Nova Scotia's Part in the Great War

by Unknown

Date.	Ship.	Embarked Halifax.	Monthly Total.
1915.
Jan. 8	Zeeland	346
			346
Feb. 23	Megantic	40
23	Missinabie	13
28	Scandinavian	23
			76
Mar. 6	Grampian	8
15	Northland	130
21	Corsican	40
22	Orduna
26	Hesperian	15
26	Chaleur	68
28	Missinabie	321
			582
Apr. 4	Scandinavian	12
6	Georgia	76
9	Chignecto	48
10	Metagama	641
12	Manchester Corporation	73
17	St. George	414
18	Northland	1,711
18	Grampian	1,660
24	Missinabie	440
			5,075
May 2	Hesperian	154
20	Saxonia	2,282
20	Halifax	37
			2,473
June 14	Herschell	523
15	Caledonia	1,833
			2,356
Aug. 8	Italia	1,211
8	Caledonia	994
9	Metagama	1,615
26	Caledonia	1,087
			4,907
Oct. 23	Lapland	2,319
27	Orduna	1,095
			3,414
Nov. 19	Chignecto	88
22	Saxonia	2,494
23	California	1,909
27	Lapland	2,281
			6,772
Dec. 3	Chaudiere	98
6	Orduna	1,121
8	Italia	430
			1,649
1916.
Jan. 22	Missinabie	1,591
			1,591
Feb. 10	Caraquet	24
			24
Mar. 13	Lapland	2,127
13	Baltic	2,606
30	Empress of Britain	3,542
31	Adriatic	2,440
			10,715
Apr. 1	Olympic	5,787
18	Missinabie	1,717
21	Chaleur	20
23	Empress of Britain	4,020
24	Lapland	2,201
29	Olympic	5,583
			19,328
May 6	Chignecto	61
12	Baltic	2,612
19	Adriatic	2,325
20	Empress of Britain	3,788
26	Grampian	692
31	Olympic	5,794
			15,272
June 18	Empress of Britain	3,420
19	Missinabie	1,663
28	Olympic	5,755
			10,838
July 8	Lapland	2,208
15	Empress of Britain	3,778
23	Olympic	5,290
28	Caraquet	162
			11,438
Aug. 6	Scandinavian	1,351
7	Cameronia	1,430
8	Metagama	1,581
8	Scotian	1,235
14	Empress of Britain	3,704
15	Grampian	1,471
21	Olympic	5,109
			15,881
Sept. 11	Scandinavian	1,396
11	Cameronia	1,412
12	Metagama	1,491
12	Northland	1,473
18	Olympic	5,486
23	Lapland	2,042
25	Southland	1,379
25	Corsican	1,426
26	Laconia	2,230
26	Tusconia	2,360
			20,695
Oct. 2	California	1,1	61
3	Missinabie	1,708
3	Saxonia	2,417
11, 12 & 13	Olympic	5,988
17	Cameronia	1,401
17	Metagama	1,721
17	Northland	1,662
24	Grampian	1,673
25	Mauretania	3,089
25 & 26	Corsican	1,351
30	Lapland	2,196
Oct. 31	Caronia	4,251
31	Empress of Britain	3,796
			32,414
Nov. 1	Southland	1,700
13	Olympic	5,909
23 & 24	Mauretania	3,123
27	Metagama	1,609
			12,341
Dec. 16	Olympic	5,999
27	Northland	36
			6,035
1917.
Jan. 23	Scandinavian	1,350
24	Canada	1,244
26	Grampian	1,525
			4,119
Feb. 16	Southland	1,749
16	Missinabie	1,727
			3,476
Mar. 4	Canada	1,241
4	Ansonia	1,049
25	Metagama	1,641
25	Lapland	1,637
25	Southland	892
26	Missinabie	1,595
26	Saxonia	2,357
			10,412
Apr. 9	Carpathia	2,341
9	Canada	1,282
17	Scandinavian	1,194
18	Ansonia	1,102
18	Northland	1,572
18	Grampian	1,654
27	Olympic	5,605
30	Megantic	1,141
			15,891
May 1	Metagama	1,696
3	Justicia	4,445
28	Olympic	5,823
			11,964
June 22	Justicia	4,160
			4,160
Aug. 6	Olympic	100
10	Grampian	1,500
11	Missinabie	1,402
			3,002
Sept. 5	Megantic	1,854
			1,854
Oct. 4	Metagama	1,276
20	Scandinavian	925
			2,201
Nov. 20	Scotian	1,352
24	Megantic	1,637
27	Metagama	1,182
			4,171
Dec. 21	Missinabie	1,700
21	Grampian	1,638
28	Canada	11
			3,349
1918.
Jan. 19	Kursk	50
27	Orita	320
28	Scandinavian	1,290
			1,660
Feb. 5	Grampian	1,607
5	Missinabie	1,678
5	Canada	826
13	Lapland	1,815
21	Megantic	1,822
21	Meletia	1,830
21	Saxonia	2,138
28	Metagama	1,692
28	Kasmala	111
			13,519
Mar. 1	Justicia	155
8	Scotian	23
8	Toloa	819
13	Chaleur	29
17	Saturnia	100
25	Missinabie	1,656
25	Scandinavian	1,293
25	Grampian	1,591
			5,666
Apr. 9	Metagama	1,672
9	Tunisian	1,318
9	Ulua	949
17	Scotian	1,324
17	Toloa	1,108
17	Melita	1,906
			8,277
May 11	Tierisias	1,252
11	Runic	394
16	Ajana	1,435
16	Valacia	1,020
23	C. of Marseilles	55
			4,156
June 17	Pannonia	853
24	Wiamana	389
24	Gloucestershire	512
24	Ionic	27
			1,781
July 2	Oxfordshire	390
3	Valacia	185
			575
Total			284,455

CHAPTER XLVII.
MUNITIONS.

A brief history of the work of the Shell Committee, its organization, and the part played by the Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Company in producing munitions during the first two and a half years of the War.

On September 8, 1915, Col. Alex Bertram, Thomas Cantley, and George W. Watts were summoned by the Federal Minister of Militia, Sir Sam Hughes, to Valcartier. On meeting the Minister he stated that the British Secretary of State for War had advised the Canadian Government that the War Office were desirous of having shrapnel shells made in Canada, that the Canadian Government had decided to entrust the matter to a Committee of Manufacturers, and had so advised the War Office. It was understood that the advice of the Minister had been accepted, and that the names of the three gentlemen above referred to had been approved by the War Office as a Committee to carry on the work on their behalf. The men above named were then asked to serve as such Committee, without remuneration, which they agreed to do, and were requested to select one of their number as Chairman. On the suggestion of Thos. Cantley, Colonel Bertram was appointed Chairman, the Minister confirming the appointment of the Committee by a memorandum initialed “For Action.”

Later, Mr. E. Carnegie, of Welland, was added to the Committee, and at their request the Minister agreed that Colonel Benson, Master General of Ordnance; Colonel Lafferty, Superintendent of the Dominion Arsenal; and Colonel Greville Harston, Inspector of Arms and Ammunition, should be added as Technical Members.

The first meeting was held the same evening (September 8th) at the Chateau Frontenac, Quebec. The second meeting was held the following day at the office of the Superintendent of the Dominion Arsenal. The Committee were accorded the privilege of dissecting the manufacturing costs of the various operations involved in making shells of this type at the Dominion Arsenal, which at that time had an out-turn of about 200 per day.

From the data there available and their experience as manufacturers the Committee advised the War Office that 200,000 shrapnel shells could be produced by the Committee and supplied to the War Office at a price of $8.30 for the 15–pounder, and $8.55 each for the 18–pounder. On this information being cabled to London the Committee were at once instructed to proceed with the order.

COL. THOMAS CANTLEY.

After the order was in process of execution a contract was presented by a representative of the War Office to the four civilian members, viz., Messrs. Bertram, Cantley, Watt and Carnegie, under which contract they were obligated to supply the War Office with these shells at the prices stated. This contract was duly executed, the Honorable Minister of Militia signing on behalf of and representing, the War Office, the civilian members signing on their own behalf.