New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-15
to bring about some increase In activity-always
provided Congress does not NEEDLE too much'
sWINDLING sTEEL.MAKERs EXPOSED.


A controversy of much interest to the steel trado
has recently been raging ia England. In the course
of elaborate report on Bessemer Steel tothe state
Department at Washington. DIR. Webster, for
many years United States Consul ut Sheffield. men
toned not long ago that large quantities OF
DESIGNER steel were being sold by British manu-
facturers ms cast Steel" term which was under
stood to mean crucibe cast steel Inasmuch NJ tho
one costs about $50 ton and the other not lar
from $3.50, this was rather large sized cat TO DC
let out Of the bag. DR.. Websters report, which
found Its way into print in this country soon got
back to England aud naturally created great
stir. The matter taken up in the meetings OF
the Iron and steel Institute lately in session at
Chester, and eminent authorities in the steemaking
industry have continued the argument in the
columns Of the press.
The points issue the relative merits OF thetWo
kinds of steel and the respective quantities actually
consumed On the one hand. tho crucible-steel men,
as represented by Mr. Seebohm of the firm OF
Seebohm, Hall q Co., emphatically declare that
the superiority of their product must forever estab-
lish largo and unfailing demand for IT, 1hey
assert that the consumption of crucble steel Is not
falling oil, and disparage tho product OF the
Bessemcr and Siemens processes as lttle better
than wrought iron. On the other.hand, Sir Henry
Bessemer comes calamity to the defence Of his in-
NciJlOH, lnhstlllB Oh luo W w" n'''' '
| in pursuance thereof dwelling nwhat seems to he
tho undisputed fact that eight tenths OF ShelieldS
production is of essemer Steel and suggesting that
the rival interest ~ merely trying to bolster M
disabled business Tho proportions OF the Discus
sion arc still further swellcd by revelations oi the
| experience of individual buyers tho anxious dis
olamors Of suspected manufacturers TINT they nave
u Beascmor plant anywhere about their PROMISES
and published interviews with ir0nmongofs CON
corning tho character and quantities OF tho steer
they handle. Dnt. curlously enough, no one quos'
tIona tho truth Of Dr. Wobstota original statement;
aGd thorc has been disposition not to talk about
II too much. II Is significant that. although there
wna n strong dssiro outside Of Shcnla1 10 hayc the
recent meeting of the Iron and stool Institute hcld
| there tho manufacturers In that town rolusod TO
open their establishments to inspection by nembers
| and forced the Institute 30 90 to Chester instead.
| Whatever doubt there may be, therefore, ~ 10
the actual quantity of Besscmer steel palned Oh on
| unsupported buyers mt cXtortionato prices, as
cruciblc stool tho fact that such deception is
! practisod may be considered established. This
! revelation and th5 discussion to which it has let
must prove of great advantage 10 the tradc both IN
! Europe and America. And though the rival manu-
facturers may be left to finish tho fight which has
been prccipitatcd among themselves. it may be re-
marked that Englands frce-trade system docs not
appear to be any moro fatal to frauds aud oppres-
sion than Americas much abused and hated protec-
! two tarin