FOREIGN INTERESTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 10 January 1936, Page 5

FOREIGN INTERESTS

SCOPE OF VICKERS ARMS COMMISSION INQUIRY FIRM NOT INVOLVED IN RING “SINISTER FIGURE,” ZAIIAROFF (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 10th January, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, 9th January. At the Royal Commission into the private manufacture of arms, General Sir Herbert Lawrence, Chairman of Vickers Ltd., in answer to questions, stated that Sir Basil Zaharoff, apart from his interest in a Spanish armament company, had not participated since 1834 in Vickers or its associated concerns. Sir Philip Gibbs commented that the popular estimate of Sir Basil Zaharoff was that he was a sinister figure perambulating the courts of Europe, acting as agent for the sale of munitions. Sir Herbert admitted that Zaharoff, prior to 1925, brought Vickers a vast amount of business. In the course of twenty years there were two cases in which the London “Times” correspondents had acted as Vickers’ agents, but their appointment as such had nothing to do with “The Times” or that they were its correspondents.

Mr J. Read Young, secretary, denied that the company was a member of an international armaments ring. Mr Young 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. POSITION AT GOLDEN HORN In further discussion of the scope of Vickers’ foreign interests Sir Charles Craven said that Vickers entirely owned a small Spanish company and also had a minority share in a large company which built and maintained the Spanish Navy, and also had interest in a Japanese company. Replying to Mr Fenner Brockway’s allegation that Turkish arsenal docks at Golden Horn used against the British and Australian troops at the Dardanelles were maintained by Vickers-Armstrong’s to the very eve of the war, the secretary, Mr Robert Young, explained that in 1913 Vickers-Armstrong were then not amalgamated. They became technical advisers to the docks and held shares in the company. The arsenal was taken over by the Turkish Government in war time. Vickers-Armstrongs resumed their after the war, but ceased when the company was liquidated in 1922. “THE WORLD’S FINEST” A NTI=AIRCRAFT GUN DESIGN CLAIMED BY VICKERS WAR OFFICE UNIMPRESSED LONDON, Bth January. General Sir Herbert Lawrence, Chairman of Vickers, Ltd., revealed at the Royal Commission into the private manufacture of arms tlrat Vickers’ technical staff designed what is 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 anti-aircraft sun which was used in 1918 was good, but not as good as the new one lor which, according to Commander Sir Charles Craven, Managing Director of the works and shipyards of VickersArmstrong, Ltd_ and a director of Vickers, Ltd. Vickers received foreign contracts worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. The “Daily Mail” unofficially learns that the gun to which Sir Herbert Lawrence referred fires shells on the principle of the machine-gun. A War Office official stated that it had been demonstrated to War Office experts who concluded that it did not quite fulfil the requirements of the War Office which considered that its anti-aircraft equipment was the best available. AN AMAZING GUN ON SYDNEY AND SISTER SHIPS TERRIFIC VOLUME OF FIRE (Received 10th January, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, 9th January. The cruiser Sydney with her sister ships carries what is regarded as the world’s best anti-aircraft gun. Details now released by the authorities have an interesting bearing on Sir Herbert Lawrence’s statement that Britain had not purchased the best gnu. The Sydney’s gun is regarded as the most amazing Britain has ever invented. It is really three guns mounted as one. They arc not long range weapons, but are capable of firing hundreds of high explosive shells, per minute. The bigger ships carry the same type, but eight instead of three guns are mounted as one. Experts declare that no singlebarrelled 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.