The morning call., 1893-06-27
STEEL AND SHIPS.


foreigners that American mechanics ac-
complish great results by their ingenuity
and adaptability. Raised contours of the
larges iron and steel furnace in England,
the one at Newport. and of the largest
iron and steel furnace in the United
States, the one at the Edgar Thomson
Works at Pittsburg. stand side by side in
the show. The English furnace has a
capacity of 80, 600 cubic feet, the Anne rican
furnace capacity of 1880 feet; but the
product of the former is seventy tons per
day, while that OF the latter is 271 tons per
day To turn out its product the English
furnace uses 230S pounds of coke to ton
of steel. the American 1868 pounds to a
ton. The English furnace takes $50 hours
to perform its work, the American twenty
one hours.
1t is plain that the competition Of our
iron and steel manufacturers with those of
England rendered possible by the encour-
agement of our industry by protective
tariff is bearing its expected fruit. The
United States, which only began the bust
ness few years ago, produced last year
4.277,000 tons of steel. as against 3,679.
tons produced by Great Britain. In re-
spect to the raw materials, iron, ore, fuel
and limestone. both countries stand about
even. England has an advantage in cheap
abor and we in the ability. ingenuity
and energy of our m echanics.
The English steel-makers work accord
ing to rules laid down many years ago.
They stick to precedent. having learned
by experience that innovations are gener-
ally mistake. Hence they make little or
no progress. Americans are all the time
seeking new methods, new devices, new
appliances, to improve upon the past, and
hence they are constantly progressing and
doing that better which was pretty fairly
done by their fathers. 1t is obvious that
If we adhere to this tendency to improve
ment. while the English stick to their con-
serVatism, and adhere to our policy of en-
couraging OFT manufacturers in continuous
efforts to overcome the competition of
British cheap labor, the day will come
when we shall be able to not only hold our
domestic market but to reach out for for
eign custom.
Each of the great innovations of modern
times in steel manufacture was adopted in
this country almost as soon as in England.
We made Bessemer steel almost as soon
as they did, though Bessemer first an
nounced his discovery in England. Sic
mems q Martin open hearth furnaces have
been in operation here almost as long as
there. and we are rapidly adopting Sidney
Gichrist Thomas basic process, by which
ores containing an excess of phosphorus
can be economically handled. We borrow
all the English improvements as fast as
their merit is proved; and they, partly
from high and lofty diSdain of American
skill. are not borrowing ours. Having ap-
propriated the English discoveries. we
cheaper the cost of their application by
devices of our own and thus of late years
We have kept the price of steel products
not much higher here than it is in
England, and much lower than it would be
if England were given the control and
monopoly of our markets. The cheaper
ing process which has gone on during the
past quarter of century is really amazing.
A quarter of century ago steel rails were
worth at Pittsburg S166 per ton; they have
been declining ever since, and now they
are quoted at $50. In England they are
still So or Sc less per ton. Our tariff is
S13 a ton, which proves that domestic
competition keeps the rrice below the for
eign price with the tariff added.
The lesson taught by the development of
the steel industry in he United States is
that if the American mind turns its atten-
ton to the subject of naval architecture
equally striking trumphs will probably be
achieved, provided equal encouragement is
afforded. What has been done in one in
dustry can be done in others. Until lately
we have not been in condition to build
ocean steamers to compete with the vessels
constructed at the English. French or Ger
man shipyards. The first real step toward
rivalry was taken when the Cramps under
took to duplicate the New York and Paris.
and now the International Company an
nounces that it will construct five new
ships OF even greater size and speed. The
English are said to be planning steamers
to sail twenty-seven knots. American
ship-builders will undertake to duplicate
these if sufficient inducements are held out
by commercial conditions and Government
encouragement like that afforded the Brit
ish lines. EX-Secretary of the Navy Tracy
says that the Massachusetts is match for
any battle-ship afioat, and we can do as
we'll with a merchant steamer.