The Prescott daily news., 1918-04-13

no foundation to start from.
 Three large appropriations, includ- ing the $640,0O0,00O net passed without roll call, made total of $691 .OoO, 900 available for the first year. All of this has since been obligated.
 Last April the air service had an almost negligible force of 65 officers and 1,120 men, small flying fields, less than 300 second-rate planes, prac- tically no aviation industry, and only the most scanty knowledge of the ka- leidoscopic development abroad. The frst two months of war were required to secure information, establish a 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 year ago, practically every member a 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 sx- 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 epitomized In the following para | graphs:
 Strength of the navy today is nearly 21,000 officers and S30,0OO en- listed men strength a year ago was 4,792 officers and 77,946 enlisted men. Estimated total expenditures of the navy during first year of war: Dis bursements and outstanding obliga- tons, $1,sS1 ,0O0,0 900. Total naval appropriations, real and pending, $3333, III ,665.04. American destroyers arrived at British port to assist in patrolling Flu ropean waters 28 days after the decla- ration of war.
 There are now four times as many vessels in the naval service as . year ago.
 Nearly 73,0O0 mechanics and other civilian employees are working at navy yards and stations. | When war was declared, 129 naval vessels were building or authorized. and contracts have been placed since that time for 949 vessels.
 More than TOO privately owned yes sells have been purchased or chartered by the navy.
 Six new authorized battleships are designed tc be of Al, 300 tons, the larg- est battleships In the world.
 Our 35.000-ton cruisers, 35 knots, will be the fastest in the world, their speed equaling the fastest destroyers
 Prompt repairs of 109 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 quanti- ties.
 During the year the latest type of naval 16-inch gun was completed for our new battleships; 1t throws a pro- jectlle weighing 2,10o pounds.
 Navy has In Its possession now a stock of supplies sufficient for the average requirements for at least one year.
 Several hundred submarine chasers, built since the war, have been deliv- cred to the navy by 31 private con- cerns and six navy yards; many of these boats have crossed the Atlantic. some In severe weather.
 Naval training camps have a ca- pacity of 102,000 In summer. 94OOO men In winter
 Shipping Boards Progress.
 Up to date congress has authorized s2 ,O34 100000, of which S,135poo, 900 has been appropriated, for the United States Shipping board and Emergency Fleet corporation; on March 1, S353, PAT ,955.37 of this sum had been expended.
 The Emergency Fleet corporation had requisitioned March 1. 425 steel vessels and contracted for 720 steel vessels. making a total of 1,145 steel ships. of an aggregate dead-weight tonnage of s,164,50S tons; 1t had let contracts for 400 wooden vessels. az gregating approximately 1,715oOo dead.weight tons; 1t had repaired and put In operation 7ss,o00 dead-weight tonnage seized from Germany and | Austria.
 On March 5 the building program of the Emergency Fleet corporation
 in xAla rf