NOBEL'S EXPLOSIVES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16277, 9 January 1915, Page 4

NOBEL'S EXPLOSIVES.

AN ALL-BRITISI-1 UNDERTAKING. Not unreasonably the wiar has Caused a stigma to attach to all German goods, to all German firms, and even to all British concerns in which Gorman, capitalists ore interested'. It is to be feared, however, that in the keen competition for business, tho suspicion with which Gorman firms and German business men aro regarded, hits been seized upon by unscrupulous traders and manufacturers in a similar way to injure their rivals by a covert hint and suggestion to their customers or clients that if their larger competitors are not actually Gcrman A they are working in German interests. or under German influence, directly or indirectly. British people the world over, in their present and not unnatural tamper, may thus be misled by interested persons into inflicting grave injustice upon absolutely British enterprises. Unfortunately, at the moment, any friendly foreigner or foreign firm—or, for the matter of that, any British firm with a foreign name, or a name suggestive of non-British nationality—is also ladle to be wilfuliy prejudiced in the eyes of its trade connection, although a little consideration and first-hand inquiry would elicit tlie truth of the matter and reveal the motive for such suggestions. In these circumstances it is highly important, to remind all concerned that Nobel's Explosives Co. (Ltd.), Glasgow, is an essentially British firm, founded by Alfred Nobol in 1871 at Glasgow, with the factory at Ardeer, Ayrshire, Scotland, and that the principals and employees are, and always have been, British, although the late Alfred Nobel, the philanthropic founder of tlie Nobel Prize, was Swedish by birth. Nobel's Explosives Co. (Ltd.), Glasgow, is a registered British company. Tho Nobol's-Dynainito Trust (Ltd.), which is tlie parent company of Nobel's various activities in many foreign countries, is also a registeredi Britisli company with a large preponderance of British directors. Nobel's Explosives Co. (Ltd.) is directed solely by British directors, and managed entirely by British executive officers. Their explosives factories aro under tho constant supervision of the Britisli Government. The workers are all British, and preference is given to tune-expired British soldiers, for the reason that they aro found to be loyal, steady, trustworthy, and highly-disciplined men. Tho head office is in Glasgow, the onlv branch offices are in London and Birmingham, the agent.- throughout the British dominions all bear British names, and almost all of them in countries other than British, in Asia, Africa, and America are Britishers. The factories and works of the company are all within the United Kingdom—in Scotland, England, and Wales. In fine, Nobel's Explosives Co. (Ltd.), Glasgow, is as British an institution as the Bank of England. Above all, conclusive evidence of the company's purely British status is the fact that its factories are now working at the highest pressure possible to fill the orders of the British Government for war materials for the army and 1 navy.—Advt. 320