Abstract
WITHIN the last few days we have been given further evidence by manufacturers and commercial men of their intention to organise themselves for the protection and development of British trade and industry, and to provide substantial funds for the promotion of these objects. A circular has been issued by the Executive Council of the Federation of British Industries, which includes many leading representatives of manufacturing and producing industries, inviting firms to join the federation, and to pay an annual subscription of rooJ. until at least the year 1919. The main objects of the federation are the organisation and development of industry now and after the war, in co-operation with labour and in conjunction with the Government and Government departments. In furtherance of like interests, the Committee of Financial Facilities for Trade has just recommended to the President of the Board of Trade that a British Trade Bank should be established with a capital of 10,000,000l., with the objects, among others, of establishing an information bureau, co-operating with merchants and manufacturers, and affording financial support to promising enterprises. It is suggested that any financial assistance given by the Government to undertakings in connection with what are known as “key” industries should be granted through the medium of the commercial information bureau. A couple of months ago we described the formation of the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers, with a subscription based pro rata on the size of the subscribing undertakings; and the steps taken to organise the British engineering industry into an association were outlined in our issue of August 24. At a meeting held at the Mansion House on September 20 to promote the organisation of British electrical and allied manufactures it was pointed out that the approximate aggregate capitalisation of our engineering works is now 400,000,000l., so that an annual subscription of one-tenth of 1 per cent, of the capital would provide an income of 400,000l.
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Industrial Associations . Nature 98, 65–66 (1916). https://doi.org/10.1038/098065a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/098065a0