The record-union., 1898-10-10
IN LONDON TOWN.
WILLIAM SCHAw TELLS OF HIS
LATE TRIP.
American Business and Energy as
Seen I'm the English Me-
tropolis.

CrOpOl1S.
Wlll1am Schaw, of the we'll known
nrm OF Schaw, Ingram & hatcher, has
1ately returned from a ten weeks trip
10 London and Scotland. He went for
tne purpose of bidding against many or
lie largest firms of the world for the
CONSTRUCTION of a gigantic mining pipe
system IN Western Australia, some
thlhg vastly greater than ever before
Quilt But Mr.. SchaW brought back
Hluch useful information other than
tnat Which pertains to conduit pipes,
Australian mining ventures, and the
commercial status of the Government
that is building the works.
In an interview with a Record
Union" reporter yesterday, Mr.. SchaW
kindly answered many questions rela-
tive to the specific business that called
MIN across the waters, as we'll as con-
cern1ng matters of worldwide import.
Sitting in his private office after
hard days work, smoking and chatting
IN the peasant manner that character
ICES MIN, Mr.. Schaw said: We'll, the
feal OBJECT of my trip was to try TO
get contract for building some 2f6
miles of large piping for the Aus
tranan Government. In passing, l may
say that this is the largest feat of en-
g1neering ever undertaken, and it in
wolves several serious mining and hy-
draulic engineering problems. In the
nrSt place, many of the greatest living
engineers have held that such a long
system of pipes would lose it's value be-
cause of three factors that would de-
stroy the force of the head of waters,
friction, evaporation and leakage, but
it was finally decided that the system
was practicable, and l had to do only
with the bids.
Our competitors were from England,
Scotland, France, Belgium, Germany
and the United States. The contract is
not yet let, but those in authority have
about decided that it must be divided
in order to have the work finished in
tWenty-siX months, as desired. We
have hope that we may get part of the
contract, and that shows this, Sacra-
mento is on the worlds map. 1 put in
bid for three years, because our house
decided that if we got the contract,
which amounts to some millions, We
should be obliged to build machinery
and shops in Australia; so we figured
on ample time for the undertaking.
We. met business men from all quar-
ters. Many were at first suspicious of
and cold toward all Americans, for
fear our countrymen have a name that
is not altogether lovable across the
waters
Did you note many differences be-
tween the business methods over there
and those here?" was asked
Differences as far apart as day and
r11+ l..
What are they?" was asked.
Il cannot better illustrate 1t than to
say that the old countrymen are far
more conservative. For example: Sup
pose you are a we'll known citizen of
Iondon-known in commercial circles
and you have been trading for many
years with Jones & Co. Well, you de-
eide to go over and trade with Haw-
ldns. Do you suppose Hawkins will
give you a warm welcome? Do you
think his statesmen will put themselves
out of the way to get your trade? Far
from it. They will regard you with
suspicion. Their chief salesman may
ask, What is wrong with Jones? and
add: We know you have been buying
his goods, and we know he is a good
man, and our friend Sir we do not
like the looks of this he is our friend,
and We do not care to take away his
customers, nor will he bother ours.
That is fair idea Of the difference" :"
Did they treat you courteously?"
was asked
Il was never better treated in my
life; but there is a coldness until they
are sure Of their ground. I was at a
Scottish club in Glasgow, for instance.
After the dinner. which l had with
some prominent merchants and manu-
facturers, one of them, in the course
of the after talk, addressed me this
way: Mr.. Schaw, please tell US what
is the matter with us over here. Never
mind the past, for we know we have
been prosperous for a hundred years,
and that we have been expecting sue
cess for the next hundred just the
same; but what is the matter with us,
that you folks come over and take away
so much Of our business?'
Il replied that. as l was the guest of
the gentlemen, a full answer might be
embarrassing; but I would venture the
thought that Americans rejoiced that
Scotsmen were content TO do business
just as they have done it for hundreds
of years, and that they are also con-
tent to hope that the future would con-
tinue Just as the past had done. The
reply created some merriment and was
taken very We'll"
Mr.. Schaw did not forget the histor-
ical and poetic side of life while he was
in England and Scotland; for he Wis
tied many spots dear to all lovers OF
literature and art. Even while wait
ing in the jam of London streets. or
while his ears were filled with the
strange sounds of whistles and bells
or while he stood where underground
trains thundered past, he lifted his
ewes to view towers and domes, and
asked officers and others what they
signified.
Il was struck with the indifference
and ignorance of the common people,
said he. regarding everything on earth
EXCEPT what they were engaged in
once / looked up at tremendous tow
er in Edinburgh, and wondered what II
was. / then remembered that 1 had
read somewhere that the city was