The Carlisle independent., 1918-04-11
candidates, consisting largely of en- listed men, have been in attendance.
 Corps Of Engineers.

glneer 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 1 abroad, arrived in France about three months after war was declared. Since i that time the number has been greatly augmented. These troops have been constantly engaged in general en- 1 gineering work. including the con struction of railways. docks. wharyes. l cantonments and hospitals for the use of the American expeditionary forces. l They have. in some instances, in the l performance Of their duties. engaged in active combat with the enemy.
 Ordnance Department.
 Since the outbreak of war the i commissioned personnel of the ord nance department has expanded from 9T officers, operating with yearly ap- proprfations of about S14.000.000 and with manufacture largely confined 10 government arsena1s. 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,- 756.503. .1S5.
 The ordnance storage properties embrace separate warehouse buildings and miles of railroad siding. all com prehended within the depot premises. which are inelosed by electrically charged wire barriers and lighted and 1 patrolled with unremitting vigilance. One of these depots, now under con- struetion. will include 100 separate 1 buildings and 50 miles of railroad spe- cially built to serve the depot's needs. The supply division of the ordnance i department handles material amount ing to approximately 10000 carloads a month.
 While building the foundation for greater production, the ordnance de- partment has provided 1.40oo00 rifles has brought the rate of rifle production i up to 45.000 per week, sufficient to equip three army divisions: secured deliveries on more than 17.00O ma l chine guns; brought the rate of pro duetion of machine guns from 2O.O0a to 225,0o0 per year increased the rate of production of 312-ineh to 9-inch cali Der guns from 1,500 to 15,000 per year; and has arranged for the manufacture of some 35,O00 motortrucks and trac- tors for hauling heavy guns and ann 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 cautonments 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. 72J.000 automatic pistols. 2J00OO re- yolvers, 23.o00000 projectiles for all calibers of heavy artillery. 427 246,00O pounds Of explosives. 2+00o0 machine guns, and 2. 2.4S4.Go0 rifles.
 The ordnance problem, however fs no less one Of quality than of quantity production. The American soldier is being provided with weapons which give him an additional safeguard 10 life and a further guaranty of victory.
 Achievements of the ordnance de- partment include the Browning ma chine rife, model of 1918, and the Browning machine gun, heavy type. model of 1918, production of the for IHer now being ou 8 quantity basis by machine process, while similar produc- ton of the heavier type is imminent
 The heavy Browning machine gun. water cooled, in a government test fired 10000 shots In IS minutes and 18 seconds without malfunction.
 Quartermaster Corps.
 IIIE IAdAulL LuGE bI IUt NBEE or the quartermaster corps is indicated by the operation Of the subsistence diyi- sion. which is charged with the re- sponsibilitv 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 100000 pounds dried beans. 1180oo000 cans baked beans of the 1917 crop. 651s4.475 cans of tomatoes. 916o0.o00 cans Of condensed milk. and 20.2S7,0oO pounds of prunes.
 The establishment of the subsistence division centralized the purchases of foodstuffs for the army previous to which such products were distributed through the depot quartermaSter Eff fective January l the central control l system has resulted in greater effi- ciency and a big saving. Tn January. for instance, S100000 was saved under this system as compared with the