The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-03-03

piete TRIP every tnlrty-IlVe udyS.
The cargo fleet was almost en-
tirely American. 1t reached the
size OF 100000 lightweight tons.
and carried to Europe about
$500, 900 tons Of cargo.
Work Of Engineers.
American engineers built in
France So new ship berths. 1000
miles OF standard gauge track
and 53S miles of narrow gauge
track.
The signal corps strung in
France 100000 miles of telephone
and telegraph wire.
Prior to the armistice 10000
trucks were shipped to the forces
in France.
Construction projects in the
United States cost twice as
much as the Panama canal, and
CONSTRUCTION overseas was on
nearlJ Twice as large scale.
The entire number of Ameri-
can machine guns produced to
the end Of 1918 was $4,000.
The Browning machine guns
are believed to be more effective
than the corresponding weapons
used in any other army.
American production Of rifle
ammunition amounted to ap-
proximate,y 100000, 900 rounds,
Of which 1900, 100000 rounds
were shipped overseas.
Tho y,,y,,hnr ~ ,.p,1ndc ~ rom.
plete artillery ammunition pro-
duced in American plants was in
excess of 20,000,000, compared
with 100000 rounds secured
from the French and British.
In the first twenty months aft
er the declaration of war by
each country the British did bet
ter than the United States in the
production Of light artillery, and
the United States excelled them
in producing heavy artillery and
both light and heavy ammuni-
ton.
At the end Of the war Ameri-
can production of smokeless
powder was As per cent. greater
than the French and British pro-
duction combined. The Amerf-
can production Of high explo-
sives was 40 per cent greater
than Great Britain's and nearly
double that Of France.
Out of every hundred days
that American combat divisions
were in line in France they were
supported by their own artillery
for seventy-five days, by British
artillery for five days and by
French for one and half days.
In round numbers, America
had in France $500 pieces of ar
tillery, of which nearly 500 were
made in America. and Americans
used on the firing line 2,25O
pieces, of which over 100 were
made in America.
Airplane Production.
When the United States en-
tered the war the allies made
the designs OF their planes avail
able to Americans, and before
the end of hostilities furnished
from their own manufacture
$500 service planes.
Aviation training schools in
the United States graduated
$500 men from elementary
courses and 4.023 from advanced
courses. More than 5000 pilots
and observers were sent over
seas.
There were produced in the
United States to November 30.
1918, more than 5000 training
planes and more than 10000
training engines.
The American air force at the
front grew from three squad
rons in April to forty-five in No
vember, 1918. On November II,
the forty-five squadrons had an
equipment Of TAO planes.
OF 2,69S planes sent to the
zone Of the advance for Ameri-
can aviators, 667, or nearly one
fourth, were Of American pro-
duction. H.
American air squadrons brought
down in combat 755 enemy planes,
while their own losses Of planes
numbered only 357
American divisions were in
battle for 200 days and engaged
in thirteen major operations.
From the middle of August I'M
til the end of the war the Ameri-
can divisions held during the
greater part Of the time front
longer than that held by the
British.
In October the American divi-
sions held 101 miles Of line, or
% per cent. Of the entire west
ern front 4,
In the battle of St. Mihiel
$3.50 900 Americans were engaged,
compared with about 100000 on
the northern side in the battle
Of Gettysburg. The artillery
fired more than 100000 shells
in four hours, which is the most
intense concentration Of artil-
lery fire recorded in history.
The Meuse-Argonne battle last
ed for forty-seven days, during
which 100000 American troops
we're engaged.