"Remember again that when these combat planes were contracted for the only known lubricating oil adapted to their delicate parts was an oil made from the castor bean. There were not enough beans in this country to make anywhere near the amount of oil required. Neither were there enough seeds with which to grow the needed quantity of beans. The Signal Corps had to search the globe for seeds, and finally secured a shipload from distant India. Then the corps had to contract for the planting of the seeds in this country, and has succeeded in having about 110,000 acres planted. It is now claimed that a form of petroleum has been developed that will answer the same purpose. This, however, is still in the experimental stage, while the oil from the castor bean is known to be entirely adequate and reliable." Progress of the War Recording Campaigns on All Fronts and Collateral Events From March 18, 1918, Up to and Including April 17, 1918 UNITED STATES The German Government announced on March 18 that American property in Germany would be seized in reprisal for the seizure of German property in the United States. Drastic restrictions were placed by the War Trade Board upon the importation of many nonessential commodities, the regulations to become effective April 15. The terms of the Third Liberty Loan were announced by Secretary McAdoo on March 25. The bill authorizing it was completed by Congress and signed by President Wilson on April 4, and on April 6 the drive began. Secretary Daniels, in a speech in Cleveland on April 6, disclosed the fact that a great fleet of American vessels, including battleships, was operating in the war zone. Announcement was made in Tokio on March 28 that an agreement had been concluded under which Japan promised to turn over to the United States 450,000 tons of shipping. President Wilson issued a proclamation on April 11, giving Secretary McAdoo control of the principal coastwise steamship lines. Charles M. Schwab was appointed Director General of the Emergency Fleet Corporation April 16. SUBMARINE BLOCKADE Sir Eric Geddes gave in the House of Commons on March 19 figures of shipping losses which are given in detail elsewhere in this number of CURRENT HISTORY MAGAZINE, also figures made public by the British Admiralty on March 21 are given elsewhere. The Royal Mail steamer Amazon and the Norwegian steamship Stolt-Neilson, commandeered by the British, were sunk March 19. The steamship Conargo was torpedoed in the Irish Sea March 31, and the lifeboats were shelled. The armed boarding steamer Tithonus was sunk March 28, and the sinking of the steamship Carlisle Castle was reported April 2. On April 1 the Celtic was torpedoed off the Irish coast, but reached port in safety. The American steamer Chattahoochee, formerly the German Sachsen, was sunk off the English coast on March 25. The Spanish steamers Arpillao and Begona were sunk March 25.