MAKING OF MUNITIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16434, 10 January 1917, Page 8

MAKING OF MUNITIONS

AUSTRALIA'S PART.

AN ENGINEER'S VIEWS. "Australia cannot produce finished shells as quickly and cheaply as the Home factories can, but what she can do is to produce for shipment to the allies the maximum of food products, steel, copper, lead, wuc, and coal, which are all necessary." lit these words Mr, Russell Sinclair, a prominent engineer, summed up Australia's position in regard to the making of munitions. Several months ago Mr. Russell Sinclair went to England on behalf of the New South-Wales Munitions Committee, and also of the Commonwealth. He returned recently. Every effort shpuld be made, Mr..Sinclair continued, to produce maximum quantities by national organisation of all resources. The wonderful development in the manufacture of shells in Great Britain had surprised even the officials. There were now over 90 national factories, 18 filling factories, and 32 explosives and propellent factories. The total number of 'persons employed on munitions trades, including Admiralty work, was approximately 2,250,000, of whom 100,000 were women. The development in the manufacture of munitions nad only been arrived at after sustained energy on the part of a large number of the best mgn in England. The Ministry of Munitions started with quite a few hands. It had grown into a department with about 5000 employees. It was a wonderful organisation to be called into effect in the course of about 18 months. When the war broke out, England was prepared with a supply of shells and an organisation suitable for requirements of an army of only 200,000 men. Since September, 1914, the output of 18-ponnder high explosive shells had been increased 170 times, and of heavy shells by 2150 times. The same deTelopmcnt was taking place in the manufacture oi heavy guns. Regarding steel, Mr. Sinclair said that the Ministry had made it known that the capacity for manufacture was now in excess of the supply of raw material, and in addition large quantities were required by Franco and other allies. Thus the available supply of raw material in Australia could best be utilised by the shipment of steel nearer the actual theatres of war. As far as he could judge this condition of affairs would become more acute as the war progressed. The difficulty of importing iron ore was increasing owing to the enemy submarine activity.