GUNS AND SHELLS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1832, 19 August 1913, Page 8

GUNS AND SHELLS.

WAR WEAPONS FOR AUSTRALIA., ENORMOUS IMPORTATIONS. The importation of war-like stores into Australia has doubled within two years. In 1910 only *1*300,00U was spent upon guns, ammunition, and other equipment, and that was regarded by tho Commonwealth Defence Department as a record achievement, Reports received for last year, detailing the items supplied and 111. course of supply, show that tlie actual defence importations lor 1912 amounted to more than j;ti5l),000. The principal consignments were, guns and ammunition. Tne Sydney "Sun" prints this list of tho mere importaut items:— 15 guns and mountings for fixed defence. 31 18-pr. field guns (in addition to 44 recently ordered). 52 tons of cordite. 30,000 sets of web infantry equipment. 70 Maxim guns and carriages. 23,f101) rifles. 4,000,000 rounds of ammunition for cadet rifles. Field wireless telegraph apparatus. 1,500,000 charges for .303 in. cartridges. SO tons of steel for manufacture of charges in Australia. 14,000 ride barrels. The Federal factories and schools were supplied with minor equipment and stores of various descriptions, and ammunition and f>tores for the naval reserve ships ami the destroyers aro included in the expenditure. The Permanent Naval College at Jervis Bay is being supplied with machinery; models, and workshop appliances of all kinds, and large quantities of serge, drill, mess traps, pistols, and ammunition are being sent to . tho depots. A tramway plant for Flinders naval base is also in course of supply. These supplies are not included in the figures mentioned.

Ono of tho most satisfactory importations of the Defence Department has been drawings and specifications to enable local manufacture in Australia of many important items.

Amongst the minor importations of late have been raw materials of various kinds for the small arms factory, including tools, iron, and steel for the service rifles, and leather for scabbards; acetone, glycerine, cotton waste, and other ingredients for the manufacture of cordite at the cordite factory; large supplies of cloths of all descriptions, and buttons, braid, linings, hooks, silks, paddings, and other materials for the clothing factory; everything necessary except leather for the harness factory; books, rifles, military stores, and scientific instruments for the military college; stores of various descriptions and books for the of gunnery and musketry; rifles, bayonets, scabbards, and guns for tho Tingira, and 00,000 naval and military books and publications for the general use of the defence forces. The machinery for tlio magnificent engineering workshops to be established at tho Jervis Bay Naval College, and the expensive machinery necessary for the Federal woollen mills have been ordered.