Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1850-06-03
AMERICAN AND ENGLISH IRON.

AMERICAN AND ENGLISH IRON.
Our attention has been recently called to the
annual advertisement Of "fhe Bureau Of Con-
struction, Equipment and Repairs of the Navy
Department" We there find this fact, that pro-
posals invited to furnish, at five different Ma
vyyards, large quantities off iron of all the various
sizes and descriptions Of iron used either in the
construction or repair of vessels We find also,
in this advertisement, this stipulation an 10
be Of The best quality Of american manufacture,
except the IA bundles OF Russia sheet iron. -
Would the Government make this condition with
reference to all its purchases of iron, iii had not
been found true economy to do so
While reading the advertisement of the Bureau
of Construction, we had called to our recollection
the fact stated short time since, in a letter pub
ished in this paper, that it was found as long ago
as 1913, by careful, nay by very rigid inspection,
at the Washington Navy yard, that Virginia iron
was stronger than any iron ever used prior to
that fine, at that yard. We have no doubt, that
it is still as good, indeed, we have every reason
to believe that it is better, the business has been
much extended since 1913, and our iron mas
tiers have acquired greater skill in lis fabrication
Is it not, then, altogether probable, that il roll
ing mill had been erected in our town, 10 make
our railroad iron, when the road should have been
finished this establishment might have command
ed the Government contracts, TO very great ex-
tent for the malleabe iron required in the repairs
and for the increase of our Navy
Should such a result have followed, is it not
perfectly clear that large amount ofpig iron
would have come in on our railroad, TO be con
verted into maleable iron, for the uses of the
United States Government, and 10 meet the COM
mercial demand of the country. But all this ton
mage is now destined to remain in the mountains
OF Southwestern Virginia, perhaps for ages to
come, as 1t has done for ages past, and we are to
transport Welsh IRON, bad Welsh iron, through the
whole breadth of the Commonwealth merely to
save few dollars per ton in first cost, and with
incontroverbe evidence before our eyes that
ii is bad Can it be wondered at, any longer,
that the people OF Virginia daily emigrating,
and all her industrial pursuits are languishing,
when such policy, as importing British iron TO
be laid down on the banks of ore of Southwestern
Virginia. adopted by one of the principal lines of
internal improvement And why is this done
If we arsRowecty informed, merely because a
few gent1emen-worthy persons are bound to
admit please to think it is more iudicious to buy
at low cost, although the article purchased is
known to be inferior to that which might be OBJ
tanned at fair price. In short they discard ev-
cry consideration due to the subject, except the
saving Of few thousand dollars in the first cost
of the road
ish iron be sanctioned by the Stockholders, it will
be in disregard ofall other considerations, which
should be weighed in deciding the question at is
sue. In our next number we will offer some rea-
sons TO sustain this position. We again disclaim
any ult-fnding spirit in regard to what has been
done. Our purpose is, TO try to offer facts and
arguments TO the Stockholders, why they should
sustain the Board of Directors in carrying out the
views, which, we believe, they entertain with en-
tire unanimity.
Now, wepresume, it will be admitted by every
one, that prior to the act ofthe Legislature giving
us the charter for our railroad our prospects, in
business point of view, very gloomy
Upon getting this charter, they frightened, and
they have been Frightening ever since; business
of almost every description, has revived, What
were our calculations? Why, that the railroad
would secure TO us the benefits of our mineral
and other resources, and that manufacturing ope-
rations would commence at an early period. We
thought that sound policy consisted, not so much
in buying at the lowest prices, as in doing every
thing as much as possible within ourselves. We
thought, that the promotion Of the interests Of the
whole community, consisted more in our giving
of aid to each other, than in sending the money
of our people to England 10 buy iron, because it
can be purchased there at a rather reduced price.
How has the thing worked On the very first
occasion, which offers for developing our resour-
ces, our pledges TO the people are not redeemed;
but their money is emplovedin purchasing English
iron thereby putting off, perhaps for years, the
commencement OF our manufacturing Sysem.-
After while, we are inclined TO think, our rail-
road friends will that they have not fixed up
on the true economical DOllcY.