The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGM0NT SETTLER WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1915. SUPPLIES FROM AMERICA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 75, 28 July 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1915. SUPPLIES FROM AMERICA.

That the war so far lias been a little source of profit to neutral America is indicated by figures recently published in an American magazine, and theio is no sound reason why the United States should not continue making money while this colossal struggle last*. About, a month ago the contracts already placed in the United States for ammunition were worth, altogether, £100,000,000, and the contracts for foodstuffs, wearing apparel, horses, and motors ; 't more than as much again. Even by January, before the really big orders were sent out, European purchases' directly traceable to the war amounted in value to £40,000,000. ' Itifles and ammunition, heavy guns and shrapnel, horses and mules, and harness and saddles, blankets, sweaters, underwear, mittens, and shoes and stockings, horseshoes, and first-aid kits—everything that could possibly be

needed by an army in the field was ordered in the I'nited Slates. And not only the things themselves, hut the machinery for making them—lathes for tinning big guns and small arms, and lathes for turning ami boring shells are loaded njx>ll nearly even vessel which leaves American ports for Liverpool or Bordeaux or for some neutral port with friendly trade leanings towards the enemy. It is staled that not nearly enough tonnage is available to carry all tne orders placed and oven old. out-of-date sailing ships have been brought into active service to carry American goods to Knrope. Car and locomotive factories have put in machinery for making rifles, eontracts for small arms and the tools

for making them have had to be farmed out to factories that in peace time are satisfied with producing clocks ami watches and pianos. A great deal of the new machinery may have to be scrapped when the war is over, but the profits are large enough to make thai worth while, The shares of the ureal Bethlehem St el Co.. v. inch before the w ar v. a • running at only til.) per cem. of its c; 'kh 11 v, have risen from CO In over i'"< (l . and for a while there was a mad craze lor ordnance stocks on the New York ExI change, When I In- war first brokt

out and th« Allies began to realise how unprepared they wore, there was such si rush for supplies that enormous sums wore wasted. Commissions lor the same services were often paid several times over, and it was reckoned thai as much as •">') per cent. had '.(. 1)0 added In (he actual value 1 of goods before they were put aboard ship. Now. it is said, something like systomisatiou in the placing of orders has heoii attained, and it is reckoned that on the larger contracts, some running into millions sterling, the net profits will average from ion to lifteen per cttiil to the manufacturers.