The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-04-11
Manufacture Of War Material In Eng
land.

In recent OeDate IN tne EDgnsn far.
lament, Sir e. G. Lewis explained at
length the position and business of the ma
tional manufacturing establishment for war
material. He said that there was at Wool
witch royal gun factory, royal carriage
department, laboratory, the department
of the inspector of artillery, and what is
called the chemical department. At Enfield
there is small arm mandatory, and at
Pamlico and the Tower, establishments for
the repair of arms. AT Birmingham there
is an establishment for the examination of
contracts for small arms, and at Waltham
Abbey there is royal gunpowder factory.
There is laboratory at Portsmouth. At
Plymouth there is similar department, and
there is also the establishment belonging to
the Elswick Ordnance Company.
A great business has been done in the
manufacture of arms. Since 1851 2,097,>
1874 small arms have been made. Of these,
there have been issued to the army, militia,
volunteers, navy, marines, and other forces
sol, O2l: to the Indian government, 1922
855; and to colonial governments, 10000
making total of 1886. There are in
store 36l. $50 pieces, and 22,4O8 are unser.
viceable.
During the year there has been appre-
priated for the manufacture of Armstrong
guns s52l 900, enough to make l,4S9 gune.
Of these, nearly two thirds are heavy guns,
68l being 100 Founders, and Dol 40 pound
ers. These, with about nine hundred guns
previously supplied, will make up total Of
about 2,4O0 Armstrong guns. About the
same number of guns will be produced dur
ing the next financial year.
Sir G. @. Lewis then proceeded to inform
the House still further on some points in
regard to the preserves" He said:-
The reserves of warlike stores at Wool.
witch are not only very large but may be re"
garded as available at any time on the
shortest notice. There is siege train of
1O5 pieces of ordnance fully equipped, with
| $50 rounds per piece. The train is equal
to operations against a fortress of first class
Importance, and would be ready for ship.
ment within forty eight hours. Such
train did not exist at the time of the Cri
mean expedition. 1 believe. indeed, that
there never was time when the country
was so we'll provided in that respect.
There are $50 sea service wooden mortar
beds, ID inch, with mortars, and loo octa.
gon beds complete. We have a complete
pontoon equipment and engineer field re.
serve for 10000 men. Prior to the Cri-
mean war the intrenching tools were of
very inferior manufacture. They are now
all of the most approved patterns and avail
able for immediate use. There is also
medical reserve Of filters, ambulance wag-
ons and carts for 10000 men, and large
stock of harness and saddlery, all ready for
immediate use. Abroad the old ordnance
has been replaced by new and improved
guns, while great addition has been made
to the ordnance of forts in the United
Kingdom. 1t is not necessary to read
list of the places which has been re armed,
but the committee may rest assured that
much has been done of late years to
strengthen and improve our Notifications
both at home and abroad. The armament
of the United Kingdom has been increased
from 2,247 guns to 3,472.