The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-14
Entire Output of American Plant Purchased by One
 of the Belligerants
ENGLAND TO BUILD
 GREAT SIEGE GUNS
Financiers Take This to Mean Con- firmation of Belief That the War Will Be of Long
 Duration
By HOLLAND

New York, November 1s.-6special)
 Within a few days representatives pre-
 sumably of one of the belligerent nations
 have entered into contract with the man.
 agers of large American industrial plant
 which tends to confirm the belief, both in
 financial and industrial circles, that the
 war on the European continent is likely
 to continue at least until midsummer of
 next year, perhaps longer.
 These representatives have been for
 some days in negotiation with the mana
 gers of one of the large plants in which
 guncotton Is manufactured. They have
 agreed to buy the entire output of this
 plant-which is large-for one year.
 Furthermore, it was stipulated that s1O0,-
 coo should be paid in cash upon the ex-
 ecution of the contract. This payment is
 to apply on account. Future payments are to be made in cash or its equivalent when the guncotton is placed aboard the steamers. If the managers of this large
 industry know positively who the pur-
 chasers are they have kept that knowl- edge to themselves. It Is possible that the purchases have been made through international banking houses. which in themselves would be a sufficient guaran- tee for the payment of bills.
 Presumably this guncotton is to be util-
 ized in the manufacture of ammunition, and no great amount of reasoning Is necessary to persuade the manufacturers that 1t Is chiefly to be used for siege guns For it is known that the largest pieces of artillery are loaded with ammunition of which guncotton Is the base. Powder, as we understand the term, is not used for these larger pieces.
 Germany, however, appears to have an abundant supply of the ammunition needed for its siege guns and has ade- quate facilities for the constant manu- fracture of it. Moreover, Germany already possesses siege guns, as the destruction of the Notifications at Leige, at Anwerp,
 and Maubeuge demonstrated.
 England, however. has no siege guns comparable with those with which Ger many surprised not only the belligerent | nations. but the world. While some of l the artillery of France is highly effective, she does not possess any siege guns. l There have been intfmations that among other preparations now under way in Great Britain, because England believes
 the war will be of long continuance-is | the beginning of the manufacture of siege | guns. Occasionally news has come from l England purporting to describe the length of time necessary for the manufacture of | one of these colossal implements of war. l Four months are reported to be necessary l for the making of a gun of this class 1 | while four months may be needed for the
 manufacture of one gun, it is possible that 1 two or four or six guns may be manufac- tured in far less time than eight months. or sixteen for four, or two years for six guns. second gun may be turned out l in much less time than the first gun. At ali events. the reasons are good for sur missing that England is now building a
 number of siege guns which will match | in energy and destructive power those 1 which the Germans brought against the | fortresses of Leige and other forts. Pre- ! sumably by spring of next year several of these guns will have been constructed l in England. Possibly some may also be l manufactured in France. Therefore. the inference is strong that the purchase by one of the belligerent nations of the entire l output for a year of a guncotton nanu- l featuring plant in the United States re- l fleets the construction of siege guns in 1 England and the mobizing of anlmuni- 1 ton of the kind which is needed to oper l ate these guns.
 | natural inference, therefore, is that 1 England looks for the existence of war | for many months. In the financial dis I trict where careful heed is necessarily | taken of the progress of the war. since 1 financing questions are involved in this
 contingency, the belief prevails that, se- were as has been the fighting since Au- l Bubl, HtNtTtHeleSs l1oTe ueSpeTdte bdltito 1 are to be fought probably late in the 1 winter or early in the spring.
 Some of those who read carefully the | address which was made by Lord Ktch- 1 ener at the lord mayors banquet in Lon 1 don, on Monday of this week. believe l that the war minister of Great Britain
 wanted to intimate that England is per- | suaded that the war will be still in pro- | gress perhaps for another year. possibly 1 two years. The mere fact frankly an l nounced by Lord Kitchener that some what in excess of .250.0O men are now in 1 training in England who are at sometime l in the future to be called upon to bear Il their part in the great struggle is in itself I fairly good intimation that England looks l for a prolonged state of war upon the 1 continent of Europe. Furthermore. Lord I Kitchener said that the utilization of | elaborate destructive machinery by the enemy has inevitably modified the old 1 principles of strategy and tactics. Mod | ern warfare is something which approXi- | mates siege operations. England has the 1 arsenal plants of capacity sufficient for the manufacture of siege guns. She has, | however, been compelled to buy equip l ment for these plants in large amounts. ] How great her purchasing demand now 1 is. Is illustrated by the exigencies of one | of the great manufacturing plants of New England, in Hartford. Conn, That plant ! 1,,ro