But for the unremitting attention of the Company’s officials and the high degree of organisation that had been attained, such a result would, of course, have been wholly impossible. The separate items manufactured by outside firms were all received and distributed from the Company’s Gun Department a special chart of progress being kept for the purpose. For this great achievement the Company received a special letter of congratulation from the Ministry of Munitions, which in their turn they passed on to their men, who had so magnificently responded to the calls of their country in the crisis, and also to the firms who had rendered such able assistance. Another very large contract, carried out by the Cunard Company, was the manufacture of artillery wheels. This work was distributed between the Company’s various establishments, the metal work being done by the Cunard’s Engine Works, and the wood work at the Furnishing Departments in Liverpool and London; in order to provide the necessary material, the Company’s timber experts had to make enormous purchases, not only having to buy complete cargoes, but in many instances, having to buy the timber before the trees were felled, and it cannot be denied that the Government was extremely fortunate in having the advantage of their great experience and wise advice. The metal parts provided consisted of pipe boxes, nots and naves, all of these being made of manganese bronze as required by the War Office, and the tyres--the wooden parts of the wheels being the spokes and felloes. Eleven hundred complete artillery wheels were thus made, as well as 1,400 sand tyres--a sand tyre being a contrivance fitted to the rim of the gun wheel in order to prevent it sinking into mud or sand. The reconstruction of damaged wheels was undertaken for the War Office by the Cunard Company’s London works and more than 8,000 wheels were dealt with in this manner. [Illustration: “CAMPANIA” AS SEAPLANE SHIP] It is impossible to give a detailed account of the whole of the work of this nature carried out by the Cunard Company, but a general idea can be obtained from the following list of some of the most important contracts carried out at Liverpool. 60 Loading trays for 6 in. shells. These are the trays which guide the shell into the breech of the gun. 1,200 Dial sight adaptors--to render sights adaptable for guns of different calibres. 12,000 Copper and leather washers for } recuperating gear; and } This recuperating gear } is the mechanism 12,000 Manganese Bronze Rings for } used to bring the supporting packing leathers } gun into firing position in recuperating gear attached } again after recoil. to 6 in. Howitzers. } 5,340 Actuating Nuts and Screws for Brake gear for 13 and 18 pounder Field Guns.