New-York tribune., 1896-05-04
~ ENGLISH STEEL TOWN.
-,,r CUTLERY TRADE OF SHEF-
~ FIELD HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY
TARIFF LEGISLATION

n
sc'0',, ssomeld. Leeds. Bradford and Newcastle
's 'sa the busiest centres OF industry ou's'ae oi
ire '"e ~, they are essentially the creations
:. .hs industrial movement OF the iast nan
!" and apart from the mechanical proc
=, manufacture. which have been carried
'Ss' advanced state Of perfection, ana the
" '.,r,, activities. which have ministered 10
ui'",. .a,,, and welfare OF rapidly increasing
'ns ~. n working people. there is little IN them
10 interest vs''oi'' ,. +, ~ l.,
" "aa,d "a not lacking either In age or In
.,.,ors NJ historical romance. Its origin pre-
tho Norman conquest and Is lost IN the
0e -, entouity The reputation OF Its sword
"',. -s ,s embalmed In one Of the Canterbury
'ss" na". and an old castle. long ago demolished.
'''' - scene of twelve years OF captivity or
~a' oraen of Scots But whoever looks about
Se'., =. .e,.,d for quaint architecture and me-
~ ',.,. Of historical interest Is disappointed
Nv. the ancient parish church In the centre OF
.,un has been altered so many times ana
Wv "....a 30 recently that Its origin In the four
!''s,h century is effectually disguised; and the
:, cutters Hall nearby has been enlarged ana
W. w. .,,rmed until 1t has ceased TO be distinct
~ ,,smoria Of the medieval trade guilds. The
"-.a new Town Hall. which awaits the
w.. nresence either this year or the next
Is. formalities Of civic Inauguration, repre-
-. ahsffied as it is-onc OF the centres OF
~.a.,, industry and urban life. 1t is smoke
C..,d factory town. with tall chimneys rising
~. ,undred 10 foul the atmosphere and with
.....o.,nr rumble Of grinding and rolling
- ~,,.rv which can be heard as an undertone
.,cost every business street to the outer
"' bo m, o1opa cOu1pQta9 with
=. ,,s range and extent Of iron and steel
,osru,actures Pre-eminent for generations IN
... ,roduction Of swords. files and cutlery. Shelf
s.,a has kept we'll abreast Of modern require
,,.r,s IN Woodworking and now makes the
o,ss, Ressemer steel. the heaviest guns and
amor plates for batte-ships. the most ponder
nms hammers and the most delicate tools re-
ouired for Industrial processes of ali kinds. and
s,,verwork and electro plate In endless variety
This IL Sheffield one of the greatest workshops
IN England. and the stronghold Of trades-union-
ism
The iron and steel industries are always among
the first TO suffer from the effects Of general de-
preston Of trade and also among the last to re-
cover from IT, The times are now good In Eng
land but Sheffield has barely begun to feel the in
vigoratIng influences OF improved business IT
has not had full share in the unexampled pros
perity of the woollen towns OF West Yorkshire
which have been describing in recent letters
Yet II has received a substantial increase In
business and portion Of the gain may be attrib-
uted TO the Wilson tariff. The largest reduc-
tons made in the iron and steel schedules were
In cutlery, which is the chief speciality of Shelf
deld The duties were lowered from 80 per cent
In the Mckinley schedule to 25 per cent In the
Wilson tariff In many classes OF cutlery. The re-
ductons in other classes were smaller. but the
new tariff. on the whole. was markedly favorable
" the greatest industry in Sheffield.
ENGLISH CUTLERY IN AMERICA.
Bsiare.he passage Of the Mckinley act the I'm
porsnbn Of Sheffield cutlery into the United
States had been steadily rising In 1885 these
bad Amounted 10 $685. 703. In 1889 there had been
n Increase to s1lsso1 and in 1890 there had been
further rise to 81 $40. The effect OF the Nc
lnley tariff, enacted In that year, was imme-
ately felt The importations OF cutlery from
aefYield amounted to $497.2Sl in 1891 and dropped
S407 $40 in 1894. after slight increase curing
,e two preceding yeara During the year ending
epternber 80. 1895. there was substantial IN
rease. the iuportations running up to s'Ss.si4'
,urpg the last quarter Of 1895 the increase was
ven larger and II has continued during the first
uarter OF 1895
The total .mportations from Sheffield Into the
,nited States increased 049 30i during the first
ear after the passage Of the Wilson tariff There
vas another gain Of $145.1l7 during the last quar-
er of 1895, and another increase OF over 100000
luring the quarter ending in March Of this year.
cutlery and steel being the principa! manufact-
,res shipped. The effect OF the two tariffs may be
,ummed up In a single sentence. Imports from
Sheffield were reduced 81 900 900 in 1891 under the
Mckinley tariff and increased $l.000,0OO In 1888
under the Wilson tariff. The American trade OF
Dhefneld, even with the reduced rates on cutlery.
has not yet returned TO the level OF 1SSS-9o The
Improvement In business with the United states
has been considerable but is not 10 be compared
With the enormous expansion Of the worsted and
woollen trade In the Bradford district. This
may be explained In two ways: First, the
changes In the metal schedule were less radical
than those in the woollen schedule; and, second
H. the iron and steel trade reacts more sluggish
y from period of commercial depression thah
almost any other branch Of business
Shefneld however, is not dependent upon
American trade as the tinplate section In South
Wales has been. Before the Mckinley tarin was
eueSteu nearly all the tlipldtc 1oSN -" 49,
Cnted States was manufactured there. AL
though the duties were materially reduced In
ine Wilson tarn the industry had been estab-
nsned In the United States and 1t could not be
destroyed one-half Of the trade has been lost
shesdy' and the exports Of tinplate from the
o"'ed Kingdom are steadily declining. being
no" only one-quarter Of the shipments In 1893,
.ae comparison being made for the month OF
A,aicn with the capacity Of the American TIN
v'a'e miiis increased to over 100000 boxes a
year the trade CT Swansea seems to be irrepara-
:" 'o'hed. What remains Of what was an I'M
-ep'e business with the United States would be
N away II there were slight increase OF
ouues; and indeed even without tariff ac-
'ne Welsh trade is rapidly declining. for
markets are not easily found. Shefield's
~ |'ean trade is only smoll fraction OF its en-
'uume OF business. The manufacturers,
se pleased to observe that this trade is In
ssng, arc preoccupied with the industrial re-