The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-04-08

English admiral as 70 Will Inc 'eo
sells would be prepared for service.
1t is the spirit typitied in that answer
which every day for the past year has
animated all parts Of the navy es-
Establishment. Afoat and ashore every
effort has been made to speed up
On a program of efficiency and readi-
ness for service.
In the year past the navy has grown
rapidly. From $500 officers and 49,
600 enlisted men before the declara-
ton of war, the strength of the navy
in man power has increased to more
than 20, 90 officers and 100000 enlisted
men, including marines and reserves.
At the navy yards and stations the
number Of civilian employees has
grown to 1863.
At the outbreak Of the war there
were but 500 naval vessels Of all kinds
in commission. Today there are near
" four times as many in service.
while the building of vessels still
moves forward. Monthly expenditures
OF some $8,OO0,OOO for all naval pur-
poses have grown to above $6O,0O0,-
900 in order to care for the increasing
man-power and material-p0wer.
8 The confidence of the people in the
navy, their belief in it, has been shown
is being shown, in the rapid enlist
ments that have marked the first year
of the war with Germany. Every man
in this branch Of our fighting forces
is volunteer, and l feel a sense OF
pride that should be felt by every
American at the splendid personnel
which has answered the call to arms.
The first "call to quarters" was
that the navy should furnish armed
guards for merchant ships, SO that
with trained gunners these ships car
rying supplies to our allies might be
protected from the midnight assassins
i'll the barred zone declared by Ger
many. The value of the target prac-
tice for years has been clearly demon
strated in the effective service OF the
gunners of the navy in maintaining
'the freedom of the seas
The necessary increase in man-poW-
er-training camps atloat and ashore,
that the men who offered themselves
might be made fit for service that
would count. gle,
Quickly following the placing OF
armed guards and trained gunners on
merchant ships, the navy began its
part in the campaign against under
sea-boats in European waters. On APP
ril "a, Of last year, after notice or
eight days. six of our destr0yers sail
ed for European waters. Since that
date many other vessels have been
sent across, and in European waters
they are rendering constant and use,
full service.
With base Of over 5000 miles and
across the waters from the scene o.
conflict, the navy has been necessarily
called upon to take up duty OF vast
mportance-providing for the safe
transportation of our soldiers over
seas. 1t has developed convoy sys'
tenn which in this first year OF the war
has taken hundreds Of thousands or
our men to France without the loss
Of a single transport or single man.
r This convoy system is making 1t so
that with confidence our people know
OF the sailing of our transports and
our vessels laden with food and sup
plies for our own men and for our al
lies. il -|...- e., t..
The problem ashore and ahoat has
been that Of expansion, not OF re-or'
ganization, for it has not been found
necessary to make and modification OF
its organization in passing from ~
peace basis to a war basis, Personnel
had to be increased, but this has neen
done without friction or loss of en-
ergy, and with an establishment. in
creased over threefold the efficient in
ternal organization. working together
for years as trained team, has met
with success all demands made upon
it. =
In the development of the navy in
the year nothing has been more mark
ed than the matter of training sta
tons. The four training stations in
operation at the beginning Of the war
had a capacity for 5000 enlisted men.
These four stations have been greatly
enlarged and thus far have prepared
$4,000 men for service, while more
than 100000 have been trained at tenn
porary training stations, there being
over rs Of these, including radio and
aviation schools, the navy now hay
ing training facilities for 1860 as
against possibility of 5000 when the
war began. tx
Besides this, every vessel is a train
ing schoolsin the securing Of the great
est efficiency for officers and men.
1.-THE navy that flies" has become a
reality, for the flying boat has proven
success. We come to the end OF
the first year of war with an organiza-
ton for aeronautics that is proving
efficient in the highest degree.
1T. is not possible, in the necessarily
limited space, to enumerate all that
has been accomplished. Careful at
tention has been given to the matter
OF health. Clothing and food have al
ways been in readiness Constrlc-
ton and repair work have not Jagged.
Attention has been given to inventions
offered. And careful attention has
been given to the detection of3eneIny
spy plans and activities. Our shores
have been guarded while fighting YES
sells have been sent abroad The best
inventive talent OF the world has been
called into cooperation by the navy.
: "A, snbconmit tee. OF the House Nav
al@Affairs Committee has just found
that "The efficiency of the navy's pre-
wGr organization, the readiness and
6ff1d1iA lit9 men an q i. shi tl for the
war, were early put to the acid; test,
and thus sfar, Fin no iway have been