The record-union., 1897-09-24
Official Document Issued From the
British Foreign Office.
Wales Only Market in This Country at
Present is on the Pacific Coast.
In Other Sections of the United
States the Only ImpOrtatiOns
That Can be Expected is of a
Limited Number of Special
Brand Suited for Special Pur-
poSes.

WASHINGTON, Sept %. - Hugh
O'Bierne, Second Secretary of the Brit
ish Embassy here, has made a special
report to the British Foreign Office on
the American tin-plate industry, and
it has been issued from the Foreign
Office as an official document
According to the report, the United
States tin-p plate industry dates prac-
tically from the passage of the McKin-
ley Tariff Act, at which time the Amer
lean market was wholly supplied by
South Wales. Mr. O'Bierne traces the
gradual expansion of the industry in
this country and the use of the do
mestic article in place of that formerly
imported from Wales. Summing up the
situation for the last calendar year,
he says: THE position of the British
export trade may thus be summed up:
The interior market was, as a whole,
lost to British exporters, but the meat
packers continued to use a certain
number Of drawback plates, and
there was stin a limited consumption
of British plates for special purposes.
"The Atlantic Coast still offered a
very large market for back
intended to be re-exported, and the
gulf coast took a moderate number of
Welsh plates for local consumption.
1.-The only section Of the market that
was still wholly supplied by South
Wales was the Pacific Coast. Taking
the Pacific Coast import at 100000
pounds; that of the gulf coast at s.,
100000 pounds, and that of draw back
plates at 30,000,000 pounds, there re-
mains an import of 10000, 600 pounds
last year for consumption in the Uni
ted States, which must be distributed
between the Atlantic and interior
points"
According to Mr.. O'Bierne's calcula-
tions, it is estimated that British plates
can be landed approximately: At points
on the Atlantic Coast, for So SO, or %
cents Us. 2d.) above the price Of Amer
lean plates; at Pacific ports, for So 81,
or % cents (11d) below lae price or
American plates there; at Chicago, for
SO IS, or over so cents Qs. 3D. above
the price of Indiana-made tin plates
there; at New Orleans, for So 81, or Ii
cents SD above the price of Indiana
plates there.
fore" the report proceeds, ''and at pres
ent prices, the only section Of the
American market in which British
plates of ordinary grades exclusive Of
drawback plates) can continue in the
long run to compete is the Pacific Coast
market, representing an annual con-
sumption of about 10000 pounds. In
other portions of the United States the
only importation that can be expected
is Of a limited number of special brand
suited for special purposes. And this
limited importation can only last 50
long as the demand is not of sufficient
importance to induce native manu-
facturers to make necessary arrange
ments for producing this special quail
ity of tin plate, which they are un-
doubtedly able to do
Mr.. O'Bierne points out that the
American tin-plate industry is wholly
dependent for its raw material on for
eign importation, as no tin has been
produced for the last four years from
any of the deposits of tin in the United
States, viz: South Riverside, Cal; the
Black Hills of South Dakota; the Cash
mine in Rockbridge County, Va, and
Atkings Mansion \. c.
In conclusion, ii is said that after
strict examination it appears to have
been demonstrated that for household
or hard usage the British tin outlasts
the American product. 1t is true the
British tin is not quite so bright, but
1t is far more durable: has. more sub
stantial body; is more evenly rolled;
does not aggravate the tin working
machines on account of its smooth
body. and does not rust so quickly. For
timing purposes the American product
is as good as the British, the report
says. but the latter is preferable at
equal prices. American tin plate is
brighter in color, but it has not that
working body as a rule; the coating is
not so evenly run and does not make
up as evenly and smoothly as the Brit
3sh article.
The statement is made also that
alien tin manufacturers have been
making inquiries in the West, and
alien before long viii figure in the
American market