The times., 1899-05-21
OUR TRADE IN WAR MATERIAL.
Facts Showing Its Remarkable De-
Nclopment Within n Ncmr.


New York May 20.-Manufacturers OF
war material OF all sorts report a decided
increase in orders from South American
countries as result of the Spanish
lean war. Orders have been placed in the
United States during the last three months
which would in all likelihood have gone
TO Europe a year ago. These orders came
from such countries as the Argentine Re
public and Chile. both decidedly pro-Span-
ish in character. Less than four weeks
ago Mexico placed on order in New York
City for 81, 900 high powered infantry rifles
OF American design and make. Two years
ago Mexico arranged with the German
Aiauser establishment to outfit her entire
army.
The Mexican orders OF late have included
large quantities of field artillery ammuni-
ton. especially shrapnel- shell. Chile has
/ heretofore drawn her field artillery entirely
1 from the krupps of Germany. The naval
artillery has been supplied by both the
Elswick establishment of England and
Canet of France. Now however. Chile is
negotiating for the purchase OF large num-
/ bers of smalicalibre. rapid fire guns of
4 American make. In point Of workmanship
there is no doubt, it is claimed, that the
/ American weapon leads the world
Peru has also entered the market for
American weapons. and orders for field
artillery guns of light calibre have been
I recorded within the past few days. In ad-
/ dition, Peru has placed orders for Amer
lean made cartridges suitable for her Ger
man built Mannlicher rifles. Both Mexico
and Peru are purchasing ammunition in
| the United States in preference TO erect
ing national works, and both countries, it
should be known, are supplied with ma
chinery suitable for making rifle cart
ridges. Mexico. within the past six months,
| has purchased an extensive cartridge
plant. From what can be learned. how
ever, Mexico will erect the necessary
buildings and then keep the works in re-
serve for wartime uses. Her officials find
ii cheaper to buy cartridge ammunition
complete in the United States than TO
manufacture it at home An order from
Mexico for 100000 rife cartridges and
10000 shrapnel shell for field artillery was
recorded lately in the market
In the matter OF warship building the
United States. it is thought will never be
a formidable competition of English and
French plants in foreign contracts until il
Is possible for an American firm to build
a ship and armor and arm her complete al
the same yard. English and French firms
are able to do this. Only recently an
American built warship. constructed for
Japan, had to proceed from New York to
Newcastle Tyne, England, for the bat
terry of rapid-fire guns. There was nc
American firm prepared to bid against the
English plant. The feature of combining
gun and ship construction in one plant
has, it is said. many material advantages
This fact is now recognized by American
builders, and measures are under way
looking to the addition of gunworks to 9
number of plants. The Vickers- Maxim
Company, of England, is reported 10 be
negotiating both with the Newport News
plant and with the Cramps of Philadelphia
and report has it that an American gun
works is also in the field looking to con-
solidation with one of the big ship yards.
Nearly all the ships-of of-war of Chile, anC
there are many fine ships in the Chilean
navy, were built and gunned in Europe
The Armstrong; (Elswick) of England onl,
: recently turned over to Chile the magnii
: cent armored cruiser Esmeralda a vesse
, of 1920 tons displacement. From tech
nical standpoint the Esmeralda combine
! greater battery power and greater Speet
on frst-class armor protection than an.
armored cruiser afioat Hardly less cal
t be said of the Chilean armored cruise
) Almirante O'Higgins, another Armstronj
ship.
The one great advantage possessed BY
!; firm that builds both ships and guns i
the ability to effect an aggregate of small
[ economies in weights lin fittings etc
: which. in turn, makes possible heavy lat
: teries on small-sized ships. The cruise
t New Orleans, purchased by the Unite
States from the Armstrong; is an exampl
) of this The New Orleans, for her size
is the heaviest battleship in the American
J Navy. So long as the South American
countries can obtain ships in Europe. wit
: superior batteries for their size than ca
. be bought in the United States. there i
little hope, II is said. of American ship
/, yards obtaining any of this South America
t business. The requirements of the trad
are understood here. but until change
have been effected looking TO joint ship an
gun plants. those requirements, it is sale
cannot be economically met.