Elswick Ordnance Company (EOC). Armstrong surrendered the patent for his RBL gun to the British government, rather than profit from its design and as a result he received a knighthood in 1859. Armstrong became employed as Engineer of Rifled Ordnance to the War Department. In order to avoid a conflict of interests if his own company were to manufacture armaments, Armstrong created a separate company, called Elswick Ordnance Company, in which he had no financial involvement. The new company agreed to manufacture armaments for the British government and no other.