The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-22
WE SELL MUCH TO AFRICA,
AND ENGLAND rs SAID TO BE
FRETTING ABOUT 1T.

AN uuNCFN HhNhAN Inv ANNtkNu
IzinE or the Rand by MininE Masnstes
who Order Machinery from Here, Where
They Can Get tho Best-HLow We DO Ne.
Intelligence Of South Africa received here
yesterday dwelt upon n fresh outbreak of oppo-
sition In London TO the alleged Americana
ing OF the Rand-as the great mining ridge Ia
called-by the wealthy mine owners, who, II
is said, have been placing orders for machinery
In the United States instead OF In England. 1t
was said further In the news dispatches that
directors Of the English machinery companies
were also directors In the American com
panies.
Tho news draws attention TO the very init.
mate relations that have existed for the last
half dozen years between the United states and
tho African continent In a business way. rela.
lions which came into being naturally, but
were unobserved by the mercantile communi.
ties OF the world generally until 1t was found
that the Yankees had a practical monopoly of
important branches Of trade In the rich and
growing countries down there.
Until about the year 1890, It is said, not
much business was done By American manu-
faoturers or other makers Of mining machin-
CRY witt South Africa. Then. however. min
ing on q large scale, or on the American
PLAN. as 1t has been called. began. Instead
of small work or placer mining, wealthy men
and syndicates put up sufficient capital to open
and equip n mine and work IL on the princi-
piles of a big business enterprise from he start.
While mining in all localities begins with sur
face work, here in America there had been so
much of 1t, of almost all kinds. for years, that
conditions had changed until the big mine own
ers. when they decided to open n mine, immedi-
ately capitalized the company SO that II could
begin business with all facilities and without
debt.
When mining took n squirt in Africa, about
six years ago. the men interested determined to
work in the way which had been In vogue in
this country with 30 notable success. The
English capital, which in many cases was the
strength of tho enterprise. employed American
skill and experience. Most Of the engineers
in the new country were and are Americans or
Britishers, who, as agents of home capital, had
got their mining experience in this country,
and consequently were Americanized in habit.
These men were familiar with American ma.
chinery, and naturally. in ordering, ordered
what they knew about. American mining ma
chinery and apparatus were and are. moreover.
at the head of the list. In no other country
had machinists and engineers the opportu-
mites for development during TWENTY-FIVE years
that had been offered In the United States and
Elsewhere. for instance. for a particular
mine. perhaps; q drill or some mechanism had
tried on another mine it would not answer
satisfactorily. In America were almost all
ers were in immediate intercourse with the
mines, not separated by oceans, so that they
tna o nsls to see u the t needs x. of o the miners mh1smsn and
Besides this, there was. OF course, a powerful
factor, the intense Yankee desire to be abreast
and ahead Of the times in all things. and the
Yankee preeminence in mechanical invention.
The rock drill is an American invention. and
Of the mining is at deep levels. in hard rock.
So American manufacturers received the
orders for the mining, machinery. and great
20, via London, that Is to say. by way Of Eng
lish ports, for there were no ships sailing
three years. however. the business from this
port has increased so that now one steamer
and somstimes two a month satl direct for
day they carry about everything that is made
in the United States, SO varied is the market
The word that the outcry is against the
'"Americanizing" ~tactive' Of the Rand is hard
as regards trnydhs the BIZ business over there, Amer
lea having had 1t from the start. Small work. of
was done before that, and purchases
began it vas done. as u matter of course, with
the machinery of the people who had shown
Within two years. however, so many eyes
have been turned on Africa that there has
been a good deal of competition. The Eng,
to sell there, and while it is said that
all Of the big plants are American machinery,
there has been more of n division of
In some lines the English not only
manufactures tlun Americans do OF ours. In
a general way it may be said that for specific
mining, machinery Africa comes to America,
while for her general machinery. England Is
on, For instance, although the rock
drills are American, wherever there is a rock
drill there is a boiler. and the boiler usually
Another American speciality is the air COM
!Siieg' e s9ata most A 9f thSjs ARE nipe supplied !. Il do ny ths
good pipe, for the past couple Of years Amer
said he thought that in the pipe market
we merely undersoid Great Britain in a good
article.
One said: ut isn't that England is not get
ting her share; she wants everything. She
even wanted the country. and tried TO steal 1t.
there business has been practically killed.
In the aggregate of dollars Secretary w. L.
which has a London house. said he
thought that England and America did about
the same amount of business with the African
interests.
This company and the Rand Drill Company
and the F~rtzer-Chalmers Company. makers of
the business in this country. The Frazer
Chalmers Company was Il largo Chicago con-
Germ. and it is said was bought out by English
in England near the mouth of the
Thames. 1t is conjectured that tho reference
companies may have reference to this house.
There havs been some large shipments of
pipe lately from here TO the mining country.
one firm having sent out eight miles of pipe.
Another large transaction OF recent date,
which serves to indicate the magnitude of the
relations between the countries. re-
CURED the exp expenditure OF 81 900 in cable tolls
New York and johannesburg. Tho
purchase. mainly OF electrical supplies. amount
I'd to Sl75 900. 1t came about through a man
connected witt the General Electric
Company here who now is engaged in an UNI
lertaking over there.