The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

XXVI.—GENERAL DATA CONCERNING THE SCHNEIDER CANET ARTILLERY. rriHE great experience acquired by Messrs. Schneider and -L Co., and their long practice in the construction of war material, have enabled tliem to design in every detail, to prove, and to supply on a large scale, a complété system of ordnance which is characterised by the essentially modern qualities o£ great power and simplicity. The Schneider-Canet system em bodies, without excep- tion, all the types and calibres used in the armament of ships, coast and garrison defences, field service, and siege operations. Messrs. Schneider and Co. are therefore in a position to till all demands for armaments which they receive from varions Powers, as well as other types to meet the pariicular requirements of artillery committees. The descriptions already given show the power and completeness of the plant in the Creusot and Havre Works. It is needless to add that the constant changes and developments in the construction of artillery have made it necessary to maintain the means of production at the highest degree of efficiency ; Messrs. Schneider and Co., have taken this faet into account also, and on a remarkable scale of completeness, for the rapid produc- tion of what may be called the Schneider-Canet series. It may be remarked liere, though the faet is generally well known, that it is practically impossible to improvise a new type of War material possessing the required qualities for immédiate service, and to put down rapidly the necessary plant for its construction, whatever be the resources available. It would be superfluous to review the whole of the Orders for Schneider-Canet war material executed up to the present day. But in order to give a general idea, as complété as possible, of the great French industry of which Messrs. Schneider and Co., are the representatives, descrip- tions of the special nature of soms of the guns they manufacture will be given; for the ordinary and relatively old types, however, it will only be necessary to deseribe a few distinct classes. In describing the varions types of Schneider-Canet guns and war material, the following order will be taken : Naval ordnance; torpedo-launching tubes; ship guns in turrets ; coast defence guns ; field artillery ; siege and garrison artillery ; landing guns ; mountain artillery ; land turrets ; projectiles ; and ammunition. The following Powers had in service, and on order, during the year 1898, guns of the Schneider-Canet system: France, Denmark, Turkey, Argentina, Russia, Greece, Holland, Uruguay, Spain, Switzerland, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Bulæaria, China, Transvaal, Sweden, Roumania, Chili, Haiti, Norway, Servia, Brazil, Morocco and the Dominican Republic.