The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-19 00:00:00

THE SCOTCH IRON TRADE:

There appears to be no end of new iron works. We have
just heard of several works about to be erected, but four cer-
tain—viz., one in the parish of Lesmahagow, another near
Wilsontown ironworks, a third at Dalmellington, and a fourth
near Kilmarnock—each of them will probably commence
with four blast furnaces. It may be interesting to estimate
the production when the projected works are in full opera-
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in blast in three months. Now with the several new fur-
additetynal-
naces above-mentioned, there will be in blast next year, no
fewer than one hundred and thirty-two furnaces. These
furnaces will produce the enormous quantity of seventeen
thousand tons weekly, or eight hundred and eighty-four
thousand tons annually, which, the English production
of one million two hundred thousand, will give a total pro
duce of two millions of tons of pig iron annually. So large
and increasing a production accounts for the great accumu-
lation of the stock of pig iron (the stock in Glasgow is es-
timated at upwards of two hundred and fifty thousand tons),
notwithstanding the extraordinary demand made for this
article for the purposes of railway companies. There is a
singular feature in the Scotch iron trade not generally known,
but which must be rectified before the trade be put upon a
secure basis.: .We allude to the fact that, although the rails
now universally used are made of malleable iron, there are
in Scotland only sufficient malleable works to convert
the produce of fifteen furnaces into that description of iron.
The Scotch ironmasters are also shut out from the benefit of
the numerous English malleable ironworks, which may be
said to be supplied with pig iron of their own manufacture.
The total quantity of Scotch pig iron taken to England, and
manufactured there, is so trifling that it is not equal to the
produce of more than a very few of our blast furnaces. The
late high prices, we fear, will be found to have bad a most
injurious effect upon the trade, both by stimulating the
production to an enormous extent, and by cutting off the
export of pig iron ; for, under the new duties imposed by
the Zollverein, foreigners cannot afford to take our
pig iron except at low prices. And when it is
remembered that in 1842 (the last year in which
the Continental exports were considerable) the amount of
pig iron exported from Glasgow alone was seventy thousand
tons, it will be seen how important it is to cultivate this
branch of the trade. And this can only be effected by keep-
ing prices moderate. It is a painful fact that, since 1842,
the exportation of pig iron has all but ceased. Under these
circumstances, we are at a less to conceive how the surplus
iron is to be disposed of. Should the price fall, of course part
will be exported; but until there has been erected as many
malleable iron works as there are pig iron works, the trade,
we fear, will suffer great depression in consequence of the
constant accumulation of stock. On account of the many
railways in course of formation or projection, there must be
a great demand for malleable iron ; we are, therefore, sur-
prised that this branch of the trade has hitherto escaped the
attention of our capitalists.—Glasgow National.

STEAMER FOR DENMARK.—There is now building
by our celebrated townsman, Mr. R. Napier, and nearly
finished, a splendid ircn steamboat, of 240-horse power, and
300 tons register. She is commissioned by the proprietors of
the Phristian VIII. (formerly the Vulcan of Glasgow), and
is intended for the passage between Kiel and Copenhagen.
She is expected to prove one of the finest and fastest boats
that has ever left the port of Glasgow ; and we are glad to
find, from such a vessel being ordered. by our neighbours of
Denmark, that they begin to value tune and comfort not less
than we ourselves Eto.—Glaspa (fowler.