Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-12-10
TIIE rnoN pusiNEs

The Union gives semi-ofhcial notice that no
increase OF the duties on Iron will be allowed
to pass the present Congress. We presume
this may be taken as decisive of the fact, but
the reasons given for il seem not at oil CON
elusive. The Uuion ~calculates as follows:
.'The annual product Of pig iron in En.
land is one million five hundred thousand IONS.
The railroads now in contemplation. and 10 be
completed IN England alone, will comprise
seven thousand four hundred and ninety-iour
miles; required for railroad purposes in France,
SIX hundred and twenty miles IN Prussia, two
thousand two hundred miles; in India, two
thousand niles; amounting. IN the whole, to
tarelce tioasnad three handred and fourteen
mil,s Ofraiirogd, ,et.ieh gluSt be supplied mainly
from EngiHad. Ii is estimated HAT il requires
five hundred tons OK iron for every mile Of
railroad 50 that, 10 supply the demand to
complete the roads mentioned there viii Dc
wanting six million one hundred and thy
seven thousand tons Of iron. Can England
meet this demand To meet the demand
o. England alone, she must supply, without
aiiordiHc a pound 10 the ontinen or India.
three million seven hundred and lortY-seyen
thousand toasi Recollect that her annual
product is only one million five hundred thou
sand tons and she must produce four million
six hundred and fiity-Seyen thousand tons
MORE than the usual annual production 10
meet the demand"
These strike US as the most loose and unre-
liable statistics we have met since thc DAYS Of
CAMBRELrSG. The Aerald's money articles
have Sometimes approached but never quite
equaled them, Twelve thousand miles Of
Railroad are 'in contemplation; but how
soon 10 be batia Viii hall Of them ecer be
eonstrucled2 And VIII the other half be com
pseted this Century Who knows2 Who
estimates 500 tons Of Iron 70 the mile OF Rae
road? Who e~eriiies that France, aud Pfus
sia, and India, do and always must procure
their Railroad Iron from England 2-Snrely of
all tools ihat a poor workman can handle sa-
tisues ARE the most uncertain and p%erlous.
But suppose all tbs Union's calculations
were sound. how fatal the mistake made IN
cutting down our Iron duties 70 the Receals
standard' England can spare Us no Iron,
says the Organ then how are We 10 ret Rey-
enue or iron either from our lower duties 7
The Iariii OF AZ had operated vastly to e1
tend, and was still rapidly extending, our
Home Product Of Iron. Every week saw q
new furnace blown IA OF al old one enlarged.
Here was a certain reliance for cheaper Iron.
as soon as TIE increase in the manufacture
could ovcdake the increasing demand, as II
was AitJtAttF NfttolI SUN III Gts EUf bow
this IS broken up by ,te New Tsflif; new
Iron Works are established very rarely, aud
the old ones are more rarely extended. The
iron workers say, we can live AZ present
prices. but what security have we la, any
thing like these viii be maintained Thirty
'per cent. duty viii DO with Pig iron al $50 Ia
Europe, but when Pig fails to $40 Or &l2.
there, it wiii be no duty at all. and we canaot
Withstand the Foseign compcutIon.' WISELY
or unwiSsly, this apprehension is Gripping
and contracting the Home Product Of Iron.
Capitalists Will aot advance the heavy sans
needed 10 put new rolling mnls IN operation
with such a prospect Of i0osing every cent OF
II BY a change IA the market. Thus We have
lei 90 the Certainty we had Of cheaper Iron
through the improvement and increase OF tue
business here, and the Union says we are 10
get hule or none nom abroad. Where, then,
is the wisdom, and wherein the advantage, og
our reduction Of duties Can the Organ tell ?
~ L. Tribune.