Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-14
BRITISH INDUSTRY
AMAZES RUSSIANS.
Visiting Journalists Surprised at
Efforts Being Put Forth
in Factories.
WOMEN WORK ON SHELLS
Hosts of Girls Trained Like Stu.
dents, Dressed in Uniforms
of Bright Blue.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.l
LONDON. May IA body OF Russian
journalists who have just visited Eng
land as special guests of the British
government express themselves as
amazed at the tremendous effort Brit
ain is putting forth in her factories.
One Of them said:
we arc in q celebrated city. The
dismalness o. the city is understandable
Miles OF streets stretch without any
"indors--a sort Of narrow corridor
between dark brick walls, behind which
one hears the clash Of steel. and above
which hangs black smoke. The city
is intcracctcd in certain parts by high
black viaducts. over which trains run,
"hich serve tho numerous and widely
scattered factories and works. Some
times We drive miles and miles along
Of orc Stag
AT last We come TO the first and
most amazing object OF our attention
The main nos, OF the works OF the Brit
ish krupps Along the front of the
furnaces arc constructed aerial rails. on
which moves object similar TO
locomotive, but not standing on but
hanging from the rails Behind is a
mechanic. and At his least touch the
whole machine rises or lowers APP
proaches the 'ire-boX doors Of each fur
mace. opens their deadly hell Unto
which VIC can only look through dark
Elasscsb. brings up waEonettc Of
coal. raises /; by means OF a lever
pushes ~ into tho fire. turns. with
draws and again closes tho gates Of
he'll. then Tho locomotive runs further
and feeds every monster in turn. one
b. ono
Afterwards NO arc taken through
the stages OF manufacture OF the giant
hfteen-inch guns which adorn the
super Drcadnought The Queen Eliza
beth The weight OF such gun is
nincty-six tons. The hydraulic press
which has 10 squeeze the metal OF such
monsters develops a pressure OF $500
tons. but there is another ono in the
works OF 10000 tons We were shown
combined steel trunks. containing po-
'enttalc three fiftccn-inch guns
MAKING OF BIG Gun
TAKES ELEVEN MONTHS
The making OF 5 big gun takes
eleven months. Some idea OF the i'm, +.
nortance aud productive capacity OF
these works can hc formed from tho
fact that ihcy employ in their various
departments scattered all over England
1000 workers. and that they arc en-
Sasch AZ this particular moment, on
the making OF LOCO guns.
We then were taken to another %.
adjustment which produces 500 tons
~ munitions week Hero wo were
SHOWN tho manufacture Of aftccn-inch
shells, Enormous shops full OF li-h,
ana air with iron and glass roofs. I'm,
partly finished still half Of the
benches are already a. work. and NJ
'een-!nch :1e!lS arc being turned on;
IN rcd-hot condition by means az 2.ocn
tons pressure
We were shown mountains Of these
hheen-inch shells in special dcpo,s.
but shells are not tho only things made
here III all shapes and forms +, is
said tina, this is the longest gallery in
existence about - 200 feet.
Lastly. We were shown the .Nn
'ional' that is, popular workshops OF a
hrm which has works also in Russia
we were shown gigantic aGglomcrate
OF buildings covering acres. They arc
all Of one story. fun os light. made Of
steel and glass with ligh, wooden par
titions. About one-half Of thcm still
are unfinished, hut work is goin. on AZ
full speed
In August. 1918 said the engineer
IN charge, when our COMPANY began
negotiations with the government. il
was all fields and empty spaces here
Though not all the shops are
ready. they accommodate already 200
benches. and some shops already turn
out moro than 2l.Oo0 shells a week
When everything Is completed. the
staff will amoun, TO 1000 mon
The male department turns out
eight-inch and tho female nve-inch
shells. Hosts OF girls are trained here
like students, under tho guidance Of
older women, dressed III bright blue
uniforms
Much material is said To he wasted
before the inexperienced hands learn
their trade. but tho number of women
fro m all classes OF society trained in
this class OF work is steadily growing"
RAICE CANAL TOlIC