ECONOMICS OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 28, 1 February 1917, Page 7

ECONOMICS OF WAR

THE USE OF COPPER

DRASTIC ORDERS.

(FROM OUR OWN COItnESPONDKNT.)

LONDON, 19th December

I Ujider the Ministry of Munitions, a committee has been formed to advise on the purchase and distribution of copper. No person henceforth is to buy, sell, or negotiate for its sale, wrought or unwrought, from.outside the United Kingdom, except for the purpose of carrying out a contract already existing in writing, or unless authorised by a special permit. '. It is also ordered that returns are to be made immediately by persons who have unwrought copper in stock or under their control or for future_ delivery, or have made contracts for its sale or purchase, provided the stock is more than two tons. The Ministry of Munitions also prohibits the use of copper, whether wrought or unwrought, except for the purposes of a. contract or order now in existence, within certain classes. 'ANOTHER OCCUPATION FOR WOMEN. At one workshop at least women are being trained m quartz-glass blowing, and some of those already proficient are already doing valuable work. It has been discovered that quartz can tJe melted under a- strong heat such as that of oxy-acetylene gas. Quartz-glass has the great advantage of having no coefficient o£ expansion, and will not crack in any extremes of heat or cold. It has also the 1 advantage, for chemical purposes, of | allowing the extreme violet rays to pass through. We are told that skilled labour is urgently _wanted in repair shops at the front, in connection with aircraft, and that the only way to set free skilled and half-skilled men at home is for more educated women to take up skilled work. Women cannot do the work at the front, but they can do it at home. During the past year the Women's Oxy-Acetylene Welding Workshops have trained more than one hundred workers, and these have gone out in small gangs of five and six to various other shops. SWITZERLAND'S APP3TITE. The war is not without its strange phases, and perhaps one of the most remarkable is the great increase in the I appetite of the Swiss people, judging from the imports of food thither. An Italian statistician belonging to the Milan Chamber of Commerce has discovered that whereas before the war one kilogramme of macaroni, or of vermicelli, or other flour paste preparation, wag sufficient to last three Swiss citizens a month, the same number now require four times as much farinaceous food. So, too, with tinned foods, fresh .fruit, coffee and cacao. Especially since the closing up of the Rumanian market to the Central Empires, Switzerland has increased her imports of Italian fruit from five v;mis to twenty vans per day, while the imports of French Gruyere cheese and of chestnuts for, food purposes have more than doubled. HIGH PRICES FOR FISH. Excluding Crustacea, the quantity of fish landed in Ireland during i.915 was much-^beiow the average, and was 50,000 cwts. less than during 1914. But the amount realised was the highest for ten years, due to the great call for foodstuffs of this description. There has been a specially pronounced call for kippered herrings, and a big impetus has been given to this branch of the trade, therefore the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction has advanced two loans for the erection i of kippering establishments at Clogher Head and Ardglass. On the ■ other hand, the curing industry suffered a reverse experience, for the cutting off of shipments to Germany and the difficulties of transport to Russia, materially lessened export business, and the ready market for fresh fish also prompted a reduction of the quantity retained for preservation. While "the autumn mackerel catch declined by 14,000 cwt., the price realised went up by £7000, and the Irish fishermen have been having good; times. LUXURIOUS CATS.' In consequence of scarceness and dearness of food, a good deal of controversy has been taking place round the subject of keeping pets, especially cats and dogs. Shows still are held, and a certain section of the populace enjoys going to see pet animals reposing on satin | cushions. For certain, kinds of dogs there are admittedly exceptions, and cat champions argue that pedigree cats are an important source of income, and that •through them quite considerable sums j of money have been raised for war I charities. Anyway, there was a: great show of chinchillas and tabbies and blue cats, and cream cats, and tortoiseshell cats, and Abyssinian cats on view the other day, and many of them j made the journey up to London in com-. I for table warm-lined travelling baskets. In some cases the owners had travelled with their pets, and during the daf they sat patiently by the cages talking endearingly to the half-sleepy animals. But the purport of the show was good, for the profits go to the benefit of the Star and Garter Home for Disabled Soldiers and Sailors. FOOD CONTROL REGULATIONS. In connection with the ' Manufacture of Flour and Bread Order, 1916, the Food Controller has decided that the extract of flour to be obtained from New Zealand wheat (not dealt with in /that order) shall bear in proportion to the total produce of the mills not less than 71_ per cent. In the, case of millers grinding exclusively native wheats (English, Scotch, and Irish) an allowance of 1 per cent, will be allowed in the percentage of flour to be obtained, i.e., in milling such wheats they must extract from English or Irish wheat 75 per cent, and from Scotch wheat 74 per cent. The effect of the order in regard to the use of flour for sizing purposes has been considered by the Food Controller. He is accordingly prepared for the present to grant applications for licenses for the milling, otherwise than in accordance with the terms of the order, of flour required for this purpose, subject in general to the following conditions: —(1) That the total Hour extracted from the wheat so milled, though it may be divided for this special purpose, does not fall below the percentage specified from time to time by order for that class of wheat; (2) that tho miller guarantees that the flour so milled under license will be delivered to his regular customers for sizing purposes only, and that the amount so delivered does not exceed the amount of flour ordinarily supplied for that purpose.

ECONOMY IN TIN.

The saving to the rates in these strenuous times is appealing to local bodies, who want to learn all they can about the British process of de-tinning and the making of new and useful goods out of old and disused tin cans A conference is being held with the." object hi view, and the example of Birmingham is instanced as a pattern to be copied; this city proves that it can save at least £5000 a. year from refuse tins. The demonstration will show the evolution from the ore, pig iron, and plates to the tin, can, and from the used tins to the newly manufactured articles. Viewers are expected to marvel at vhc wealth they have had neglected in their k.eep-

ing, and at the thousaands tif pounds sterling the Germans have taken from this country m the shape of old tin cans, to assist them, possibly in making the guns and ammunition they are now using against us.