The Raymer enterprise., 1918-04-11

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available for the first year. All Of this
has since been obligated.
Last April the air service had an
almost negligible force Of s. officers
and 1,120 men. 3 small flying fields,
less than 300 second-rate planes, prac-
tically no aviation industry, and only
the most scanty knowledge Of the ka-
leldoscopic development abroad. The
first two months Of war were required
to secure Information. establish staff,
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 a year sago, practically
every member skilled man who has
gone through an intensive course of
training. Schools OF II different
kinds have been Instituted, courses
Of instruction laid out. and instruc-
tors secured, including foreign ex-
perts in score Of lines.
Development Of Navy.
The development Of the navy during
the first year Of war has given the
greatest satisfaction. Its growth and
achievements during this period may
be epitomixed In the following para
graphs:
Strength Of the navy today Is
nearly 21,O00 officers and 10000 en-
listed men; strength year ago was
4.792 sofiicers and 77.948 enlisted men.
Estimated total expenditures Of the
navy during first year Of war: Dis
bursements and outstanding obliga-
tIons, 1881. 100000.
Total naval appropriations. real and
pending. s3,333, III 685.O4.
American destroyers arrived at a
British port to assist In patrolllng Eu-
ropean waters 2S days after the decla-
ration OF war.
There are now four times as many
vessels In the naval service as a year
ago.
Nearly $1,000 mechanics md other
civilian employees are working at
navy yards and stations.
When war was declared. 1913 naval
vessels were building or authorized.
and contracts have been placed since
that time for 949 vessels.
More than 700 privately owned ves-
sells have been purchased or chartered
by the navy.
Six new authorized battleshlps are
designed to be Of Al 500 tons. the larg-
est battleships in the world.
Our 35.000.ton cruisers, 35 knots.
will he the fastest In the world, their
speed equallng the fastest destroyers.
Prompt repairs OF 100 interned Ger.
man ships partially wrecked by their
crews, added more than 100000 tons
to our available naval and merchant
tonnage.
The navy has developed an Ameri-
can mine believed to combine all the
good points of various types Of mines,
and is manufacturing them In quantl-
ties.
During the year the latest type Of
naval 16-inch gun was completed for
our new battleships; It throws O pro-
jectile weighing 2.100 pounds.
Navy has in Its possession now a
stock of supplies sufficient for the
average requirements for at least one
year.
Several hundred submarine chnsers,
built since the war. have been dellv-
cred to the navy by 81 private con-
Germs and six navy yards; many Of
these boats have crossed the Atlantic.
some in severe weather.
Naval training camps have a ca
pacity Of 100000 in summer, $4,000
men In winter.
Shipping Boards Progress.
Up to date congress has authorized
s2034. 100000. Of which si,135 100000
has been appropriated, for the
United States Shipping hoard and
Emergency Fleet corporation; on
March /, $353,o47.9 .955.37 Of this sum
had been expended.
The Emergency Fleet corporation
had requlsltioned March l. 425 steel
vessels and contracted for 720 steel
vessels. making total Of Las steel
ships. Of an aggregate dead-wclght
tonnage OF s.164.50S tons; Ii had let
contracts for 400 wooden vessels. ag-
gregating approximately 1.7l5,000
dead-weight tons II had repaired and
put In operation 7Ss.000 dead-weight
tonnage seized from Germany and
Austria.
On March $ the building program
of the Emergency Fleet corporation
was being carried on In 151 plants.
First Years War Cost.
Total estimated expense Of the
United States government In the first
year of war. without loans to the
allies. Is s12O67. 7.27s.679O7.
To help meet this expense, the treas
ury department foated S6,6iG,532 800
subscriptions to Liberty bonds.
Bonds, certificates Of Indebtedness,
War Savings certificates, and Thrift
stamps issued by the treasury up to
March 12, totaIed $500, ,S02, ,05298.
The United States government had
loaned to foreign governments asso-
cIated In the war on March 12, 1918,
s4. 436 1920. $50.
To Morch 10 tho wor rjck tncur