It is deemed worthy of special remark that whereas practically all cooperation with the British is effected by operating as units under British control, cooperation with the French is arranged on a basis that leaves to the United States naval forces a very large measure of initiative. This is particularly true in regard to troopships destined to French ports, which are provided with escort and routed in and out wholly from the Brest headquarters which is kept fully informed as to routes and positions of British-controlled convoys and as to locations of submarine activities and has to so adjust routes on and off the coast as to keep clear of both. Three out of eight escort units are provided by United States vessels for the coastal convoy system, which is operated by the French. Unity of purpose and sympathy of understanding have combined to make the handling of cargo convoys on and off the coast a matter of ready adjustment to the general conditions obtaining in regard to destination of cargo ships and availability of escort vessels. [Sidenote: Rate of movement of troops by transports.] At the end of the fiscal year United States naval forces in France are stated to have been escorting troops into France at the rate of 134,000 per month. Since May 1, 1918, the number of troopships and cargo-vessel convoys east and west bound have averaged more than 1 a day, and the number of ships over 200 a month. No convoy of troopships has failed to be met by destroyer escort before entering the area of submarine activity, and no passenger intrusted to the care of the United States naval forces in France has been lost. [Sidenote: Destroyers controlled from Brest.] (_a_) _The destroyers based on Brest_ are controlled directly from headquarters at Brest and are at present maintained in readiness for service with the aid of the fleet repair ship _Prometheus_ and lately also by the destroyer tender _Bridgeport_. Additional repair shops on shore are in process of completion. [Sidenote: Gunnery and torpedo exercises.] (_b_) Arrangements are now in hand for the carrying out of gunnery exercises including torpedoes, the need of which has been recognised but had hitherto been deemed impracticable on account of press of work. [Sidenote: Facilities for repairing vessels.] (_c_) The United States naval repair facilities here as well as elsewhere on the coast of France have to be made use of not only for the upkeep of the United States naval vessels based on the coast, but also for necessary repairs to troopships and cargo vessels, whether naval, Army, or Shipping Board, the guiding idea being to keep the ships moving. [Sidenote: French divided into districts.]