SAVING SCRAP METAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1742, 18 October 1917, Page 4

SAVING SCRAP METAL.

FROM EUROPE’S BATTLEFIELDS. Considerable speculation has been going the rounds as to the amount of scrap iron and steel that is accumulating on the battlefields of Europe, and how it is to be disposed of. American companies which regularly deal in such old material have for some time been looking forward to the harvest to be reaped from these battlefields after the war. These hopes have been rather rudely shocked lately by observers recently returned from the front, who state that this matter is now being handled by the respective Governments. According to the systems now established is modern warfare, it is stated that a salvage corps is daily going over all the ground near the battle front exposed to fire, and is gathering all the debris discarded by the contending armies. None of the scrap is neglected with steel worth two or three cents per pound, and copper and other metals in proportion. All the metals are taken to shops in the rear, and there worked over to be cast into other various metal munitions that a modern army uses. All the lead that is firbd is practically lost, as a bullet travelling at a velocity of 2,000 ft. or more per second buries itself so deep into any object it hitS .aS'lu be lost en-tir.e-ly. ■ Other metals, however, such .tangled steel from wrecked motor cars, large pieces of shells, bits of copper, pieces of aluminium, etc., are carefully collected, and later turned into usable condition.