The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-02-27
ROOSEVELT TELLS
OF NAVS WORK
Probably Surpassed Ancient Ira
ditions of the Service.
LAUDS WORK OF MARINES
Declares Their Casualties Were More
Than 100 Per Cent-Their Strength
Kept Up by Requirements
Work of Planes Great.

Boston, FeD. 20.-Ihe work or the
United States navy during the late
war equaled If it did not surpass the
| ancient traditions of the service. This
was made plain here by Assistant Sec
rotary Of the Navy Franklin d. Roose-
welt, who returned from Europe with
President Wilson on the transport
George Washington.
U. S. Had 50 Stations.
Discussing the work accomplished,
the assistant secretary said:
During the war we had 359 YES
sells of all classes based in European
ports. We had a total Of "a sta
tons located in different parts of Great
Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, Greece,
Gibraltar and the Azores.
Work of Planes Wonderful.
"Of these 90 were seaplane sta
tons located in different parts of Great
especially along the coast of France,
was wonderful Day after day these
aviators, utterly fearless braved ali
sorts of weather conditions keeping
the ocean lanes open at their end 60
allow the free passage of the vessels
carrying troops, munitions and sup
plies.
when the armistice was signed we
had a total of 100000 men and Off
GERS abroad. Since that time we have
been able to demobilize nearly 80;
900 of them, while we will get the re-
mainder home as rapidly as possible,
Proud of U. S. Marines.
"The work of our marines at Chateau
Thierry, Belleau woods, scissors. st.
Mihiel and other points is historic.
but the fact that their casualties
were more than 100 per cent Is not.
Their strength has always kept NJ
through requirements, Of whom 5000
were sent abroad. The marines ami
the Second division in which they were
have a record for the capture of more
prisoners-they took 12,000-more ar
tillery, advancing more kilometerS
than any other division. The heroism
and fighting qualities would occupy It
prominent place in the record Of the
war, and we are all proud that they
are part of the navy organization.
One of Greatest Feats of War.
zone Of the greatest accomplish
ments of the war was the laying Of
the mine barrage in the North sea.
This work was one of the biggest
tasks initiated during the war. Had
. tod TO
ii would have meant that total Of
100000 individual mines, costing $50.
100000 would have been laid down
from the Orkney islands across the
North sea to Norway, completely
blocking the operations of the German
U-boats.
Laid 56,613 Mines.
This work was undertaken by
agreement with the British admiralty.
The United States undertook to do
four-fifths of the work and the British
one-tifth. When the armistice ended
the labor we had laid a total of &c.
613 individual mines at a cost of $751;.
100000, and the British had laid 49,
625 mines at a cost to them of $1,000
900.
Curbed German "Tin Fish,"
"These made-in-America' mines had
great deal to do with the reduction
of he efficiency of the German tin
fish.
Generalization Completed.
aside from the "a stations which
we maintained in Europe, we had bat
tleships with the British grand fleet,
battleships and other warships based
on Ireland, several radio stations, the
famous naval battery of 14-inch guns
which served with Pershing' and our
marines.
To Man German Ships.
1.-THE trip has been even more sun-
cessful than | had ventured TO hope.
Generally speaking, the navy de-
mobilization in Europe has been COM
pleted We retain only a mine-sweep-