SALE OF ARMAMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 22233, 10 January 1936, Page 7

SALE OF ARMAMENTS

OPERATIONS OF VICKERS LTD. EVIDENCE BEFORE ROYAL COMMISSION Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, January 8. Sir Herbert Lawrence, chairman of Vickers Ltd., revealed at the Royal Commission into the private manufacture of arms that Vickers’ technical staff had designed what was believed to be the world’s finest anti-aircraft gun, but the British Government bought none of them, though, if desired, it

could still obtain the advantage of this development. The Government antiaircraft gun which was used in 1918 was good, but. not as good as the new one, for which, according to Sir Charles Craven, a director, Vickers Ltd. received foreign contracts worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. In answer to questions, Sir Herbert Lawrence stated that Sir Basil Zaharoff, apart from his interest in a Spanish armament company, had not participated since 1924 in Vickers or associated concerns.

Sir Philip Gibbs commented that the popular estimate of Zaharoff was that he was a sinister figure perambulating the Courts of Europe, acting as agent for the sale of munitions.

Sir Herbert Lawrence admitted that Zaharoff prior to 1925. had brought Vickers a vast amount of business. In the course of 20 years there were two cases in which London ‘ Times ’ correspondents had acted as Vickers’ agent, but their appointment as such had nothing to do with ‘ The Times ’ or that they were its correspondents. J. Read Young, the secretary, denied that the company was a member of an international armaments ring. He contended that if the manufacture of arms was to be a State monopoly the State must maintain large plants. Without supplying the export trade or engaging in commercial activities most of its production would be obsolete after a prolonged peace. The present dockyards and arsenals were efficient, but in the event of war they could only provide naval repairs, and could not produce the requisite guns and ammunition en. masse.

The ‘ Daily Mail ’ unofficially learns that the gun to which Sir Herbert Lawtcnce referred fires shells on the principle of a machine gun. A War Office official stated it had been dernom •strated to War Office experts, who concluded that it did not quite fulfil the requirements of the War Office, which considered its anti-aircraft equipment was the best available. VICKERS FOREIGN INTERESTS LONDON, January 9. (Received January 10, at 11 a.m.) The scope of Vickers’ foreign interests was further discussed by the Arms Commission. Sir Charles Craven said Vickers entirely owned a small Spanish company and also had a minority share in a larger company which built and maintained the Spanish navy. It was also interested in a Japanese company. Replying to Mr Fenner Brockway’s allegation that the Turkish arsenal and docks at Golden Horn used against British and Australian troops at the Dardanelles were maintained by Vick-ers-Armstrongs to the very eve of the war, the secretary (Mr Young) explained that in 1913 Vickers and Arm-, stfong ivere then not amalgamated, but became technical advisers to the docks and held shares in the company. The arsenal was taken over by the Turkish Government in war time. Vickcrs-Armstrongs resumed their interests after the war, but ceased when the company was liquidated in 1922.

ALLIES' HUGE PURCHASES

COMMISSION FOR MORGAN COMPANIES

WASHINGTON, January 8

Evidence that .companies in which J. P. Morgan was interested sold the Allies 363,000,000d01’s worth of goods before the United States entered the war was introduced to-day at the Senate investigation. Altogether Morgans purchased 3,000,000,000d01’s worth of supplies for the Allies, upon which they received commission of 30,000,000d01. It was also disclosed that Morgans invited the British Government before the American entry into the war to purchase an interest in an American arms factory and that the firm transmitted confidentially to the British Exchequer advance information concerning drafts of Notes which President Wilson wrote to various belligerents.

BRITAIN HAS BEST ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN CARRIED BY CRUISER SYDNEY. LONDON, January 9. (Received January 10, at 10.5 a.m.) The cruiser Sydney, with her sister ships, carries what is regarded as tlie world’s best anti-aircraft gun. The details which have now been released by the authorities have an interesting bearing on Sir Herbert Lawrence’s statement that Britain had not purchased the best gun. The Sydney’s gun is regarded as the most amazing Britain has ever invented. It is really three guns mounted as one. They are not long-range weapons, but are capable of firing hundreds of high-explosive shells per minute. Bigger ships carry the same type, hut eight, instead of three guns, are mounted as one. Exports declare that no single-barrelled gun, however perfect, can compete with them. It is almost impossible for aircraft to penetrate the barrage owing to the extraordinary volume of fire of which the gun is capable.