New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-26

years and passed the British production FOR the
first time In 1890
The line Of small circles shows British con
sumption Of pig iron in manufacture. and the
difference in any year between that and the
dotted line indicates the quantity exported from
that country, excepting Increase or decrease
Of stocks has also affected consumption. The
dependence OF British manufacture upon foreign
markets very great when the rise came in
lS19-S2. The quantity Of pig iron consumed in
American manufacture. where IL differs appre-
ciably from the production OF this country, as
It usually does not, Is shown by small crosses
and II thus appears how this country used CON
siderable quantities OF the pig exported from
Great Britain especially in 1S79-'S2 when the
demand for use In manufacture here exceeded
the home supply.
But with development Of the home production
and manufacture the American consumption in
1886 first exceeded the British consumption In
manufacture and still more in the next year,
the demand for use again exceeding the largely
increased domestic supply. But in 1890 the home
production had been so rapidly enlarged that
for the first time 1t ran apprcciably beyond the
consumption. which nevertheless increased so
that in 1892 il exceeded the greatest quantity
ever produced in this country. and exceeded
British consumption in that year by 100000
tons.
A TERN OF DEMOCRATIC DISASTER.
The great rregularity OF consumption and
manufacture in this country during the four
years Of Democratic disaster which began with
the election Of 1892 is clearly indicated, and the
British production began to increase immedi-
ately after the election in 1892. and the con-
sumption in manufacture expanded a year later
The false start In 1890 carried American pro-
duction and consumption for that year higher
than ever, but was followed by material de-
cline In both during The following year. while
British production and consumption were both
rising The halt in the British advance and the
enormous increase In this country since the cleo
ton OF 1896 are plainly illustrated by the dia-
gram. The actual consumption IN the flrSt half
of 1898 in this country has differed not 10000
tons from the production. while the British con-
sumption is apparently about 3,9J0OOO tons for
the half-year or nj the rate OF 100000 for the
wear as the exports Of pig were nearly lOO0OO
tons smaller than last year, although the stock
on hand of which accurate record has yet
appeared may have increased. In comparing
American consumption In manufacture. the un-
sold stocks are reckoned as reported by the Iron
exports the excess OF exports over imports
amounting last year to 243.3sS tons but only
81 41G tons In the first half OF this year.
AN IMPETUS TO DEVELOPMENT.
This chapter OF history would not be complete
without reference TO the most important Of all
the changes which have given in recent years so
great n development to the American iron in
dustry In 1889 there imported, nearly all
from Great Britain. 331.311 tons OF tnpate,
costing about S21, 72G,707, or 500 81 per ton.
Last wear there were imported only 1881 tons
costing 81 1856 S2S. and this year the imports In
eight months have been only 1857 tons
against 60 900 in the Same months last year.
The following statement by Trench & Co. is IN
dorsed by THE Iron Age as giving the best
figures obtainablc as to the American produc-
ton in three years-product In boxes or 100
pounds. 14x2O: