Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-09-18
FRIDAY Morning, september IS, ls4o.
RICHMOND MANUFACTURES aeon, ~.

RICHMOND MANoFnS ~ If IN
We have read carefully the eo.o''".
Times and the Communication OF us .oi,.SpN
don, an on the new enterprise oil Inc p''ao
meadow Steel Company. Sc far from our con %.
yictions being shaken, they are conliftneu'
rebu, the clamor OF The Wing press asa'n'' -
"Locofoco Tariff" that il had stopped man!
factories and was destined 10 prosHa'e "i 'A'
manufactures in the country, we ci'ea INSANE
of new enterprises in other Sia'es IN ON e"'
State, and particularly two al our own oooi'
Anxious as We always have been and Sill DIT
10 see the resources Of Virginia developed VIZ
were yejoiced IL see, that not only the existing g
Establishments had weathered the Locoioco slorn
n, destruction. bul that two new enterprises hat
been launched forth, upon the sea oil experiment
with "brisht prospect of success" II, IN lhi'
hour Of gloom, thought We, Virginia can emoarS
in new manufactures, surely The new iaiiii can
NOT be The deaths head, which The wings nave
portrayed il. We did not speak. MI we mao p01
sess.d ourselves fully of all the tacls-and aier
candid and lair examination, we congratulated
the people, lha, The new Tariff was not SO run
ous. after all. We cited The two enterprises III
orr civ as conclusive proof, and we SIM inSs'
upon The argument as fair and legitimate
But saws The Times, The new works OF 'he
groadmeadow Steel Company, though erec'eo
for the manufacture OF iron, on winch 'he
duty is lowered, are intended 10 manufacture
"suci iron as is necessary 10 supply 'heii
steel factory" and are entirely subsidiary 10
the manufacture OF steel, upon which Inc du'y
Is raised II is therefore, says tha' paper
the higher duty upon steel which luslihes Inc
new enterprise. Without going into full an
swer 10 this view, we quote, in reply Inc eSpla-
NATIONS Of the Times correspondent IN, "who
;s well versed in the subject" So TAR from Inc
higher duty on STEEL influencing the new move
men, he distinctly says that ii is upon peculiar
facts. "and nat nigh or low Tar't, that The com
pany relies tor their success" Does not lh's
broad admission completely sustain our vew'-
But we give "M's" iuli explanation;
"The Rroadmeadow Company IS exclusively
a steel manufacturing company; onl aIef nav
ing asceuained, by experiment, that IRON OF sur
fcient purity for conversion mo seer ednuo. -
purchased, either OF domestic or lorelSh 'ndnuide'
Iure they have determined 10 erect IRON WORKS,
moi as matter of choice, but Of necessity where
they can have iron OF the proper description
made under their own supervision. Inc ques-
lion asked by the Enquirer, why tue bioanmea-
dow Company does not purchase Enslish irohi
10 be made into slcel2 is easily answered. oy sd
ting The fact that such is not used even 10 lug
land for that purpose, except !ot 'he io"es' qua..
~ OF steel, and that The Engllsh MANUFACTURES
OF steel OF the higher grades are compe'lee 70
use Swedish iron and even that OF The risht
description is Sc rare that they have secured me
monopoly o; the produce OF the mines yielding
such, and that nj price far exceeding the value
OF Swedish iron in the United States.
az have said that il has been ascellained mat
iron of sufficient purity for conversion INTO steer
cannot be purchased in market, and VIII aad, ina,
it has also been satisfactorily ascerlalned that
there is a peculiar quality in much OF me ore OF
Virginia, which, by the proper mode oil manu-
facture into iron, makes II mt Tor conversion mo
The higher grades OF steel. Is upon h,S fact,
and not a high or lor tarif, TINT The company re-
hes for their success"
In regard 10 the other enterprise, The Rolling
Mill al the Armory, We also the explana-
lion OF an"
aWi,h regard 10 the Armory Iron Company,
will state for the information OF The edio's Of me
49, f.s~sSas@I "Sa' tptt en-
eed by having taken lease OF The site and
water power, some time before tie neic iar!F BE-
came lac, and would have been involved in GER
tam loss had they no, have decided 10 prosecute
the enterprise and even thai consideration, COM
bined with the conviction that lion Of similar
quality can hc produced al lower cost in Rich
mond than in some other parts OF The u States,
was not sufficient 10 satisfy The minds OF all The
parties that il was expedient TO go on with The
works under the new tariff"
We can see nothing here to weaken inc
force of on, argument. These gentlemen, before
they entered into the contract, must have oeen
aware. that some important modification would
be made in the Tariff of 1912 The SUP
ice, had been fully discussed, a Pfeslden'
had been elected pledged TO Tarin leiof'n'
a large majority OF the House OF Repre-
sen,atives had been returned OF similar pom
,ical sentiments and, although Mr. WEBSTER
WAS blind 10 what was going on, The country
looked for some important change OF Inc Iaf'h.
They went into The arrangement, then, WIN 'heir
eyes open to the consequences. Inc ou''es we'e
rednced and they still go on with the work.
W. have too high regard for their sasacy and
tor.s;,bt TO believe, that they would sink more
money, if they were convinced lhatthe new iar'h
,v,s about TO ruin all iron manufactures. Sup
nose they had been caught in bad bargain, would
i no, be more prudent in them 10 give up what
they had lost, rather than throw away an addi-
,ional sum? They certainly understand their
own business and know their own Interest,"
They have resolved 10 risk more money, IN
order to secure what they have invested,
and, therefore, must have reasonable grounds
10 hope for success, in spite OF The predictions
of the Wings. Some of them, at least, we
are assured, feel sansuine Of success we
cannot doubt it, in view Of the Furnishing slate oil
the iron market, abroad From the variety oil
purposes, 10 which iron is destined 10 be applied,
for MANY wears at eas, the demand will be equa
10 The supply, and the iron interest must advance
A jealous Tarif6te said TO us, that this equality
of supply and demand would continue for three
wears. That is all that The iron manufacturers
can ask.
But the Times takes the ground, that Virginia
possesses peculiar advantages for the manufac-
ture of iron, and that while The iron works OF Vr-
gnia may be able TO go on under the new Tariff,
those of PENNSYLVANIA will suffer very injurious
consequences. For the information Of our read.
ers we extract the interesting facts stated by the
Times. They show that the iron manufactures
in Virginia can be conducted without the enor'
nous duties imposed by the Tariff of ls42, and
that while the reduction Of that Tariff will give
fair play to the agricultural products Of The State
il will not break up and ruin the manufacturing
interest. We predic, that all will flourish, in
harmony and in peace. We submit the following
statement with the remark, in which our read
srs will concur, that if the manufacture of iron
in Virginia survive the new Tariff, as is here adj
miued. there is no danger for similar enterprises
in Pennsylvania, with their long experience
skill, capital and industry:
"Moreovsr, take this occasion TO observe, that the
manufacture of iron in Virginia Is attended with GER
tain peculiar advantages which guard II, in great
measure. from the dangers Of the new system. which
II Is apprehended, will be injurious 10 the business
In PannAYYnnla. hlnllv ION of