Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-09-19
EDITOR
WITH SHOT. AND SHELL.

rg.
What tremendous expenditures OF shells the Allies
are making in the various "drves" may dimly bt
realized from statement before the House of Com
mons few days ago by the new minister of mum
tons Mr. Montagu. He gave an astounding array
of figures, which were summarized as follows:
shells.-The outpu, which in 1s1415 It took IL whole
months to produce be attained from home
sources In the following periods
1S-pounder ammunition ....... weeks.
Field howitzer ammunition weeks.
Medium-siZed shell ........... IL DAYS.
49, Heavy shell .................. Gays.
II we lump all natures Of gun and howitzer ammu-
milton together we are now manufacturing and issu-
ing to France every week about much the whole
stock Of land service ammunition in the
try. ILL.," IT,. .. .... 80 + -.
ArtiIIery-We are now turning out in a month near.
~ twice many big guns as were In existence for
land service when the ministry started The monthly
output Of heavy increased more than skiold be-
tween June 1915 and June 1916 and the present
of output will eventually be nearly doubled -
Machine Guns--Tbe weekly output has increased.
since the ministry was founded fourteenfold and is
still increasing We shall very shortly have satisfied
all the requirements OF the British army. and will
then be able to turn manufacture exclusively to
supply our Allies. s.@>
Rifes-Nearly -hree times as many new rifles were
accepted in the year Of the mnistys activities
in 1919 1t is matter for congratulaon that the
equipment OF our army now overseas both in machine
guns and in rifles has been accomplished from home
sources alone. III.
Small Arms Ammunition.-The home production is
three times as much week year ago We
have been able to meet all demands made by the
Office and yet build up stock which should remove
anxiety for the future.
High ExpIosives-The production is now Sc times
much It was at the beginning of 1915. The week
y consumption is between 1900 and 10000 times the
amount required for land service ammunition manu-
featured In September, 1914 I >@#
Weapons for Trench warfare-The output Of bombs
increased SSfold between May, 1915 and May 1916.
In addition to equipping its own armies, the Brit
sh government is rendering substantial aid to most
If not all of it's allies third of the entire shepro
luctien of Britain is being sent to France. Twenty
per cent OF the tool production Of the
try is destined for other than British use. Russia
Italy, France, and now Rumania are aided by the
British production, and the Serbian army is popu
larly supposed to have been almost entirely re
equipped by the same ally. - = e--.:-..s -
An idea Of the expenditure of explosives in a
drive such as that started last week the Somme
was given by Minister Montagu when he said that
the preliminary bombardments before an infantry
attack now consume more light and Medium ammu
milton than the total amount manufactured at home
during the first IL months of war. ". ~
Minister Montagu made another interesting state
nent-that ultimately Britain will be able to do
without American shell entirely. This is taken as
an ntimation that the time is not far distant