The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-13
Stoppage of Work by the Providence
Tool Company.
TWO THOUSAND EMPLOYEES IDLE.
Probability Of an Early Completion o.
the Contract.


Two thousand employee are roaming around the streets
or sailing the broad Of the Narragansctt, hay
Ing been compelled to take vacation, very much
against their will Never before since the tool CON-
pany began make the rides for the Ottoman govern
nent in 1874 It been obliged entirely suspend
work. On other previous occasion Of distress aud
difficulty the works did slacken down a LITTLE and
somo OF tho departments closed up entirely, but
tho great establishment as whole did not to do
business II has been present forced 70 do But,
Alter due consideration OF tho matter for three
four weeks tho managers OF the decided that
onder the circumstances IL would be prudent TO mako
thorough suspension, and incur further ,abil
hies until IL had been ascortained whether Turkey
would furnish the funds to nay for the
last lot of rifles already made, and also
shose contracted to be made as she company did not
propose TO continue making tho rifles If there to
DO any risk attending the payments for thon At tho
present time the ont OF the difficulty has not been
Iound. Negotiations with the Turkish officials arc
however, in progress, and opinions expressed that
There will be no permanent trouble, but that
rs Turkey can raise tho necessary funds the order will
be given to resume the manufacture of the rifles
which competent judges declare doing much to
give the Turks their great in the field But
Aow tho work will DO resumed no ono can tell
ORDERS TO RESUME EXPECTED.
Tho officials OF the tool company state that advces
may come any day from Europe announcing that the
necessary funds Fave been placed in London
pc drawn against. AS such advices have been
received the company will its works. call In It's
employees and finish up tho contract with Turkey.
Dnder ordinary circumstances work would have
been suspended as Il has been II the Turks did
not pay very promptly the tool company would have
gone on making tho RIDES and trusted TO luck and
for payment Now II cannot afford to do SO, il is
iaborng under financial embarrassment and has barely
escaped going down with dozens OF other companies
who have been rackod and ruined by the depressed
lines The company has expended several hundred
thousand dollars on tho 6tting up Of tho works Tor
great and comprehensive arms factory; 1t has pur-
chased the most improved machinery, and has paid
put large sums In the preliminary experiments with
Me rifles 1t has made large profit the Turkish
contract, to be sure, but 1t is only OF late this
profit could be considered real hitherto it has all
been absorbed In paying for tho new buildings, ma.
sh,nery, &C., which made necessary by the ex-
,ensive work in hand. Before the tool company en-
Eagcd in the making of military arms it transacted u
general manufacturing business, and succeeded very
we'll From its recent profits on the rifles Tor the
Turks II has been able to largely reduce ITS indebted
ness and working along with great confidence OF
getting out of us pecunary troubles early day.
TURKISH NEED
There is doubt that the Turkish government needs
the WHICH are yes 10 DO COM
panys contract Already about four hundred thousand
have been sent TO Turkey, and is likely they all
to-day by the armies the field Upward of two
hundred thousand called for by the contract
and If the continues this number and many moro
beside will be required. The Turks cannot OBJ
lain the MartnLHenry riac anywhere save In
England and this city, and nowhere 1t may
safely be sad with such superior finish here, 1t
is generally ackn owedsed that the Providence Tool
Company has now the best equipped and most extern
arms man uacuring establishment in the world,
and these rifles cannot be made elsewhere we'll
speedily 1t may be presumed therefore that Turkey
will take measures as soon as possible TO have the
making OF the arms continued, aud perhaps in q
or so tho welcome announcement may be made of the
starting up of the works 1t has been customary
for Turkey to deposit 81, 500 600 at time in London
10 meet the payments Tor tho rifles and before
deposit would be exhausted another usually made
Turkey has paid upward oil 900 already Tor her
rifles and will require two millions TO pay
Tor the balance contracted ior Although there may
be difficulty In raising tho money now still the rifles
are necessary and there not much doubt to The
ultimate course the Turkish government will take IN
the matter Turkey cannot tight her battles without
these rifles. and the late victories shc has won show
that she will need plenty. OF guns, as now there
every to believe in u long war. The
managers of the tool company thoroughly
believe this and are therefore quito confident
contract win be finished according to the
original TERMS and look this delay save In a
hopeful way. II occasions them considerable loss and
annoyance OF course, and makes break the smooth
Ealing which they have had for some time, but they
are satisfied that their contract s good, and will
sustained by Turkey after time has been allowed for
her to arrange her finances.
THE MART!NI-HENRY RIFLE.
There has been much said Of late about tho rifle
which the Turkish army using effectively that
reliable description Of 1t may be Of value aud Interest
your correspondent from The managers Of the tool
company, and will serve 10 correct many Of the mis-
statements which have obtained currency in the jour
nails OF America and Europo:--
The rifle which is known as the Martini Henry, and
which is used by all the Turkish soldiers, brooch
loader, originally invented by a Boston gun
smith, say invented, for, although tho rifle ut
present does not bear his name, the basic
idea OF it. the brcech mcchap ism mostly originated
with him, and not with Martini, as IL generally sup
posed. rms Boston gunsmnh Is named Henry u
Peabody. lie had been connected Tor years with tho
Spencer Rifle Company. and In 1852 brought to the
notice OF the Providence Tool Company Dreech load
Ing rife he had invented 1t was then 10 quite crude
form, but alter careful study advanced such
fecuon that the tool company obtained control oil the
patent, IN 1865 took Europe
Mhhe the rine was being canvasscd In Europe a
Hungarian gunmaker, living In Switzerland, named ~
Martini saw mo valuable and novel American iuvcn
70 work TO improve IL The Peabody rifle
had side lock. Martini did away Win this invent
ing spiral spring enclosed In the block OF the breecn
Rnd making some modihcations OF Peabody's Ideas,
The Martini rifle renamed abeyauco for
time, the inventor showing It, however, to
several European governments, but receiving no
contracts Tor IT, The Peabody rlfe a;xcturcd
by the Providence Tool Company to the number of
$50 600 ana sales were made IN Europe and the Uned
States France purchased 40 QUO OF them for
in the FrancU-Prussian war me army OF Roumapta
took rs ooo switzerland became purchaser OF 10 ooo
md small let's disposed OF IN Cuba Canada nnd
other countries in all the Peabody riaes gavo
great satisfaction.
out most exhaustive tess OF all Kinds of brooch load
Ing rides Tho English Arms Con mission decided
finally that the system OF riding OF the harrsl Invented
by Mr. Henry, the celebrated Scotch gunmskor Of
Edinburgh, and tho Martin! Mecch mechanism. coa-
bined III one rifle, was tho must desirable. This com
bination rife, which was denUminated the Martini
Henry afterward adopted into tho English army,
and the British troops with It, The
claims OF Peabody as The original Inventor OF tho
basic principle Of The Martin! breecb mechanism
discarded ny tho English government and the honors
Yivcn ~ the Hungarian who was 80 fortunate MS to
Suggest and Apply certain proyemen.s and modIlcs
tions Even tho famed Henry r,fing, 1t has been
found was originally Invented anu applied by gun.
smith In Northern New YORK State long before IL APP
pearcd tho so-calicd Henry rinc. There IL con
elusive proof that Mr. henry obtained the iuca OF the
tysetn Of rifuug which he claims as his rom
49,.