executive officer from the wreckage and went alongside the raft, taking off the first assistant engineer and returning the two seamen to the raft. The men on the raft asked for medical assistance, but the submarine ignored the request and cut the raft adrift. The lifeboat drifted near the raft and five men from the raft were transferred to the boat with the idea of tying a line to the raft, but this could not be done and the wind_prevented the boat's getting back to the raft. There were twenty-two men in the boat and they sailed and drifted for four days, being picked up about 2 p. m. on the fourth day by the steamship Moorish Prince.

ATTACK ON TRANSPORT MOUNT VERNON. The U. S. S. Mount Vernon was struck by a torpedo on Thursday, Sept. 5. while on a west bound voyage about 200 miles from the coast of France, but was able to return to port under her own steam. The torpedo struck the ship on the starboard side. ficoding four firerooms and doing other damage. Thirty-five men were killed by the explosion. Senator James Hamilton Lewis of Illinois was among the passengers who were safely landed. The Mount Vernon was formerly the German steamship Kronprinzessin Cecilie, which was interned in American waters, and when this country entered the war was taken over by the government and converted into a troop transport. She has a gross tonnage of 18.372. The Mount Vernon was commanded by Capt. Douglas F. Dismukes. The vessel had landed the troops she carried overseas and was returning when torpedoed. The loss of so many lives was due to the fact that the watch was being re

lieved and there were many more men than usual in the firerooms.

LAST AMERICAN SHIP TORPEDOED. The last American vessel reported torpedoed by an enemy submarine was the steamship Lucia, sunk Oct. 18, it having remained afloat for twenty-two hours after being struck by the torpedo. At 5:30 p. m., Oct. 17, 1918, the commander sighted a white wake about 100 yards off port beam. The explosion occurred simultaneously with the sight of this wake. the torpedo striking the boat amidships on the port side, entering the engine room and killing four men. A short while after the explosion, it was thought advisable to have the civilian crew abandon ship. One boat. with carrying capacity of twenty-two men. had been broken by the explosion, so that the remaining eighteen men (four having been killed by the explosion) were allotted to the remaining five boats and one life raft. They remained near the ship until the following morning, when, seeing that the enemy submarine had not appeared, they were called alongside and given food.

At intervals during the night the moon was hidden behind the clouds. During the entire night the ship was in a sinking condition, with the after gun platform just clear of the water. as the explosion of the torpedo had carried away the bulkhead between the engine room and the adjoining compartment. About noon on the 18th the water started forcing its way forward to the bow compartments. The ship was just about to sink when the U. S. S. Fairfax appeared and rescued all of the passengers and crew without the loss of a life.

When the German submarine campaign was at its height the situation of the allies was becoming critical in the matter of ability to transport supplies and men to the allied countries from the United States. It was seen that unless the enemy submarines could be destroyed faster than they could be built and new ships built more rapidly than they could be destroyed disaster would be sure to ensue. Thanks to the allied navies and to the shipbuilders in the United States and the united kingdom both aims were attained. The manner in which the navies accounted for about 200 of the undersea boats is told on another page. It remains to give some facts indicating the success of the shipbuilders, especially of those in America. This may best be done by quoting from a statement made by the United States shipping board and published Sept. 24, and also from a statement issued on Nov. 9, 1918. In the first statement the board said:

Within the jurisdiction of the United States shipping board at the present time [Sept. 1. 1918] there are 2.185 seagoing vessels, totaling 9,511.915 dead weight tons. Of these 1.294, totaling 6,596,405 dead weight tons, fly the American flag. Under charter to the shipping board and to American citizens there are 891 foreign vessels, totaling 2,915.510 dead weight tons. At the time the United States entered the war the American merchant marine included approximately only 2.750.000 dead weight tons of seagoing vessels of over 1,500 dead weight tons. The expansion of the fleet within the jurisdiction of the shipping board has come about for the most part during the last year

the

The American merchant marine is to-day expanding more rapidly than any other in the world. In August of this year (1918) the United States took rank as the leading shipbuilding nation in the world. It now has more shipyards, more shipways, more shipworkers, more ships under construction and is building more ships every month than any other country. not excepting the united kingdom. hitherto easily the first shipbuilding power. Prior to the war the United States stood a poor third among the shipbuilding nations.

Since August, 1917. more seagoing tonnage has been launched from American shipyards than was ever launched before in a similar period anywhere. The total, as of Sept. 1, 1918. 574 vessels. of 3.017.238 dead weight tons. is nearly four times all the seagoing tonnage (of over 1,500 dead weight tons) built in the United States in any four prewar years. The total launchings since the first of this year, 482 vessels, of 2,392,692 dead weight tons, are more than eight times the seagoing tonnage (of over 1,500, dead weight tons) produced in this country in any prewar year.

....

100 256 31

ceeding the previous world's record for any month, which had been made by British shipyards in May, 1918, by 28.669 dead weight tons. The deliveries to the shipping board by American shipyards from Aug. 30. 1917. to and including Aug. 31, 1918, totaled 327 seagoing vessels of 1.952.675 dead weight tons. Adding eight vessels of 66.357 dead weight tons delivered by Japanese shipyards. the grand total of deliveries to the shipping board up to Sept. 1. 1918. was 335 vessels of 2.019.032 dead weight tons.

RECORDS MADE BY SHIPYARDS. The most spectacular achievements in the history of shipbuilding, in this or any other country. was the launching from American shipyards on Independence day of ninety-five steel. wood and composite vessels, totaling 474.464 dead weight tons; thus in one day there were launched 188,909 more dead weight tons than was the output of seagoing tonnage (of over 1,500 dead weight tons) in the best prewar year of American shipbuilding.

Another world's record was made by American shipyards for the month of July. There were launched in that month 126 steel, wood and composite vessels, totaling 634,411 dead weight tons. This total more than doubles the launching totals for any month in the history of British shipyards. Prior to this year British shipyards launched more vessels annually than all the others in the world.

Thus an unprecedented pace of construction marks the rapidly increasing output of tonnage from American shipyards. All records for fast shipbuilding are now held by them.

on

A world's record was made when the Tuckahoe was launched 90 per cent complete June 5 in 27 days 2 hours and 50 minutes from keel laying. Another world's record was made ten days later when the Tuckahoe, ready for service, was delivered to the shipping board. The Tuckahoe was carrying coal to New England on the fortieth day.

SHIPYARDS AND SHIPWAYS.

When the present shipping board began its work, in August, 1917. there were only sixtyone shipyards in the United States. There were thirty-seven steel shipyards with 162 ways. The largest shipyards in the world in September, 1918, were those of the United States. The Clyde River. in Scotland, historically famous as the greatest of all shipbuilding localities, is already surpassed by two shipbuilding districts on the Atlantic coast and by two on the Pacific coast. Now there are 203 shipyards in the United States. STATUS OF WORLD TONNAGE SEPT. 1.

1918.

20. 1914, totaled 49,089,552 gross tons, or, roughly, 73,634,328 dead weight tons. (Lloyd's Register.) OCTOBER STATEMENT.

All shipbuilding records for any country were broken by the total deliveries of completed new ships to the shipping board durIn spite of the epidemic of ing October.

influenza that incapacitated about one-third of the shipworkers, the record breaking total for September was surpassed by nearly 50,000 dead weight tons. There were added to the American merchant marine in October seventy

nine completed new ships of 415,908 dead weight tons.

Class of Vessels.

The deliveries comprised forty-seven steel ships of 301,208 dead weight tons, thirty wood ships of 107,200 dead weight tons and two composite ships of 7,500 dead weight tons. From American shipyards came the unprecedented total of 398,108 dead weight tons. Japanese shipyards delivered two steel ships of 17,808 dead weight tons, The American tctal exceeds by 68,980 dead weight tons the output of oceangoing vessels in this country in 1914 and 1915. It betters the prewar high mark in American shipbuilding, the total for 1916, by 112,553 dead weight tons. It also surpasses the British record for any month by 102,397 dead weight tons.

Once more the Pacific coast led all sections of the country in shipbuilding. The deliveries from California, Washington and Oregon totaled thirty vessels of 190,400 dead weight tons. Along the Atlantic coast there were completed and delivered seventeen vessels of 102,000 dead weight tons. The Great Lakes shipyards delivered twenty-one vessels of 73,000 dead weight tons. From the gulf states came nine vessels of 33,200 dead weight tons. Total for 1918.

The October deliveries bring the total of completed new ships in 1918 up to 2,386,835 dead weight tons. Since the date of the first delivery, Aug. 30, 1917, there have been completed and delivered 487 ocean going vessels totaling 2,793,510 dead weight tons.

Aviation became increasingly important as a factor in the war up to the last. Better, faster and more powerful machines were built and they were used for more varied purposes. At the opening of hostilities they were used main1 for observation purposes, but as time went on they were employed as scouts hunting for submarines at sea, artillery fire directing, bombing hostile centers by day and night, maintaining liaison in battle, photographing enemy positions. for speedy transportation of individuals and mail and for attacking infantry with machine gun fire. After the failure of the great German offensive in the spring and summer of 1918 the entente flyers, obtained almost complete mastery of the air. The Germans confined much of their activity to bombing hospitals behind the allied lines at night. generally avoiding encounters in the daytime. Formation flying became common and many machines would engage in raids at the same time. Heroic work was done and many flyers lost their lives on the battle fields of France.

WORK OF AMERICAN FLYERS. When hostilities were suspended Nov. 11, 1918, American aviators had destroyed 661 more German planes and thirty-five more German balloons than the Americans had lost. The total number of enemy planes destroyed by the Americans was 926 and the total number of balloons seventy-three. Two hundred and sixty-five American planes and thirty-eight balloons were destroyed by the enemy.

On Nov. 11. the day of the signing, of the armistice, there were actually engaged on the front 740 American planes. 744 pilots. 457 observers and 23 aerial gunners.

Of the total number of planes 329 were of the pursuit type. 296 were for observation and 115 were bombers.

The Lafayette Squadron.

Most of the famous American flyers were members of the Lafayette squadron in the French aerial service, though a number gained renown quickly when the aviation branch of the American expeditionary force became active. At a dinner given Nov. 27 in Paris by American aviators in honor of their French comrades in the air service it was announced by the undersecretary of aviation that of the 240 pilots in the Lafayette squadron sixty lost their lives. Among those who helped to make the Lafayette squadron famous were Kiffin Yates Rockwell, C. C. Genet, Willis Haviland, Dudley L. Hill, Edward Hinkle, Ronald Hoskier. Charles Chouteau Johnson, Walter Lovell, Raoul Lufbery, Victor Chapman, Prince. Harold Willis, William Thaw, Robert Rockwell, Lawrence Rumsey, Robert Soubiran, James R. McConnell, Theodore Parsons, Ray C. Bridgman, Charles Dolan, William E. Dugan, Jr.. Kenneth Marr. David M. Peterson, Didier Masson, Christopher Ford, John F. Hufler, Charles J. Biddle, James Norman Hall. Henry Sweet Jones, Phelos Collins, Kenneth P. Littauer. Dinsmore Ely. Wallace C. Winter and Paul F. Baer. The names of many of these men will be found among those who killed in action. Most of the survivors were given commissions in the American air service late in 1917 or in the course of 1918.

American Aces.

Norman

were

Decorated for Heroism.

So many of the Americans were awarded the war cross and other decorations by the French and British and the distinguished service cross by the American authorities that they cannot all be mentioned here. A few stowal of the distinguished service cross will of the citations carrying with them the bebe given, however, to show the kind of work the heroes of the air performed. For example, on Oct. 28, 1918, Gen. Pershing, in the name of the president, awarded crosses to the following for "acts of extraordinary heroism": Second Lieutenant Alan F. Winslow, A. S., 94th aero squadron, for extraordinary heroism in action in the Toul sector on June 6, 1918. While on a patrol consisting of himself and two other pilots he encountered a biplane enemy plane at an altitude of 4,000 meters near St. Mihiel, France. He promptly and vigorously attacked and after a running fight extending far beyond German lines, shot his foe down in flames near Thiaucourt. Home address: W. H. Winslow, 2628 Hampden court, Chicago, Ill.

For

Second Lieutenant John W. Jordan, F. A.. observer. Home address: E. L. Frybarger, extraordinary heroism in action near Fismes, uncle, Hyde Park hotel, Chicago, Ill. France, Aug. 11. Under the protection of three pursuit planes, each carrying a pilot York and Jordan, in charge of a photo plane, and an observer, Lieuts. Bernheimer of New carried out successfully a hazardous photographic mission over the enemy's lines to the River Aisne. The four American ships were attacked by twelve enemy battle planes. Lieut. Bernheimer by coolly and skillfully maneuvering his ship and Lieut. Jordan by accurate wounds in shoulder and leg, aided materially operation of his machine gun, in spite of in the victory which came to the American ships and returned safely with thirty-six valuable photographs.

99th aero squadron. Home address: Mrs. W. First Lieutenant Frank A. Llewellyn, pilot, Chicago; and Second Lieutenant Roland H. A. Llewellyn, mother, 5636 Kenwood avenue, Neel, observer, 99th aero squadron. Home ism in action east of St. Die, France, Aug, 17. address: Macon, Ga. For extraordinary heroLieut. Llewellyn and Lieut. Neel carried on attack on Frapelle. They flew over the enemy successful liaison with the infantry during the lines at an altitude of 400 meters, firing on ing courage and confidence to the American and disconcerting the enemy and thereby givforces. Despite heavy fire from fifteen antiantiaircraft artillery, aircraft machine guns and several batteries of they performed their Their airplane was struck which cut the rudder and elevator control by a number of machine gun bullets, one of wires and caused the rudder to jam. The broken control wire was held and operated by Lieut. Neel under direction of Lieut. Llewellyn.

work efficiently.

manner.

lowed his foe into German territory he succeeded in shooting it down. One bronze oak leaf is awarded for each of the following acts: On May 17 he attacked three Albatross planes, shooting one down in the vicinity of Richecourt and forcing the others to retreat. On May 22 he attacked three monoplane Albatross planes 4,000 meters over St. Mihiel, drove them back into German territory. separated one from the group and shot it down. On May 28 he sighted a group of two battle planes and four monoplanes, which he once attacked, shooting down one and dispersing the others. On May 30. 4.000 meters over Jaulnoy, he attacked a group of five. After a battle he shot down one and drove the others away. Home address: Columbus, O.

at

First Lieutenant Douglas Campbell, A. S., 94th aero squadron, for extraordinary heroism on May 19. Lieut. Campbell attacked an enemy biplane at an altitude of 4.500 meters east of Flirey. He rushed to the attack, but after shooting a few rounds his gun jammed. Undeterred, he corrected the jam in midair and returned to the assault. After a short, violent action the enemy plane took fire and crashed to the earth. One bronze oak leaf is awarded to Lieut. Campbell for each of the following acts: On May 27 he encountered three enemy monoplanes at an altitude of 3.000 meters over Mont Sec, promptly attacked and shot down one German machine and drove the other two well within the enemy lines.

On May 28 Lieut. Campbell saw six German Albatross airplanes flying toward him at an altitude of 2,000 meters, near Bois Rata. He immediately attacked and by skillful maneuvering and accurate operation of his machine gun brought one plane down in flames and drove the other five back. On May 31 he took the offensive against two German biplanes at an altitude of 2.500 meters over Lironville, shot down one and pursued the other far behind the German lines. On June 5, accompanied by another pilot, he attacked two enemy battle planes at an altitude of 5.700 meters over Epley. After a spirited combat Lieut. Campbell was shot through the back by a machine gun bullet, but in spite of his injury kept on fighting until he had forced one of the enemy planes to the ground, where it was destroyed, and had driven the other plane back into its own territory. Home address: Mount Hamilton. Cal.

AIRPLANE RAIDS ON LONDON AND PARIS.

Not so many airplane raids were made by the German machines on London and Paris in 1918 as in the year before, yet a number were carried out. Two or three of the more serious may be mentioned.

Sixty-six persons were killed and 183 injured in two German airplane raids over London Jan. 29 and 30, 1918. In the first raid fifty-six were killed and 173 injured; in the second raid the killed numbered ten and the wounded ten. Some fifteen German machines took part in the attack, but only five or six reached the metropolis. They were attacked by British flyers and one of them was brought down in flames from a height of 10,000 feet, the three occupants being burned to death. In the first raid thirty of the killed and ninety-one of the injured were in a single air raid shelter.

On March 7, 1918, seven or eight German airplanes raided the east coast of England, two reaching London, where bombs were dropped on the residential sections on the northwest and southwest sides of the city. Eleven persons were killed and forty-six injured.

It was announced Nov. 25, 1918, that in air raids on sixty-six municipal districts in England in the course of the war 365 persons were killed and 1.147 injured. The property damage was $4,500,000.

German airplanes attacked Paris on the night of Jan. 30-31, 1918. throwing bombs on various parts of the city. As a result forty-nine persons were killed and 206 wounded. The dead included fourteen women and four children and the wounded fifty-three

women and ten children. One of the German machines was brought down and the occupants made prisoners. The last previous raid on Paris occurred July 27, 1917. It was announced in Berlin that the latest raid was in reprisal for the "bombing of German towns outside the region of operations."

SECRETARY BAKER ON AIR SERVICE.

In his annual report for 1918, covering the period of America's participation in the world war, the secretary of war, Newton D. Baker, dealt in detail with the American air service concerning the production branch of which there had been much criticism. His statement follows:

Organization.

The aviation section of the signal corps, which had charge of the production and operation of military aircraft at the outbreak of the war, was created on July 18, 1914. То assist in outlining America's aviation program, the aircraft production board was appointed by the council of national defense in May, 1917. In October, 1917, the aircraft board, acting in an advisory capacity to the signal corps and the navy, was created by act of congress. In April, 1918, the aviation section of the signal corps was separated into two distinct departments, John D. Ryan being placed in charge of aircraft production and Brig.-Gen. W. L. Kenly in charge of military aeronautics. Under the powers granted in the Overman bill a further reorganization was effected by presidential order in May, 1918, whereby aircraft production and military aeronautics were completely divorced from the signal corps and established in separate bureaus. This arrangement continued until August, when the present air service, under Mr. Ryan as second assistant secretary head the administration of aviation personnel of war, was established, combining under one and equipment.

Raw Materials Secured.

One of the most important problems which confronted the aircraft organization from the start was the obtaining of sufficient spruce То and fir for ourselves and our allies. organfacilitate the work, battalions were ized under military discipline and placed in the forests of the west coast. A government. plant and kiln were erected to cut and dry lumber before shipment, thus saving valuable freight space. To Nov. 11, 1918, the date the armistice was signed, the total quantity of spruce and fir shipped amounted to approximately 174,000,000 feet, of which more than two-thirds went to the allies.

The shortage of linen stimulated the search for a substitute possessing the qualities necessary in fabric used for covering airplane wings. Extensive experiments were made with a cotton product which proved so successful that it is now used for all types of training and service planes.

To meet the extensive demands for a highgrade lubricating oil castor beans were imported from India and a large acreage planted in this country. Meanwhile, research work with mineral oils was carried on intensively, with the result that a lubricant was developed which proved satisfactory in practically every type of airplane motor except the rotary motor, in which castor oil is still preferred.

Production of Training Planes and Engines.

When war was declared the United States possessed less than 300 training planes, all of inferior types. Deliveries of improved models were begun as early as June, 1917. Up to Nov. 11, 1918, over 5,300 had been produced, including 1.600 of a type which was temporarily abandoned on account of unsatisfactory engines.

Planes for advanced training purposes were produced in quantity early in 1918; up to

the signing of the armistice about 2,500 were delivered. Approximately the same number was purchased overseas for training the units with the expeditionary force.

Several new models, to be used for training pursuit pilots, are under development.

Within three months after the declaration of war extensive orders were placed for two types of elementary training engines. Quan tity production was reached within a short time. In all about 10,500 have been delivered, sufficient to constitute a satisfactory reserve for some time to come.

Of the advanced training engines, the three important models were of foreign design, and the success achieved in securing quantity production is a gratifying commentary on the manufacturing ability of this country. The total production up to Nov. 11 was approximately 5,200.

Production of Service Planes.

We

The experience acquired during the operations on the Mexican border demonstrated the unsuitability of the planes then used by the American army. Shortly after the declaration of war, a commission was sent abroad to select types of foreign service planes to be put into production in this country. were confronted with the necessity of redesigning these models to take the Liberty motor, as foreign engine production was insufficent to meet the great demands of the allies. The first successful type of plane to come into quantity production was a modification of the British De Haviland 4-an observation and day bombing plane. The first deliveries were made in February, 1918. In May, production began to increase rapidly, and by October a monthly output of 1,200 had been reached. Approximately 1,900 were shipped to the expeditionary force prior to the termination of hostilities.

The Handley-Page night bomber, used extensively by the British, was redesigned to take two Liberty motors. Parts for approximately 100 planes have been shipped to England for assembly.

A total of 2,676 pursuit, observation, and day bombing planes, with spare engines, were delivered to the expeditionary force by the French government for the equipment of our forces overseas. Considerable progress was made in the adaptation of other types of foreign planes to the American-made engines, and in the development of new designs. The U. S. D. 9A, embodying some improvements over the De Havilland 4, was expected to come into quantity production in the near future. The Bristol Fighter, a British plane, was redesigned to take the Liberty 8 and the HispanoSuiza 300 h. p. engines. A force of Italian engineers and skilled workmen was brought to America to redesign the Caproni night bomber to take three Liberty motors, and successful trial flights of this machine have been made.

Several new models are under experimentation. Chief of these is the Le Pere twoseater fighter, designed around the Liberty motor, the performance of which is highly satisfactory. Several of these planes were sent overseas to be tested at the front.

Production of Service Engines.

was

In view of the rapid progress in military aeronautics, the necessity for the development of a high powered motor adaptable to American methods of quantity production early recognized. The result of the efforts to meet this need was the Liberty motorAmerica's chief contribution to aviation, and one of the great achievements of the war. After this motor emerged from the experimental stage, production increased with great rapidity, the October output reaching 4,200, or nearly one-third of the total production up to the signing of the armistice. The fac

!

.13,396

Of this total, 9.824 were high compression, or army type, and 3.572 low compression, or navy type, the latter being used in seaplanes and large night bombers.

In addition to those installed in planes, about 3.500 Liberty engines were shipped overseas, to be used as spares and for delivery to the allies.

Other types of service engines, including the Hispano-Suiza 300 h. p., the Bugatti and the Liberty 8-cylinder, were under development when hostilities ceased. The HispanoSuiza 180 h. p. had already reached quantity production. Nearly 500 engines of this type were produced, about half of which were shipped to France and England for use in foreign-built pursuit planes.

Improvements in Instruments and Accessories. Few facilities existed for the manufacture of many of the delicate instruments and intricate mechanisms going into the equipment of every battle plane. The courage and determination with which these most difficult problems were met and solved will form one of the bright pages in the archives of American industry.

One of the most important outgrowths of the research work which the war stimulated was the development of voice command in formation flying by means of wireless devices. The great significance of this invention will be appreciated when it is realized that the leader of a formation has heretofore been dependent on signals for conveying instructions to the individual units of the squadron.

Training of Personnel.

tion of training fields proceeded with such After the declaration of war the construcrapidity that the demand for training equipment greatly exceeded the output. Since the latter part of 1917, however, the supply of elementary training planes and engines has been more than sufficient to meet the demands, while the situation as regards certain types of planes for advanced training has greatly improved. graduated from ground schools; 8,602 reserve Approximately 17,000 cadets were military aviators mentary training schools; and 4.028 aviators were graduated from elecompleted the course provided in this country. in advanced training vision of adequate equipment for specialized Pending the proadvanced training, the policy was adopted of sending students overseas for a short finishing course before going into action. The shortage of skilled mechanics with sufficient knowledge of airplanes and motors was met by the establishment of training schools from which over 14,000 mechanics were graduated. At the cessation of hostilities there were in training as aviators in the United States 6,528 men, of whom 22 per cent were in ground schools, 37 per cent in elementary schools. and 41 per cent in advanced training schools. The number of men in training as aviator mechanics was 2,154.

Forces at the Front.

Early in 1918 the first squadrons composed of American personnel provided with French planes appeared at the front. The number was increased as rapidly as equipment could be obtained. On Sept. 30, the date of the latest available information, there were thirtytwo squadrons at the front; of these fifteen were pursuit, thirteen observation, and four