The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1916-08-18
LARGE ORDERS :
War, the Great Steel Con.
sumner.

Another buying movement in
munitions by European govern
ments, now apparently at its height,
differs in number of respects from
its predecessors, says the Iron
Trade Review. Contracts now
being placed are confined almost
exclusively to the large sized and
high-explosive types of shells and
shell forgings, ranging from 6 to IL
inch. Very little of the smaller
and shrapnel types, which were or
dered so freely from this country
earlier in the war, now are includ-
ed. There are at least two import
ant reasons for this change. One
is that the mobilization of indust-
rial plants for the needs of war by
the various belligerents has put
them in more independent post
ion on these needs. Furthermore
it appears there is an ample supply
of raw material in hand or being
produced at home to cover them.
The principal reason, however
seems to be that first decisions OF
the allies as to the necessities for
for breaking the lines of deter
mined and well equipped enemy
have undergone considerable re-
vision. Great or destructive power
is called for by the strength OF
modern trench works.
Another phase of the present
buying is that only limited num-
Der of munition makers are being
given renewels of contracts. Those
who have proved their capacity to
meet intricate specifications and
required deliveries on previous or
ders, are being so favored. Many
of these manufacturers had not
previously produced such large
shells as they now have undertaken
AS result. they are obliged to
again re-equip their plants in some
particulars and the machinery mar
ket now reflects this fact by the in
creased buying of large capacity
lathes. The present contracting in
munitions, being more limited as to
sizes and as to the number of man
ufacturers, promises to be some
what less in volume than in the
previous movements. The degree
of specialization, however will be
increased.
The more one studies the war
commerce between European
countries and the United States the
stronger the impression that it is
the shortage of steel with the for
mer that is at the root of much o!
the buying of munitions on this
side. Germany and her allies, &C.
cording to all statistical authority
still hold by a wide margin the up.
per hand over their foes in iron and
steel capacity. Without the
United States to draw upon for the
basic metal of warfare to supple
ment their own inferior output
England and her allies unquestion'
ably could not carry their operation:
on the scale now adopted. The
steel being here, as we'll as tremen'
duous mechanical capacity for shap
ing it to the needs of war, it woulc
seem to be good strategy that Ger
tain proportion of it at least should
be finished in this country, thereby
maintaining a constant source o.
great reserve power. Manifestly
it is to the advantage of the allie:
to keep a certain amount of munit.
ion capacity in this country keyed
to high state of efficiency.
As the relative strength in iror
and steel resources of the opposing
groups of nations now stands, there
is a sound reason to expect that lib
eral buying of the wares of war IL
this country will continue indefin.
ltely, perhaps to the conclusion Of