It only remains to sketch in swift outlines something of the accomplishments of the American ordnance effort. In general it may be said that those projects of the ordnance program to which were assigned the shorter time limits were most successful. There never was a time when the production of smokeless powder and high explosives was not sufficient for our own requirements, with large quantities left over for both France and England. America in 19 months of development built over 2,500,000 shoulder rifles, a quantity greater than that produced either by England or by France in the same period, although both those countries in April, 1917, at the time when we started, had their rifle production already in a high stage of development. (See fig. 4.) However, the Franco-British production of rifles dropped in rate in 1918 because there was no longer need for original rifle equipment for new troops. In the 19 months of war American factories produced over 2,879,000,000 rounds of rifle and machine-gun ammunition. This was somewhat less than the production in Great Britain during the same period and somewhat less than that of France; but America began the effort from a standing start, and in the latter part of the war was turning out ammunition at a monthly rate twice that of France and somewhat higher than that of Great Britain. (See fig. 4.) Between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, America produced as many machine guns and automatic rifles as Great Britain did in the same period and 81 per cent of the number produced by France; while at the end of the effort America was building machine guns and machine rifles nearly three times as rapidly as Great Britain and more than twice as fast as France. (Fig. 4.) When it is considered that a long time must elapse before machine-gun factories can be equipped with the necessary machine tools and fixtures, the effort of America in this respect may be fairly appreciated. [Illustration: FIGURE 4. PRODUCTION OF RIFLES, MACHINE GUNS, AND AMMUNITION, FRANCE AND UNITED STATES COMPARED WITH GREAT BRITAIN. AVERAGE MONTHLY RATE, JULY, AUGUST, AND SEPTEMBER, 1918. _Machine guns and machine rifles:_ Per cent of rate for Great Britain. Great Britain 10,947 ========== 100 France 12,126 =========== 111 United States 27,270 ========================= 249 _Rifles:_ Great Britain 112,821 ========== 100 France 40,522 ==== 36 United States 233,562 ===================== 207 _Rifle and machine-gun ammunition:_ Great Britain 259,769,000 ========== 100 France 139,845,000 ===== 54 United States 277,894,000 =========== 107 TOTAL PRODUCTION, APRIL 6, 1917, TO NOVEMBER 11, 1918