BRITISH MUNITIONS

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13752, 27 April 1918, Page 5

BRITISH MUNITIONS

SUPPLIES WELL MAINTAINED. ALL LOSSES .MADE GOOD. TANKS AND GUNS REPLACED. INCREASED OUTPUT OP AEROPLANES. (Australian anr? V Z. Cable Assn.) Received April 27, 8.45 a.m. LONDON, April 26. Mr Winston Churchill, Minister of Munitions, in moving the munitions vote, said that since March 21st we had lost nearly 1000 guns, between 4000 and 5000 machine-guns, and between one and three weeks' total manufacture of munitions, but the German claims are grotesque. There had been a period of great strain, but by the end of last week all the losses had been made good, and in some instances the supplies were greater than before, and we actually had more serviceable guns than at the beginning of the battle. We had been able to replace every lost tank with one of a newer and better pattern. The expenditure of smallarms ammunition during the open warfare had been enormous, but the capacity ;>f our factories was even greater without/ touching the reserve stocks. The wastage of rifles had been replaced easily. The expenditure of shells was very heavy, but less than the amount calculated and provided for. Our original calculations provided for twice the expenditure used during the Somme offensives of 1916. We will undoubtedly be able to meet all demands if the lighting continues at the supreme rate of intensiiy until the winter, provid. ,: Ik' munitions workers give loyal suppoi L. We probably would have made 30 per cent, more shells if the imports had not shrunk owing to the diminution of tonnage. We had been obliged to slow down production in considerable, areas, but the supplies now were the largest ever. The women, of whom there were nearly 751,000, turn out nine-tenths of the supply of shells, the cost has been reduced and the quality improved incredibly. We ■are now making in three months as many aeroplanes as in the whole of 1916.