Warning to Birmingham Gun-Makers. Belfast 1912.

Warning to Birmingham Gun-Makers.

The Birmingham gun-makers have been seriously disturbed by an order by the Chief Constabulary of the City calling attention to the fact that certain parts of Ireland are proclaimed, and that the Peace Preservation Act makes it an offence for any unlicensed person to possess arms or ammunition. Gun- maker’s are officially requested not to supply arms or ammunition to persons in the proclaimed districts unless they have licenses. The Birmingham gun-manufacturers maintain that as long as they fall in with the Custom House regulations and declare that they are forwarding weapons and cartridges to Ireland the Royal Constabulary must ascertain whether or not the purchaser has a license. The trade complain of the legislative restrictions which shut out English trade and allow foreign competitors to carry on business. It is pointed out that if Birmingham gun-makers are to go through the form of cross-questioning every customer the inevitable result will be that the gun trade of Ireland will be transferred to Belgium, where the gun-makers executing orders will merely be required by the home Government to acquaint the Customs authorities with the fact that they are sending arms. At present it is estimated 100 Birmingham gun-makers are doing trade with Ireland, and any efforts to divert the business will be severely felt.

Belfast Newsletter 27^th October 1912.

Information courtesy of The British Newspaper Archive.

Dave Stroud. ramrodantiques.co.uk