At one time in the war, it is true, the
British were carrying considerably more than half of our soldiers, but
in the latter stages our transport service made gigantic strides, so
that now the total of percentages is such as to enlist our pride.
According to figures issued from the office of Admiral Gleaves, in
charge of oversea transport for our navy, of the 2,079,880 American
troops transported overseas, 46-1/2 per cent were carried in _American
ships, manned by Americans_; 48-1/2 per cent in British vessels, and the
small balance in French and Italian craft. Of the total strength of the
naval escort guarding these convoys the _United States furnished 82-3/4
per cent_, Great Britain 14-1/2 per cent, and France 2-1/8 per cent.
Figures giving some idea of the records attained by convoys carrying our
soldiers may now be presented, and they are immensely interesting. In
the three months of July, August, and September of 1918, 7 American
soldiers with equipment arrived every minute of the day and night in
England or France. The banner month was July, when 317,000 American
soldiers were safely landed. In September, 311,219 American troops,
4,000 American sailors, and 5,000 Canadians were successfully
transported across the Atlantic. The largest single convoy of this month
carried to France 31,108, and to England 28,873. Of the troops
transported in this month American vessels carried 121,547; British
vessels 175,721, and French 13,951.
All in all, in patrol, in convoy duty, in actual combat, our navy in the
war accomplished with utter precision a stupendous task, a task of
multifarious phases--all performed in that clean-cut, vigorous,
courageous, painstaking, large-minded way which we, throughout ail the
years, have been proud to regard as typical of the American Navy.
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