Scientific Industries. 481 



With the steel making, armour plate and gun works at 

 Sheffield, the ship-building and ordnance works at Barrow- 

 in-Furness, the motor car, tool, and electric works at Birmingham, 

 and other establishments we are not concerned in this survey. 

 But the Ordnance Works at Erith for the manufacture of quick- 

 firing, Maxim, machine guns, and of mountings and ammuniton 

 for all forms of guns ; the motor-car works at Crayford ; the 

 powder and ammunition factory at Dartford ; the firing proof 

 ranges at Eynsford and Swanley call for more than a passing 

 reference. 



The acquisition of the Maxim-Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition 

 Company, Ltd., at Erith and Crayford by the Vickers firm came 

 about in 1897, the Maxim factory at Crayford and the Nordenfelt 

 factory at Erith having amalgamated in 1888. An active policy 

 of extension and improvement has gone steadily on since that time, 

 and a noteworthy feature has been the gradually extended use of 

 electric driving of machine tools in the various factories. 



The Erith Works are in three portions the main factory, the 

 North Kent Works, on the river bank, with large wharf, and the 

 St. John's Works, which are the latest addition, comprising large 

 wood- working shops and a Maxim and sights factory, the whole, 

 including the proof ranges, covering nearly 20 acres. The Crayford 

 works, formerly the Maxim factory, are now given over to the 

 construction of motor cars of the well known Wolseley type, while 

 the Dartford factory consists mostly of isolated huts for the manu- 

 facture of all kinds of explosives. 



THE INDIARUBBER, GUTTA-PERCHA, AND TELEGRAPH WORKS 

 COMPANY, LTD., SILVERTOWN. 



The founders of this firm were S. W. Silver & Co., outfitters, 

 Cornhill, the third firm to settle in Silvertown. In 1852, one acre 

 of ground was purchased, and the waterproofing factory of the firm 

 was removed from Greenwich. Soon seven acres were acquired, 

 two being secured from Howard Brothers, who, in 1851, had built a 

 glass factory which was not successful. No roads were yet in 

 existence in the district, the works being reached by way of the 

 river wall or Barking Road. 



The establishment of coaling stations by W. Cory & Son in 1855, 

 which reduced the price of sea-borne coal very considerably, made 

 it possible for this firm and others in the district to compete success- 

 fully with their rivals in the north near the coal supplies. 



Large extensions of Silver's factories were necessary from time 

 to time, as the manufacture of all kinds of rubber goods and ebonite 

 developed, and so many residents had gathered round the works 

 that the name of Silvertown was given to the district in honour of 



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