River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-09-05

T&4z@NNE From a fleet of more than 80
ADhlA@ cargo ships of all kinds IN july
1918 to a vast armada OF l'oUo III
July 1919 This epitomzes the predlcteu slo"'H
in the service in coming year
From vast armada of 800 ships OF all Klhus
in JULY 1919 to the worlds greatest merchoh'
marine for all time to come. This epltomlZeo ~.
devout hope Of every man in the transportation
service. ;.
The naval overseas transportation service IS
an outgrOwth of the recruiting for class NO. VI
fbe naval reserve 1t developed early IN the
autumn of last year when the urgent heeu lol
military supplies impressed the navy department
with the necessity of giving, separate enllIy -
the operation of cargo ships. There no" ale
100 officers and II 900 men in this branch OF the
navy's service.
commander of the navy is supervisor OF the
entire naval overseas transportation service, WIN
HEADQUARTERS at Washington. The New 1orh
division is under the supervision of naval neu-
tenant
The great conflict raging in Europe has been
described as a war of transportation IL Is gen
orally conceded that the war cannot be won WITH
ont the American army. But the American army
at home is more than 5000 miles from the front
The problem of winning the war resolves ltseil
therefore, into of transportation, 10 reneuy
the weak points in this means OF communication
the navy overseas transportation service was eS
tabIished Thus far from a small beginning II
has overcome what for while appeared 10 De
fpsurmOuntable obstacles, and it is doing WORK
that for Importance and efficiency is second TO
none III the army or navy.
For every man that the United States sends
TO the front about four lightweight tons Oh snip
ping must be set aside to maintain him. 10 sehu
him across without thus providing for ms eAls-
tence would be nothing short OF a crime. IL Is
the duty Of the navy overseas transportation serV-
ice to see that there is an incessant how OF sup
plies to that man Any interruption through lack
of shipping men to man ships would De us
astrous.
Besides supplying the troops at the 'front.' it IS
the duty of the transportation service to fetch
necessities to the United States from other coun-
tries Navy vessels are used to bring hemp, nj
trates manganese and chrome. Coal is trans
ported 10 important manufacturing points IN New
England to relieve railroad congestion
American destroyers running about at high
speed in European waters are in constant need
of fuel OIL which must be supplied by the trans
portaton service from the oil fields OF the United
States or Mexico All other sources of supply are
controlled by Germany.
Already the United States has in Europe more
4hon 100000 men, BY the end of next year
there probably will be 100000 men on the other
side This reckoning four lightweight tons for each
man. will mean that America will have to provide
100000 tons of shipping to supply these men.
Charles NJ. Schwab director of the shipping
board. has said that he ssgoing to build 100000
{1eadweight tons of ships in the coming year.
The aim of the transportation service is to be
ready TO man and operate all any of the new
ships If the service have the necessary adj
vance notice as to personnel requirements there
need be no hitch from this standpoint in the
number of troops sent over. They will be amply
nr0vded for after they arrive and they will be
brought back home at the close of the war.
The question of manning this enormous array
of ships seems to be about solved by Edward III.
Hurley chairman of the shipping board who is
reported to have requested the secretary of the
navy to begin at once the training of $4,000 Off
GERS and 100000 to man the merchant ma
rine.
1t thus appears if the navy may be asked to
Tnrn not only the ships, but those plying
among American seaports and to North and
South American ports. Naval officers would not
be surprised if it should eventually the
manning by the navy of coal barges and tow
boats.
About 100 companies owned the American mer-
chant marine at the time the United States en-
tered the war. Enormous profits made in
the transportation of essentials by water Any
old tub that would float was worth almost her
weight in gold Many abandoned ships were
haired and put into service. Some raised
from the ocean, where they had lain for years,
and were rebuilt. Coastwise steamships
nut into ocean service. Schooners and off-shore
barges took the place of the coastwise vessels
America had at the beginning of the war about
100000 deadweight tons of shipping Only 10
per cent of this was available for ocean travel
In addition to any submarine losses America
may suffer she will have to provide perhaps r.
100000 tons to supply the troops overseas and