New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-20
ReAexes of War

ACCORDING 70 lne Japanese newspaper
"Jiji" copper refneries in Japan have
received an order through London
merchants for about 5000 tons of cleo
trolytic copper to be shipped TO Genoa,
and negotiations are now proceeding.
This is the first time that an Italian
order for electrolytic copper has been
received by Japanese merchants. They
are not very eager to undertake the or
der, it is said, because of some anxiety
regarding payment and the difficulty of
securing the necessary tonnage for the
Mediterranean.
An American tractor has been Sc
cured by the Agricultural High School
in Christiania. Norway, which intends
to instruct students in its use in
ploughing. reaping. thrashing and other
purposes. Several more of these trac-
tors have been ordered. and the Agri-
cultural Department is now considering
the question of importing a large num-
Der TO be sold to farmers at cost. This
is to remedy the shortage Of men and
horses on the farms and also TO i'm
prove the cultivation of the soil.
The difficulty Of obtaining supplies OF
latch needles for the machines of the
knitting factories is one Of the most
serious problems of the Canadian knit
ting industry. Buyers are seeking
every possible source of supply. The
quality is not always of the best, but
needles must be had to keep the
machines busy. The shortage of
needles is due to the lack of wire, and
that, in turn, TO a shortage of the right
kind of steel. About so per cent OF
this steel came from England prior to
the war, about % per cent from Ger
many and about 20 per cent from the
United States. The British govern
ment, however, has taken over steel
manufacturing concerns, and it has
been year or more since supplies have
been procurable from that source.
There is an embargo on steel coming
from England, and il this embargo is
not lifted and an embargo should be
placed on steel from the United States,
the two Canadian companies supply of
steel would be entirely cut off. This
class Of steel is not made in Canada.
Germany supplied about 30 per cent OF
the needles used in Canada before the
war.
In September, 1914, when Canada un-
dertook the first order for shrapnel
shells, the Dominion's capacity to pro-
duce shells amounted to $40 l8-pr.
shrapnel shells per week. These, says
"The Monetary Times" were made at
the Dominion Arsenal. Quebec. The CO.
pacity of Canadian factories to-day at-
proximates 100000 is-pr. shrapnel com-
plete rounds per week, including car
fridge cases, primers. fuses and propel-
lants. In addition to this output there
is a weekly capacity in Canada for
nearly 100000 high explosive shells,
ranging in sizes from i8-pounders to
$50 inches. making an approximate to-
tai weekly output of 100000 shells.
This large output. along with other
supplies made Independently, requires
per week about $4,000 tons of steel,
$500 tons OF brass, $50 tons OF cop
per, $50 tons of zinc, 1900 tons of
lead, 200 tons of anthony. $50 tons Of
resin, several tons OF ferro-molybde-
mum, 500 tons OF cordite, 500 tons Of
trinitrotoluol and 300 tons of nitro
cellulose powder. Over 100000 boxes
are required for these shipments per
week, and about 81 million lineal feet
OF board are used in making these
toxoQ