EXTRA EDITION. LATE NEWS

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 40, 16 August 1916, Page 8

EXTRA EDITION. LATE NEWS

BRITAIN'S MUNITIONS

SUPPLY

HUGE PRODUCTION OF SHELLS

OVER TWO MILLION WORKERS.

(UNITED PRBSS ASSOCIATION.—CWYRIOdT.)

(RBBTER'S TELEGRAM.) (Received August 16, 2 p.m.)

LONDON, 15th August.

Continuing hi 6 survey of the increase in the British output of munitions, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu told the House of Commons that the output of shells had increased so much that comparison with that of 1914 would be useless. Besides a large amount of munitions and guns, we were supplying our Allies with metals for munitions to the value of six millions sterling a month. Britain was sending to France one-third of her production of steel for shells. He urged the importance of- a further dilution of labour. Fortyfive thousand soldiers had been released for munition work. While 635,000 persons were employed in making munitions a year ago, there were now 2,250,000, of whom 400,000 were women.

Lo"i-d Montagu' said the British equipment of eighteen-pounders was practically complete, and we should shortly satisfy our own requirements in machineguns. Britain would then be able to devote attention entirely to the requirements of the Allies. ■

iThe weekly output of munitions covered the expenditure of them, so that if the workmen and employers continued to play their parts as nobly as heretofore there was no fear of the offensive breaking down owing to a shortage of ammunition.