UNCLE SAM’S “MAGIC”FLEET.

Cromwell Argus, Volume L, Issue 2644, 13 October 1919, Page 7

UNCLE SAM’S “MAGIC”FLEET.

Uncle Sam’s war-hustling has made the world’s eyes open wide ; but he has eclipsed even his own records in his amazing effort to build a fleet of wooden ships, in the shortest possible time, to carry food to the empty larders of his European allies. When he set his face to the stupendous task, there -were only two shipyards on all the Atlantic coast equipped for the work, and they were turning out small craft only. Now. and as if by magic, his coasts are fringed with yards complete to the last detail, there being forty-three between the Maine and Texas, and twenty-five on the Pacific coast. Every day 2,000,000 cubic feet of timber are transported from the forests to one or other of these sixtyeight yards. 375,000,000 cubic feet will be required for the 250 ships that are now being built on the eastern coast alone ; and 125 more ships are being built on the Pacific coast —all of which, it is expected, will be crossing the Atlantic with their cargoes of precious food this year. And each of these vessels is a ship that would have made our greatgrandfathers marvel. It is 281 feet long, 46 feet broad, and has a capacity of 3,500 tons. And it is stoutly built of yellow pine, that it can defy even the fiercest of Atlantic storms.

A SUPPOSITION. The orderly officer was on his usual round. “Any complaints ?” PI is voice sounded above the din of knives and forks. “Yes, sir!” answered a healthylooking representative of the Tommy Atkins tribe. “This ’ere blinkin’ joint’s raw !” “Look h?re, my man,” said the officer, after due examination, which proved the complaint to tie justified. “Bo you know that. Captain Webb trained on raw beef in order to swim the Channel ?” “Oh,” said the Tommy, “I thought as ’ow iv e was goin’ across in boats !”