New-York tribune., 1866-12-24
BRITISH PROTECTION.

that at least equality of competition between them
and the manufacturing capitalists Of Europe shall be
secured to them by law "More protection for mil
"lonaire manufacturers" More taxation OF the
"people for the benefit Of capitasts"- More legs
"laton TO enrich special interests" these are the
reiterated cries by which the British Free Trade
League in Pine-st. expects TO frighten Americans
out of their common sense. "Protecuoh'
Why, the manufacturing supremacy Of Great Britain
is founded on protection, and on nothing else her
enormous industry has been built up by protection
bv high protection devised and asked for by her
manufacturers, freely given by her Parliaments'
watched over and amended by her Boards OF Trade,
steadily adhered TO by successive ministries as vital
national policy An Englishman, or an EngliShman's
hrod American echo, discharging from his cheeks the
word Protection" as q scof, or in anywise arguing
against protection as an incident TO the development
of nations industry with such record before him
as tho British tariffs on Iron the impudenee Is
matchless. Just SEQ what answering support the
British Government gave to the British iron manuiac
ture for an unbroken period Of l47 years, till 1t was
strong enough to invite the world TO Free Trade and
to teach Free Trade.
In 1879 the first duty on foreign iron was imposed
by the British Government, OF 10 shihngs per tuh'
In 1710 the duty advanced to y. 1s. 3D. per tun
in English vessels, and o. los. 10d in foreign YES
ses stiff tariff which yearly did its intended work
for 70 years undisturbed by any bowling Of foreign
importers, camped in London or elsewhere, against
the folly Of manufacturing dear iron at homo when
cheaper iron could be bought abroad. This tariff did
not make cheap iron-did not even supply England
with the iron she needed for she was constant I'M
porter of IT, But what Of that She was afer cheap
ron and she was going to get it through perSeyeng
protection. In 1882 the duty was raised to q. los.
3D. In 1885 Parliament prohibited the expectation OF
tools engines, models, or plans OF machines used IN
the manufacture Of iron, under tho penalty OF one
years imprisonment of the shipper, E2OO hne conts-
cation of the articles shipped or intended
TO be shipped, fine Of GOO on the master oil the
vessel and tho the custom-house officers Who
Wcro TO he dismissed and be thereafter incapable Tor
over Of holding office. Item, for entcing iron work
men out of England, Parliament imposed the penalty
of one years Imprisonment and G5OO fine Tor every
workman so entced the fine to be doubled Tor the
second offsnse. Bood-earnest legisation-but there
was not man in England to protest against It, For
England, and the English, were after cheap iron.
In 1857 thero was nobody to talk about the night OF
buying in the cheapest markets and foreign import
ers not having a voice in legislation Parliament pro-
hibited the importation of iron less than threeourths
of an inch square, except plain bars and all maniac
lures Of iron and steel In 1895 that blood-earnost
act prohibiting the expectation Of tools aud machinery
was made perpetual. In 1896 the duty on iron
was raised TO 81. Is. Cd. per tun. And now England
had I2l furnaces and made l2i,s79 tuns OF iron
and there was still no voice for free trade.
In 1897, higher the duty raised TO a. Is. ID In
1898, unsettled revenue policy, ehi very bad Tor
manufacturers, eh the duty was again raised to
g. I5s 5d.-and not whinny of ree-trade TO distuD
tho deadly purpose Of these wise Engsh 10 Dea 'no
world in making iron They were determined 10 DO
it. and through the only possible way protection IN
1902 England had l6S furnaces aud made lO'OW
tuns Of iron And there wasn't man in the realm to
say that the iron manufacturers didn't need more pro-
lection that they could sustain themselves that this
increase Of the tariff special legislation. and other
such bosh In ls03-oh, the folly Of changing tariffs,
which our importers weep ovcr!-up the Government
puts the duty again-to a. Is. AID. In 1901, the
duty again raised TO A. l7s. Id. In lSOj, the
duty again raised to a. Is. In lSG,
up again advanced to ST. Is. SD. In
lsO9-oh these constant changes Of tariffs Cn favor
of protection) injurious to manufacturers tho
market Of England Cor English iron not being yet Sc
curod. the Government again advanced the duty to
ST. 9s IOd. In 1913, the market not yet secured,
the duty was again advanced to g. o. 1Od Under
this protection in five years the production Of iron in
Great Britain ran up TO 100000 tuns year. But
England could not yet beat the world in making
cheap iron, and inexorable in her determination and
wisely and faithfully governed, she again. in 1872
advanced the duty on imported iron 10 u. JOS.
in British ships and II. l5s. Cd. in foreign
ships Iron slit or hammered into rods, or
drawn or hammered less than threefourths of al inch
square, was charged with duty Of 2Oi. Hoops
Heretofore charged III. 9s. Id tun, were now
charged 2a l5s.l BY 1926 what had this determined
patient, ever augmenting protection accomplished
1t accomplished its work 1t enabled England to
develop her manufacture Of iron TO the degree that
she could undersel tho world, and begin to preach
the gospel Of Free Trade among nations. In this
year the price Of iron per tun in various countries
was as follows: France, 25l. lOs Sweden, 49, l3s.
Belgium, 1Gl l4s.; Russia, l3l. 1885,; Germany
I6l l4s; England, 1Ol In 1896 the duty on bar
iron was reduced to II. l0s.; on hammered rods
from 2OL. to 81. Hoops remained at 23i. IOs., and
pig iron at los.
Inc DIiliSh Nofeinmoht Ihus uuFuhOcu lno uuV'es
on imported iron fifteen times in space of l47 years.
from 81 SO tun to $35 tun, and made every one
of those duties specific More than this, during all
that time her manufacturers had the advantage Of high
prices of iron in all the other countries of the world
England dd'not begin to reduce her duties foreign
iron until she had so established her manufacture that
she exported nine times much she imported and
of course no longer required protection More yet:
she waited ten years after it was demonstrated that