SHORTAGE OF COPPER

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 56, 8 March 1915, Page 2

SHORTAGE OF COPPER

GERMANY'S DILEMMA The list of " absolute contraband " articles drawn up by the British Government as an intimation to neutral countries that shipments of these articles intended for Germany and Austria-Hungary will be confiscated includes copper, lead, nickel, aluminium, barbed wire, as well as powder, explosives, and arms of all kinds. Of -the raw materials included in the contraband list, the British Government attaches most importance to copper, because it enters into many phases of war material, and for some of these phases no substitute can be found. The price of copper in Great Britain is £60 per ton, but so great is Germany's peed of copper that she is willing to pay £160 a ton for delivery" in German territory, If Germany can be effectually cut off from all supplies of copper (says the London correspondent of the Melbourne Age), the war would eventually come to an ehd because no more ammunition could be manufactured for her artillery. In normal times Gel-many has used about 250,000 tons of copper annually. Her internal production amounts to 25,000 tons a year, of which 20,000 tonßis produced from the Mansfield mine, in Prussian Saxony. In 1913 she took 197,353 tons from the United States, the next largest field of her im- | ports being Australia, which sent 13,000 tons. The United States produces 557,000 tons of copper annually, which is more than half of the world's output. Ger- I many_ has always drawh the bulk of her supplies of copper from the United ! States, and it is to that country she is looking for her supplies to enable her to continue the war. Since the outbreak of the war there has been an enormous increase in the copper shipments from the United States to Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Holland, and there is little doubt that the bulk of the shipments to these neutral countries has been finding its way into Germany. Great Britain maintains the right to seize contraband cargoes to neutral countries where there is evidence that the cargoes are intended to be sent on to an enemy. This right will have to be exercised with stringency iE the German supplies of copper from the 'United States ai-e to be cut off. One of the main uses of copper as a war material is for the manufacture of the cases for cartridges for rifles and quick-firing guns. These cases are composed of an alloy of copper and zinc. It is also required for the fittings of guns, field telephones, ' electrical appliances, parts of aeroplanes and their engines, and dozens of other purposes. The navy uses copper or its alloys for propellers, many under-water fittings and tubes. In view of the shortage of copper German scientists are experimenting with other metals and alloys as substitutes, but in the manufacture of shells copper plays a part for Which is is confidently said no substitute will be found. The rotation of a shell is imparted by means of • a narrow band of copper attached to the shell near its base. This band is a little larger than the diameter of the bore, and when the charge is ex* ploded the comparatively soft copper is compressed into the grooves, and in this way grips the projectile, giving it the spinning motion which keeps it straight on its course, with its head to the front, during its flight through the air. A great strain is thrown on the projectile when the driving band is, forced into the grooves by the powder gas which sends the shell from the gun, and this strain tends to tear off the base of the shell when it is first gripped by the bore. If a harder metal than copper were used the strain would be intensified, since more force would be required to make the driving band ehter the grooves, and the projectile would probably bfieak up before it left tho bore of the gun. Belgium' is being ransacked for copper by German troops. The big bronze gates at the entrance of the central station at Antwerp have been taken down ahd sent to Germany. The brass plates of business ttten wh<s fled from the city when tile Germans entered it have been sent to Germany so that they may be melted down for the copper they contain. Pri« vate houses are visited by troops ih search of copper, and all copper utensils are confiscated. Even door-nandles are sometimes taken. Throughout Germany appeals have been made to the patriotism of the people to induce them to part with copper ornaments and utensils in their possession. Should Germany be reduced to more desperate straits to keep Up a supply of copper for military purposes she will dismantle her 'electric tramways, telephones, and other electric appliances so as to convert tho copper wires into ammunition.