POISON SHELLS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3027, 14 March 1917, Page 7

POISON SHELLS

—« GERMAN MUNITION ORDERS IN SWITZERLAND. The Zurich correspondent of the Paris "Journal" mentions a rumour that tho Gorman army is , preparing to tiso now weapons, notably special poison gas shells, including hydro-oyanate or prussic acid ehells. It Iβ thought that these rumours are .not altogether devoid of foundation, because the Swiss military authorities have asked tho well-known chemist, Dr. Brnnner, a captain in tho "Swiss Army, to make a report upon tho effect of those shells and the means of protection to be adopted against then.

Very important orders for German munitions have been placed in Switzerland. A. great number of workshops employing more than -iOOO hands aro working on behalf of the German Government. Captain Sohmitz, attache to the German Embassy at Berne, is organising tlie distribution ,of the work, assisted by tho AUgomeine Electricitats Gesell6chaft, which is itself carrying on operations undor cover of a Swiss company of electric appliances, namely, tho Prothos Company. This company, which for the past three months has manifested renewed activity out of all proportion with its past, is erecting an important branch factory at Altstadten, near Zurich, for the manufacture of fusees and grenades for the German military authorities. A single firm at Schaffhausen has delivered to Germany 300 motors for submarines. It is worthy of note that tho Swiss people who are working in these factories are receiving very big salaries, and this constitutes for Germany nn excellent means of propaganda. In view, however, of the development of Gorman industry 'in munitions in Switzerland, the German Government is proposing to send to these faotories her own subjects who are residing in Switzerland in conformity with a special clauso in the new law relating to compulsory national service.