THE ARMY'S CRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11948, 6 March 1917, Page 2

THE ARMY'S CRY.

—. <» "MORE GUNS, MORE SHELLS!" HOW BRITAIN ANSWERED. [Ff.OK Or:» CoRRBSVOSDENT.] LONDON, December i'S. Figures are more often than not "the reverse of interesting, but- the Ministry of Munitions hag just "released"' (as they say in kinoma circles) some concerning tho progress made in the production of munitions in the Old Country which are both interesting and gratifying. They bear eloquent tribute to the manner in which the country has responded to tho at ono timo never censing cry of our fighting men for "More Guns and More Sheik." The Ministry of Munitions does not give the public the actual figures of the number of guns and shells our war fiictori.es are turning out, but contrived to bring home to us pretty clearly the astonishing progress that has been made in the growth of munition production within the United Kingdom- Take, for example, the growth on the output of artillery since the end of June, 1915. Taking the figure at that date as 1, the following remarkable increase in the average weekly production is shown;—

July ], 1!)15, toJui;oSO, Jr.lv 1, Not. 25, 1010. 1030. 1916. IS. pounder . Q 1.7 r- rs Fioid howitzers U.oin) . . .8 27 -JG Medium guns und howitzers (above 0:r.) . . . <}< 323 A STRIKING CONTRAST. During tlio first yoav of the. war certain quantities of projectiles for certain classes or ordnance were made. Whut it then took twelve months to make is made now in a few days. A few iUms may be cited Totnra. sheila .... 5j days Projectiles for field howitzers . . 8 days Projectiles for medium guns Wd howitzers dayf? Projectiles for honvy guns a.nd howitzcrs*-A little uo;c than one day. With regard to hoary artillery. Great Britain is now tnraiufr our threo times as many loomtu. shells., five times as many 200 mm. shells, and throe times as ninny 230 mm. shells per week as she did during the first year of the war.

The number of shells completed or

filled during one week recently exceeds by about 30 per cent the stock of munitions hold in reserve at the outbreak of hostilities. GUNS AND RIFLES. Our gun figures are equally striking. Taking; as a basis the number of guns manufactured during the_ first year of war, aud representing this a.s 100, the following table is obtained:— July SI to First Second Nov. 29. 'l6 Year. Year. (•! months). 4. Sin . . . 100 65-i I'M Medium '6O-pcr. and Wnl. . . IvO I.S-IS 1.200 Heavy fover 6in) . I<X> 0-23 358 The following figures compare the average monthly production of guns of medium and heavy calibre during the iirst yenr with that during the second period of 1916:

Monthly Production in Averse Five "Weeks ended First Year. Dec. 2,1916. Jled''i>ra . . 100 4,100 Ileaw . . - 100 1,250

The increase in the manufacture of machine-guns, rifles, grenades and explosives lias kepi pae?. with that of the manufactmre of guns and of shells.

For every hundred machine-giinci delivered to "the Army during the first year of the war, 1250 were delivered at the end of the second year, and 2000 on December 2, 1916. Taking as a basis the weekly production of machineguns in November, 1915, and representing it by 100 the corresponding figure Ifor the weekly production in November, 1916. would be 410.

The output of rifles is. for certain technical reasons, particularly difficult to increase. For every 100 rifles manufactured during one week in June, 1910, 100 were manufactured in June. 1916, and 17.3 in November last. The. production of rifle and revolver cartridges has nearly trebled during the last year, whilst for every ton of explosives employed in September ]H 14, 300 rons were employed m July, 1915, and between 11,000 and 12,000 tons in July last. The following iigures show the average amount of explosive used in charging shells. They are based on one week in January, 1916, winch is represented by 100: — Weekly average for April ... 180 Weekly average for July . . , 580 WoekK- averaze fcr October . . . <J2O November 19-iil, 1516 .... 1,120

The production of trench mortar ammunition and grenades lias developed by 50 per cent since March and it. is stated that tho present rate of output seems likely to keep pace with future demands for this class of am-

munition. Apparently, also, the existing output of 18-jxMnder and 4.0 1 guns is deemed to be quite equal to the present and future needs of our Army, for these classes of weapons. but there is no hint in the Ministry of Munitions report, that our present rate of production of any other item mentioned therein is, so to speak, "the high-water mark"; indeed, the fact. that the number of munition workers of all classes is being steadily added to. and new factories continue to ba brought into being, is evidence enough that further increases in our production of guns and munitions are taking place.