New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-09
BrewerieS Make Shells
for British Artillery
Every Industry Aids Ministry Of Muntons-lobacco ano
Candy Factories Give Up Plants to Government
Earl Daughter Works at Lathe Months.

of 1914-15. In less than a fortnight
we can make more heavy shells than
we could have done in that year We
can now turn out in a week far more
shells, filled and complete, than were
used in the whole battle of Loos, which
extended over a fortnight, and they
had been saving AMMUNITION for that
battle for a month. We could have a
battle of Loos every week now and IT
wouldn't touch the shell reserve stock.
THE manufacture of guns has had to
be concentrated largely in the hands OF
experienced firms, but new factories
under the direction Of these firms have
been made for single purpose work.
Our present capacity for gun produc-
ton compared with the capacity in
June, 1914, is in the case of the lightest
guns over ten times more, In the case
Of medium weight guns twenty times
more and in the case of heavy guns
fifty times more.
Back Yard Manufacturers.
Trench warfare has meant the crea-
ton of an industry of which there was
practically no experience in this coun-
try. Now greLades are being made in
back yards and in all sorts of small
shops as well rs in big factories, and
hundreds of thousands are being pro-
duced weekly. The trench mortar, a
weapon which before the war had re-
ceived little attention, is now produced
in immensely improved types in hum
dreds, where it was previously in units.
"One of the earliest steps the Minis
try of Munitions had to take was TO
acquire control of every machine tool
maker in the United Kingdom and also
to bring in the manufacturers of ma
chine tools. Every machine tool made
during the last twelve months has
been disposed of as directed by the
Ministry of Munitions. The tools have
been sent where they were most needed
for the making of munitions.
Zone of our most anxious problems
has been the supply and the distribu-
ton of skilled labor. There was not
enough to 20 around, and the position
was more difficult as many skilled
workmen crowded into the army. More
than $4,000 highly skilled workmen
have since been withdrawn for NUM-
tions work. They go where they are
sent.
Apart from the manufacture of
ships, aeroplanes, etc, there are now
employed about two million people, of
whom several hundred thousand are
women.
"All classes of society have Joined in
the manufacture. There is, for exam
ple. on the staff Of the Ministry of Mu-
nitions the daughter of an earl, who
worked for nine months as lathe hand
in a munitions factory. Large numbers
of the best known families have de-
voted themselves to work in the cam
teens and to other work in connec-
ton with the factories. There is a de-
partment in the ministry solely con-
cerned with the provision of meals for
100000 people daily"
In conclusion. Dr. Addison said:
"When the Ministry of Munitions is
no more the equipment of the factories
and works extensions all over the
country with power and plant on up
to-date systems, accurate and modern
machine tools, will add enormously 10
our industrial strength in the markets
of the world"