliveries on more than 17,0O0 ma chine guns; brought the rate of pro- duction of machine guns from 10000 to z25, 900 per year; increased the rate of production of BIZ inch to 9-inch cali Der guns from 1,500 to 15,000 per year and has arranged for the manufacture of some 35OO0 motortrucks and trac- tors for hauling heavy guns and am munition, which are being delivered almost as fast as 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, 725,0O0 automatic pistols, 25O,0OO re- volvers, 23,O00,O00 projectiles for all calibers of heavy artillery, 427,246,0OO pounds of explosives, 240,OOO machine guns, and 2,4S4 900 rifles.
 ouartermaster Corps.
 Q The magnitude of the work of the ouartermaster 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 LOT raine. Purchases recently made in- cluded 40.0o0,000 pounds dried beans 116.0O0O00 cans baked beans Of the 1917 crop. 65,1s4.475 cans of tomatoes 1 e1. .OOO. 900 cans of condensed milk, and 20, ,2ST 900 pounds of prunes.
 The establishment of the subsistence division centralized the purchases or foodstuffs for the army, previous 10 which such products were distributed through the depot quartermaster. Ef- 1 fective January 1. the central control system has resulted in greater effl- ciency and big saving. In January for instance, S100,00O was saved under this system as compared with the