Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-12
OFFICE, 713 FOURTEENTH ST. N. w.
Hous-9 to daily Monday and Thur.dny
HINTS FOR AMERICANS.
Advice to English Manufa cturers
That Is Worth Needing Here.

That Is Worth Needing Here.
From the London Times.
In an elaborate report on Japanese rail-
ways, Mr.. Lowther of the British legation
in Toxic says that March 1, 1895, the
total mileage of railways open to the pub
lie was 211S, of which government lines
amounted to $50 and private lines to 1.53S
miles. In addition there were 1912 miles
urcompIeted, while apparently about 1000
miles of line are contemplated, excluding
Formosa.
Mr.. Lowther specially calls attention to
the vital necessity for British manufacture
ers of railway material to take every pos
sible measure to advance their interests in
Japan. Hitherto Great Britain has practi-
cally had a monopoly in furnishing rails,
engines, rolling stock, etc; whether her
manufacturers are still to enjoy this privi-
lege must depend on themselves and on the
eXertions they make. The railways of ia
pan have been built under foreign, it might
almost be said British, advisers. Hence, it
was convenient that the materials required
for carrying out designs made by English
engineers should be obtained in England.
The influence of English engineers could
not fail to make itself felt in that direc-
ton; but the tendency Of the Japanese
government is to dispense with all foreign
advice, and the time may not be remote
when all Japanese lines, whether govern
ment or private, will be built and managed
without any assistance from the foreigner
in Japan, and the material alone will be
purchased abroad. In Great Britain the
leading firms order from designs made by
their own engineers, and manufacturers
have nothing to do with the preparation of
the designs. In America, on the other
hand, there exists a system under which
the railway companies state their require
ments and the manufacturers send in COM
petitive projects based on their own de-
signs.
The English engineer who has been the
designer of railway bridges in Japan since
1882 is leaving the country. On his de-
pc rture, if the japanese engineers have
structures with which they are unable to
deal, 1t will be most easy for them to adopt
the American system and get both design
transferring the business to America.
American firms are careful to be repre-
scented in Japan, while only some of the
most important British firms have agents
there.
Hence, Mr.. Lowther thinks that British
manufacturers Ct railway material would
find it advantageous to be properly repre-
Sented In Japan, as large shpbuildng
firms have been with success. and, as there
are evident signs of boom" in railway
enterprise in Japan, it Is important that
the matter should be attended to without
delay. 1t Is easier to keep the Japanese as
| customers in the British market, where
they have always obtained a satisfactory
return for their outlay, than to bring them
back to the market when they have gone
to another.
1t is estimated that a third of the total
expenditure of japanese railways goes
abroad for the purchase Of materials and
hence the matter Is one well worth look
ing after. Mr.. Eowther's report contains a
vast amount of information, with maps
and plans regarding Japanese railways
existing, in couIDe of construction and pro-
Jected-gaugeS, rolling stock, character of
the traffic, revenue, expenditure, and the
like.