wonderfully trained gun-crews of sailors manned the monster 14-inch
guns--which marked a new departure in land warfare--while naval officers
and men in all parts of the world did their full part in the operations
which mark the heroic year of accomplishment.

While the destroyers led in the anti-submarine warfare, the 406
submarine chasers, of which 335 were despatched abroad, should have
credit for efficient aid, also the American submarines sent to foreign
waters.

The transportation of 2,000,000 American troops 3,000 miles overseas,
with the loss of only a few hundred lives, and without the loss of a
single American troopship on the way to France, was an unparalleled
achievement. From a small beginning this fleet expanded to 24 cruisers
and 42 transports, manned by 3,000 officers and 41,000 men, these being
augmented by 4 French men-of-war and 13 foreign merchant vessels, a
grand total of 83 ships. In spite of the constant menace of submarines,
only 3 of these troopships were lost--the _Antilles_, _Lincoln_, and
_Covington_. All were sunk on the homeward voyage.

Four naval vessels were lost as a result of submarine activity--the
destroyer _Jacob Jones_, the converted yacht _Alcedo_, the coast-guard
cutter _Tampa_, sunk with all on board, and the cruiser _San Diego_,
sunk in home waters by striking an enemy mine. The loss of the collier
_Cyclops_, bound for South America, whose disappearance is one of the
unsolved mysteries of the seas, will probably never be explained.

The notable achievements in naval 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, have received adequate recognition
from Allied authorities. These mounts were 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, and work
of the Bureau of Ordnance was conducted by Admiral Early, the chief of
the bureau, one of our "ablest and fittest" officers.

CHAPTER XVII

Lessons Of The War--The Submarine Not Really a Submarine--French Term
For Undersea Fighter--The Success of the Convoy Against
Submersibles--U-Boats Not Successful Against Surface Fighters--Their
Shortcomings--What The Submarine Needs To Be A Vital Factor In Sea
Power--Their Showing Against Convoyed Craft--Record Of Our Navy In
Convoying And Protecting Convoys--Secretary Daniel's R