New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-29

and applied with excellent results at
the front Tanks of new and more pow
erful design were being used. In trench
work. said the Minister. Great Britain
was now as superior TO Germany as
she was in gun power.
He gave a striking account OF the
work of the department since II started
little more than two years ago, and
incidentally paid tribute TO Kenneth
Ouinan, California engineer, VINO de-
signed and equipped the new factories
"Hc is not the only American citizen
who has assisted the Ministry of Mu-
ritions throughout its career" said the
minister. "but in the great work at
Oucensferry. Gretna and other places
we come possessed through his genius
of factories which 10 a very large eX-
tent will be of permanent value to
peace industries"
The Ministry had recently reached
such q state of production with respect
10 gun munition. he said, that 1t was
able to divert certain national factories
TO assisting other sections OF the mu-
nitions programme.
Munitions Efficiency Proved
The requirements regarding the &C
cumulation of a great reserve of field
gun ammunition would be met in good
time, he said and, despite the enormous
expenditure in the first nine weeks Of
the offensive, the stock of filled shells
had only fallen off per cent. Field
Marshal Haig had enthusiastically re-
ported on the accuracy and fine de-
tonating quality of the ammunition,
whether it was used for wire cutting,
barrage or other purposes.
The output of machine guns and
rifles was fully equal TO the demands,
while for railway purposes tracks
pulled up in England, Australia and
Canada had been utilized. Canada had
arranged to pull up eight hundred miles
of track and ship II complete when
wanted. One thousand locomotives had
been sent from the Colonies, apart from
hundreds supplied by the railways.
The supplies Of the new design tanks
were coming forward eXcellently and.
the Minister continues. "the end OF the
story is not yet, for the enthusiasm OF
Colonel Stern, the inventor OF the
tanks. and his colleagues knows no
limits"
Steel Output Increased
The Minister said that the output of
steel in this country before the war had
for some time been stationary at
little over 100000 tons yearly. The
OUTPUT was now 100000 tons, and he
would be disappointed if the country
aid not reach a l2.000,000-ton output by
the end Of next year. Within fourteen
months the capacity for the m2nufact-
ure of basic steel had increased by 30
per cent.
The demands for steel were so many
that the control had been very close.
and. desrite all the help from Canada
and the United States, he could not
offer any immediate prospect Of relief.
Notwithstanding the cost of material
and labor, the government was obtain
ing steel plates in this country at less
than half their cost in the United
States, while she'll steel cost 80 per
cent less.
Referring to salvage operations at
the front. the Minister said it was now
possible to reform hundreds If thou
sands of 1s-pounder cartridge cases
weekly st a cost OF four pence eacn,
compared .yith seven shillings for new
cases.
The work Of the Ministry, he said,
had almost doubled within the last
twelve months. The aircraft supply
alone at the beginning of the year re-
CURED an additional ten thousand
workers, and that which applied to the
aircraft applied also to shippuilding,
gun making, tanks, agricultural imple-
ments and other necessaries Of war.
The widespread employment OF wom-
en- had been attended, singularly, with
little difficulty. From 60 TO so per cent
of the machine work on shells, fuse and
trench warfare supplies was done by
women