Weekly Summary No. 2
Title
Weekly Summary No. 2
Creator
United States. War Department. General staff
Identifier
WWP25057
Scan: WWI1037
Date
1918 June 4
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
World War, 1914-1918--United States
World War, 1914-1918--Statistics
Contributor
Danna Faulds
Language
English
Provenance
Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.
Text
For the President’s information
Not to be returned
Baker
WEEKLY SUMMARY
WAR DEPARTMENT
Ordnance………………….... 1
Quartermaster……………… 2
Aircraft……………………… 2
Engineer……………………. 3
Medical……………………… 3
Ships………………………… 4
Raw Materials…………….... 4
No. 2 Statistics Branch
June 4, 1918 General Staff
ORDNANCE
Divisional Artillery
French deliveries of 75 mm. guns and 155 mm. howitzers are sufficient to equip all troops now overseas.
American production of 18 pounder British model 75 mm. guns is going forward rapidly. These guns will be used for training in the United States.
American deliveries of French model of 1897 will not begin for some weeks. There is difficulty in reproducing the recoil mechanism. This is the standard 75 mm. gun for overseas service.
Corps and Army Artillery
Receipts from the French of 155 mm. guns and from the British of 8” and 9.2” howitzers are somewhat meager; and 5” and 6” seacoast guns and 8” howitzers are being shipped from this side to meet the deficiency. A number of 4.7” guns are also being shipped.
Superheavy Artillery
Orders have been recently placed for about twenty-five 14” guns and ten 16” howitzers in addition to previous orders. Some deliveries of this type are expected within a month.
Artillery Ammunition
United States deliveries of 75 mm. shrapnel are sufficient to supply one army corps for 32 months; and of 4.7” gun shrapnel for 25 months. Large quantities of 75 mm. shell are temporarily held up pending receipt of boosters and adapters. French and British deliveries are filling present needs at the front.
Machine Guns -- Deliveries May 1-18
Browning machine rifles 1,106 Normal equipment for 60,000 troops
Vickers and Browning heavy 1,233 Normal equipment for 200,000 troops
Aircraft machine guns 6,475 Normal equipment for 1,600 combat planes
Small Arms
Rifle deliveries exceed requirements.
Production of pistols and revolvers is still seriously below number needed. Production at double present rate is expected by November.
Small Arms Ammunition
Present facilities are insufficient but are being largely increased.
Trench Warfare
Changes in design of grenades recommended by General Pershing have delayed production one month.
Propellants and Explosives
We are continuing arrangement made before the United States entered the war of furnishing large quantities of smokeless powder to the Allies. Balance is insufficient to meet United States needs. The shortage will soon begin to limit production of complete rounds.
In order to secure enough T N T for other requirements, it is to be replaced by nitro starch in trench warfare ammunition. The present supply of high explosives is sufficient.
Tractors
The general motorization of heavy artillery cannot be carried through, and animals will have to be used more widely than was planned, because sufficient numbers of tractors are not available.
QUARTERMASTER
Clothing, Subsistence, Equipage
The stocks on hand at the depots overseas are adequate.
Contractors are delivering the chief articles of clothing in amounts sufficient to meet all requirements for issue in the United States and shipment overseas during the next two months, although deliveries of most of the articles are not sufficient to build up the desired reserve in the United States.
Vehicles, Horse-drawn and Motor
Production and procurement are making better records than overseas shipment. During the first four months of 1918 less than 50 per cent of the principal types of horse-drawn vehicles and articles of harness requested by General Pershing were actually floated.
Deliveries in this country of Standard “B” motor trucks are being made at a constantly increasing rate. There have been completed to May 25 2,418 trucks of this type.
Reclamation
Clothing repair work has begun on a large scale and will considerably reduce wastage.
AIRCRAFT
Combat Planes
De Haviland 4. Deliveries for week ended May 25 were 48, as against 37 for May 18, 34 for May 11, and a previous weekly maximum of six. Total deliveries to May 25 were 155, of which 49 have been sent overseas. The new production schedule reduces estimated production to July 1 from 889 to 437.
Bristol Fighter. Four were delivered during the week ended May 25. Total production to date is 11. Estimated production to July 1 has been reduced from 525 to 107.
Liberty Engines -- Deliveries to May 25
Army Type
To Allied governments……………………………………………...165
For U.S. built planes (floated 73, at ports or
in transit 105, flying fields, manufacturers,
etc. 285).....................................................................................463
Navy Type…………………………………………………………...482
1,110
Training Planes and Engines
Orders have been placed for specialized types of the JN4-H advanced training plane to be used in training for aerial gunnery, bombing, observation, and pursuit work. There is a great need for an increased supply of these specialized types. The production of advanced training engines is ahead of the plane production.
The JN4-D plane is the only primary training plane now in production. The supply of primary training planes and engines is sufficient for present needs.
ENGINEER
General Engineering Material
General engineer material will hereafter be sent overseas in response to specific orders rather than as an automatic supply. No shortages are now apparent.
Military Railways
Shipment of completely assembled locomotives continues. United States production of railway material is still ahead of shipping capacity.
MEDICAL
Bedding and garments -- production ample.
Surgical dressings -- shortage in gauze and cotton.
Surgical instruments -- shortage in operating sets being made up. Serious shortages continue in rubber gloves, rubber sheets, and surgical needles.
Ambulances -- supply adequate.
Gas masks -- production meeting requirements and steadily increasing.
Medicines -- no serious shortage.
SHIPS
Army Fleet
In transatlantic operation May 1 ……………………………………………...1,420,000 DWT
Net increase during May (deducting losses)
Troop transports …………...24,000
Cargo transports…………..117,000 ………………………………………… 141,000
Total in operation June 1 ……………………………………………………...1,561,000 DWT
Lost during May
Two cargo transports, by collision ………………………………………….... 13,895
Troop ship President Lincoln, by torpedo …………………………………… 21,000
Cargo ship of General Pershing’s cross-
channel fleet, by torpedo …………………………………………………….. 2,710
Total lost ………………………………………………………………………… 37,605 DWT
Transport Operation
During May 244,402 troops were shipped overseas. This movement was carried out without a hitch. Troop transports never made better performances. The last 10 ships to complete turnarounds averaged 30 days for the round trip, and one ship, the Great Northern, lowered the previous best record from 22 to 20 days.
The turnarounds of cargo transports remain at the average figure of 70 days. Cargo shipment for May will be close to 400,000 short tons. This figure will include approximately 60 consolidated locomotives, 1,500 freight cars, 2,000 trucks, and 50 airplanes.
RAW MATERIALS
Explosives and the Coke Industry
The output of shells and high explosives is directly dependent upon the coking of coal. Due to the slump in coal production in mid-winter, operation of coke ovens dropped to 70 and 65 per cent of capacity, with an immediate disastrous effect upon the output of explosives. By March 1 deliveries on all TNT contracts were three and a half, and on all picric acid contracts, six weeks in arrears. The shortage is now being made up. By-product coke ovens are operating at about 90 per cent capacity, and are able to supply immediate requirements. Explosive plants are being rapidly erected, and the demand on the ovens is correspondingly increasing. A recurrence of last winter’s coal shortage, by slowing down operation of by-product coke ovens, would cause immediate and drastic reduction in the output of high explosive plants.
Not to be returned
Baker
WEEKLY SUMMARY
WAR DEPARTMENT
Ordnance………………….... 1
Quartermaster……………… 2
Aircraft……………………… 2
Engineer……………………. 3
Medical……………………… 3
Ships………………………… 4
Raw Materials…………….... 4
No. 2 Statistics Branch
June 4, 1918 General Staff
ORDNANCE
Divisional Artillery
French deliveries of 75 mm. guns and 155 mm. howitzers are sufficient to equip all troops now overseas.
American production of 18 pounder British model 75 mm. guns is going forward rapidly. These guns will be used for training in the United States.
American deliveries of French model of 1897 will not begin for some weeks. There is difficulty in reproducing the recoil mechanism. This is the standard 75 mm. gun for overseas service.
Corps and Army Artillery
Receipts from the French of 155 mm. guns and from the British of 8” and 9.2” howitzers are somewhat meager; and 5” and 6” seacoast guns and 8” howitzers are being shipped from this side to meet the deficiency. A number of 4.7” guns are also being shipped.
Superheavy Artillery
Orders have been recently placed for about twenty-five 14” guns and ten 16” howitzers in addition to previous orders. Some deliveries of this type are expected within a month.
Artillery Ammunition
United States deliveries of 75 mm. shrapnel are sufficient to supply one army corps for 32 months; and of 4.7” gun shrapnel for 25 months. Large quantities of 75 mm. shell are temporarily held up pending receipt of boosters and adapters. French and British deliveries are filling present needs at the front.
Machine Guns -- Deliveries May 1-18
Browning machine rifles 1,106 Normal equipment for 60,000 troops
Vickers and Browning heavy 1,233 Normal equipment for 200,000 troops
Aircraft machine guns 6,475 Normal equipment for 1,600 combat planes
Small Arms
Rifle deliveries exceed requirements.
Production of pistols and revolvers is still seriously below number needed. Production at double present rate is expected by November.
Small Arms Ammunition
Present facilities are insufficient but are being largely increased.
Trench Warfare
Changes in design of grenades recommended by General Pershing have delayed production one month.
Propellants and Explosives
We are continuing arrangement made before the United States entered the war of furnishing large quantities of smokeless powder to the Allies. Balance is insufficient to meet United States needs. The shortage will soon begin to limit production of complete rounds.
In order to secure enough T N T for other requirements, it is to be replaced by nitro starch in trench warfare ammunition. The present supply of high explosives is sufficient.
Tractors
The general motorization of heavy artillery cannot be carried through, and animals will have to be used more widely than was planned, because sufficient numbers of tractors are not available.
QUARTERMASTER
Clothing, Subsistence, Equipage
The stocks on hand at the depots overseas are adequate.
Contractors are delivering the chief articles of clothing in amounts sufficient to meet all requirements for issue in the United States and shipment overseas during the next two months, although deliveries of most of the articles are not sufficient to build up the desired reserve in the United States.
Vehicles, Horse-drawn and Motor
Production and procurement are making better records than overseas shipment. During the first four months of 1918 less than 50 per cent of the principal types of horse-drawn vehicles and articles of harness requested by General Pershing were actually floated.
Deliveries in this country of Standard “B” motor trucks are being made at a constantly increasing rate. There have been completed to May 25 2,418 trucks of this type.
Reclamation
Clothing repair work has begun on a large scale and will considerably reduce wastage.
AIRCRAFT
Combat Planes
De Haviland 4. Deliveries for week ended May 25 were 48, as against 37 for May 18, 34 for May 11, and a previous weekly maximum of six. Total deliveries to May 25 were 155, of which 49 have been sent overseas. The new production schedule reduces estimated production to July 1 from 889 to 437.
Bristol Fighter. Four were delivered during the week ended May 25. Total production to date is 11. Estimated production to July 1 has been reduced from 525 to 107.
Liberty Engines -- Deliveries to May 25
Army Type
To Allied governments……………………………………………...165
For U.S. built planes (floated 73, at ports or
in transit 105, flying fields, manufacturers,
etc. 285).....................................................................................463
Navy Type…………………………………………………………...482
1,110
Training Planes and Engines
Orders have been placed for specialized types of the JN4-H advanced training plane to be used in training for aerial gunnery, bombing, observation, and pursuit work. There is a great need for an increased supply of these specialized types. The production of advanced training engines is ahead of the plane production.
The JN4-D plane is the only primary training plane now in production. The supply of primary training planes and engines is sufficient for present needs.
ENGINEER
General Engineering Material
General engineer material will hereafter be sent overseas in response to specific orders rather than as an automatic supply. No shortages are now apparent.
Military Railways
Shipment of completely assembled locomotives continues. United States production of railway material is still ahead of shipping capacity.
MEDICAL
Bedding and garments -- production ample.
Surgical dressings -- shortage in gauze and cotton.
Surgical instruments -- shortage in operating sets being made up. Serious shortages continue in rubber gloves, rubber sheets, and surgical needles.
Ambulances -- supply adequate.
Gas masks -- production meeting requirements and steadily increasing.
Medicines -- no serious shortage.
SHIPS
Army Fleet
In transatlantic operation May 1 ……………………………………………...1,420,000 DWT
Net increase during May (deducting losses)
Troop transports …………...24,000
Cargo transports…………..117,000 ………………………………………… 141,000
Total in operation June 1 ……………………………………………………...1,561,000 DWT
Lost during May
Two cargo transports, by collision ………………………………………….... 13,895
Troop ship President Lincoln, by torpedo …………………………………… 21,000
Cargo ship of General Pershing’s cross-
channel fleet, by torpedo …………………………………………………….. 2,710
Total lost ………………………………………………………………………… 37,605 DWT
Transport Operation
During May 244,402 troops were shipped overseas. This movement was carried out without a hitch. Troop transports never made better performances. The last 10 ships to complete turnarounds averaged 30 days for the round trip, and one ship, the Great Northern, lowered the previous best record from 22 to 20 days.
The turnarounds of cargo transports remain at the average figure of 70 days. Cargo shipment for May will be close to 400,000 short tons. This figure will include approximately 60 consolidated locomotives, 1,500 freight cars, 2,000 trucks, and 50 airplanes.
RAW MATERIALS
Explosives and the Coke Industry
The output of shells and high explosives is directly dependent upon the coking of coal. Due to the slump in coal production in mid-winter, operation of coke ovens dropped to 70 and 65 per cent of capacity, with an immediate disastrous effect upon the output of explosives. By March 1 deliveries on all TNT contracts were three and a half, and on all picric acid contracts, six weeks in arrears. The shortage is now being made up. By-product coke ovens are operating at about 90 per cent capacity, and are able to supply immediate requirements. Explosive plants are being rapidly erected, and the demand on the ovens is correspondingly increasing. A recurrence of last winter’s coal shortage, by slowing down operation of by-product coke ovens, would cause immediate and drastic reduction in the output of high explosive plants.
Original Format
Report
To
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Files
Collection
Citation
United States. War Department. General staff, “Weekly Summary No. 2,” 1918 June 4, WWP25057, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.