TRANSPORTATION OF ARMIES.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 11 August 1917, Page 3

TRANSPORTATION OF ARMIES.

Upon the announcement that the first American division had landed in France, American newspapers claimed that "American enterprise had set a new record for the transportation of, troops," it being argued that considering the distance to be covered and the fact that all preparations had to be made after the order, came from. White House on May 18 never before had a military expedition of this size been assembled, convoyed and landed without mishap in so short a time by any nation. A Canadian paper replied that war having been declared on 6th April, there had been ample warning, but. on the given dates—May 18to June 27—it had taken for.ty days to transport, a regular army of trained men, fully organised and equipped. How does this compare with the first Canadian contingent of about the same size ? The men of this body were civilians, attending to their regular vocations when war was declared. Seventy days from the British declaration of war, the men had been assembled, organised, equipped, trained for six weeks, transported across the ocean and "landed without mishap." Against the American claim may also be set the landing of the British Expeditionary Force in France five days after the declaration of war, and even the despatch of the New Zealand Force —recruited, equipped, and trained seventy-three days after the Empire entered the war.