He pays a high tribute to the efficiency of
Admiral Sims, Commander-in-Chief of American naval forces in European
waters; of Rear-Admiral Rodman, in command of the American battleships
with the British fleet; of Vice-Admiral Wilson, in France; Rear-Admiral
Niblack, in the Mediterranean; of Rear-Admiral Dunn, in the Azores; of
Rear-Admiral Strauss, in charge of mining operations, and other officers
in charge of various special activities.
The report tells of notable achievements in ordnance, especially the
work of the 14-inch naval guns on railway mounts on the western front,
which hurled shells far behind the German lines, these mounts being
designed and completed in four months. The land battery of these naval
guns was manned exclusively by bluejackets under command of Rear-Admiral
C. P. Plunkett. The work of the Bureau of Ordnance is praised, and
Admiral Earle, the Chief of the bureau, is declared "one of the ablest
and fittest officers."
An account is given of the mine barrage in the North Sea, one of the
outstanding anti-submarine offensive projects of the year, thus closing
the North Sea, and for which 100,000 mines were manufactured and 85,000
shipped abroad. A special mine-loading plant, with a capacity of more
than 1,000 mines a day, was established by the Navy Department.
A star shell was developed which, when fired in the vicinity of an enemy
fleet, would light it up, make ships visible, and render them easy
targets without disclosing the position of our own ships at night.
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