Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-09-19
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The iron trade leads the manufacturing
industries in the United States. The whole
amount of capital employed in its various
processes is not very far from 5000, 900, 900.
The value of the raw material annually
used by il amounts TO between $4,000, 900
and 100000 of the same largo figure,
while the value of its products is not less
than $500, 200, 900. About 100000 operatives
were employed by the trade in 1870, and a
considerably larger number now. AS by
far the greatest proportion of these are
heads Of families, we get, at the rate of five
TO a family, about 100000 persons directly
supported by this industry, TO say nothing
of the large additional number indirectly
taken care Of. About 100000 was paid
in wages to these operatives in 1870, and
this amount must b9 considerably incrcas-
ed at present, owing to the advanced pros
perity of the interest siuce that period.
The welfare of this branch of our indus
try, therefore, becomes matter Of nation
al concern, especially when, as now, there
is likely TO be marked change in its con-
dition, owing to the altered position of
things in Great Britain. Until recently she
has not only deprived us of the markets of
the world for our great manufacture, but
has even undersold us in our own market,
despite very liberal protection to the iron
trade 1t should, however in justice, be
added that the demand, especially for rail-
way purposes, has been so great for the
last two or three years that the efforts of
both countries have been unable to supply
il with anything like promptness, and pric-
cs paid have been very remunerative.
Now, however, The great and apparently
permanent advance in coal, together with
sitter prices for labor, have altered the con-
ditons of the trade not only in England
but throughout the Continent, greatly to its
disadvantage. We say apparently perma-
nenr' advance in British coal, because the
Parliamentary inquiry seemed TO result in
no other conclusion than that the pr &C was
high, while proposing no medy and hold
ing out no hope for the return of moderate
charges. The practical working of this
condition Of things is, that out of 200
pudding furnaces in the north of England
moro than 700-a third of The entire num-
ber-are out Of blast and likely to remain
for the month of July shows great falling
Off from that in the same month in 1872,
owing, as one of the trade journal remarks,
''to the competition with America which
has greatly injured the export trade" 1t
is added that the exports 20 Canada, which
have usually been large, have now ceased,
owing to the fact that Canadians are buy
ing their iron goods from the United States
at lower rate than they can be at present
obtained from England, owing, of course,
| to the advance in coal and labor.
Present prices, we are further told, are
as low as they can be, wilhou: working at
loss. We are informed that the common
est Welsh coke cannot be had under SO
shillinss per ton at the ovens, or 46 shl-
lings delivered at South Staffordshre, and
as ii tax es one and half tons of COX @ to smelt
each ton of pig-iron, the cost of fuel alone
ton of iron produced at the latter point.
Now, it is very clear that on such a show
ing as this, manufacturers cannot reduce
prices permanently, and it seems more than
probable that the recent reductions, caused
mainly by slack demand, nave also been
made for the purpose of breaking down
the American iIUu Interest. It has partial
ly succeeded in making trade dull just now
over here; but the effect can hardly be a
permanent one.-N. Y Times.