[Sidenote:  Army and civilian experts are employed.]

To build up such a system there were talented men in the Regular Army, but more experts were necessary than the Army could furnish.  Thanks to the patriotic spirit of our people at home, there came from civil life men trained for every sort of work involved in building and managing the organization necessary to handle and transport such an army and keep it supplied.  With such assistance the construction and general development of our plans have kept pace with the growth of the forces, and the Service of Supply is now able to discharge from ships and move 45,000 tons daily, besides transporting troops and material in the conduct of active operations.

[Sidenote:  Organization of the Service of Supply.]

As to organization, all the administrative and supply services, except the Adjutant General’s, Inspector General’s and Judge Advocate General’s Departments which remain at general headquarters, have been transferred to the headquarters of the services of supplies at Tours under a commanding general responsible to the commander in chief for supply of the armies.  The Chief Quartermaster, Chief Surgeon, Chief Signal Officer, Chief of Ordnance, Chief of Air Service, Chief of Chemical Warfare, the general purchasing agent in all that pertains to questions of procurement and supply, the Provost Marshal General in the maintenance of order in general, the Director General of Transportation in all that affects such matters, and the Chief Engineer in all matters of administration and supply, are subordinate to the Commanding General of the Service of Supply, who, assisted by a staff especially organized for the purpose, is charged with the administrative coordination of all these services.

[Sidenote:  The transportation department.]

The transportation department under the Service of Supply directs the operation, maintenance, and construction of railways, the operation of terminals, the unloading of ships, and transportation of material to warehouses or to the front.  Its functions make necessary the most intimate relationship between our organization and that of the French, with the practical result that our transportation department has been able to improve materially the operations of railways generally.  Constantly laboring under a shortage of rolling stock, the transportation department has nevertheless been able by efficient management to meet every emergency.

[Sidenote:  Duties of the Engineer Corps.]

The Engineer Corps is charged with all construction, including light railways and roads.  It has planned and constructed the many projects required, the most important of which are the new wharves at Bordeaux and Nantes, and the immense storage depots at La Palice, Montoir, and Gievres, besides innumerable hospitals and barracks in various ports of France.  These projects have all been carried on by phases keeping pace with our needs.  The Forestry Service under the Engineer Corps has cut the greater part of the timber and railway ties required.