Manufacture of Arms

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 8, 10 January 1936, Page 6

Manufacture of Arms

Revelations Made at Royal

Commission

ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN BY

VICKERS

United Press Association—By Electrl* Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Thursday, 7.25 p.nu LONDON, Jan. 8.

Genoral Sir Herbert Lawrence, chairman of Vickers, Ltd., revealed at the Royal Commission into tho private manufacture of arms that Vickers’ technical staff had designed hat was believed to be tho world's liuest anti-aircraft gun, but the British Government bought none of them, though, if desired, it could still obtain advantage of this development. The Government anti-aircraft gun

which was used in 11)18 was good, but uot as good as the new one, for which, according to Sir Charles Craven, Vickers received foreign contracts worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. In answer to questions, Sir Herbert Lawrence stated that Sir Basil Zaharoff, apart from liis interest in a Spanish armament company, had uot participated since J'J34 iu Vickers or associated concerns.

Sir Fhilip Gibbs commented that the popular estimate of Sir Basil Zaharolf was that he was a sinister figure perambulating the Courts of Europe uud ueting as an agent for the sale of munitions. Sir Herbert Lawrence admitted that Sir Basil Zaharolf, prior to 192 j, brought Vickers a vast amount of business. in the course of 2U years there were two cases in which Loudon Times’ correspondents acted as Vickers’ ageuts, but their appointment as such had nothing to do with the Times or that they were its correspondents.

Air J. Read Young, secretary, denied that the company was a member of the international armaments nag. Mr Young contended that, if the manufacture of arms was to be a State monopoly, the State must maintain ldrge , plants without supplying the export trade and engaging iu commercial activities. Alost of its production would be obsolete after a prolonged peace. The present dockyards and arsenals were efficient, but in the event of Avar, they could only provide naval repairs aud could not produce the requisite guns and ammunition en masse.

The Daily Mail unofficially learns that the gun to which Sir Herbert Lawrence referred fires shells on the principle of a machine-gun. A War Office official stated that it had been demonstrated to War Office experts, who concluded that it did not quite iuliii the requirements of the War Office, which considered its antiaircraft equipment was the best available.