ITALY'S GUN-POWER DOUBLED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14572, 6 April 1918, Page 9

ITALY'S GUN-POWER DOUBLED.

FACTORIES- STIMULATED ' BY THE RETREAT. BRITISH FRONT, Jan. IQ. The Italian artillery is to-day stronger than it has ever been. Thanks to a magnificent effort on the part of* the factories, the losses... of guns suffered ■ during the retreat are being made up, and this effort, has given , .Italy for the future a potential power considerably- ,. greater than * she ' has ever before pos"-! sessed. '-'■'■■-.■■''■' . ,-i A::. A ;|. Her capacity of gun . construction has been notably increased, and. in the, coining cuunpaign it i s likely that the enemy will liave l to take into considera- 1 tiori the weight of metal our Allies will be able to bring into line on this front. One of the. great Italian gun factories will, it is expeetedV very shortly have increased!'. its. output two and "^ a;-half times as compared with its output before- the reti'eat. This< accomplishment- ' is, in the circumstances, little^ short of marvellous. A- •• !; :-.- Italy labors under an immense: disadvantage owing to the position of the exchange. Nearly everything slie needs for war she has to buy from her Allies, I and she has to pay nearly forty lire • for goods worth a sovereign, instead of twenty-five. • ; , I This exchange question., which • is notoriously beyond ; prolaana ooniprehension, is an argument used ;riot without effect by German propaganda,; and'" a solution to it, even ;partial,* wpuld haive ' great effect in welding ' the bloc of the . Entente. '■'". ? ' j