The times., 1898-12-05

|
and bolts IN foreign countries have been
issued from the bureau of foreign COM
merce. Department of State.
The department was requested by East
| ern manufacturers and exporters to Sc
cure through it's consular officers infor-
nation relative to the manufacture Of
| and trade in screws, bolts and nuts. The
! information was desired in order that
| the manufacturers might be enabled to
reach conclusions as to whether they can
| introduce their wares into the European
markets and compete with European
manufacturers.
| Col. Bailey Hurst. consul-general at
Vienna. Austria, reports that, after a
careful investigation. there does not ap-
pear to be much opportunity for the sue
cessful introduction of the manufac. ure
mentioned.
The chief and permanent obstacle in
the way of Importation of these goods is,
that Austrian manufacturers have fitted
| up their factories with the best Ameri-
can machinery and are consequently
| abled to turn out sufficient quantities,
not only TO keep the home trade fully
supplied. but also to meet whatever d.
mand comes from the Levant for this
line of goods With American machin-
| cry and plenty of domestic iron, the
Austrian manufacturer Is therefore en-
| abled TO put his wares ON the home mar
| ket at a much lower price than can pcs
! sibIy be charged for those imported, from
the United States especially as the
freight charges are high on the continel-
tai railroads, and Austria-Hungary i'm
poses a heavy duty on ali importations
of metal goods.
An extended report is made by FIR d.
erick W. Hossfeld. consul at, Tfiests who
| says:
Screws bolts and nuts of American
manufacture have not yet found their
way into southern Austria. | believe.
however. that with a little effort on The
part of our manufacturers and exporters,
a fair market for this. as well as many
other kinds of American hardware, could
be established here. Managers of indus
trial establishments have informed me
that they get their supplies of screws and
bolts almost exclusively from Germany,
which market they have so far found
the cheapest" .iG
The consul at Antwerp. Belgium, George
F. Lincoln. says that there Is no con-
sumption of American screws, bolts and
nuts in that district.
Henry w Gilbert. consul at Liege, Bel
gium reports that the consumption of
the articles in question of American man.
ufacture is very limited in his district.
He adds: IF the American manufacturer
can compete in prices with Belgian and
German producers, the consular district
of Liege presents large field for The
sale OF American set screws, cap screws.
bolts and nuts. together with all manu-
factures OF iron and machinery. Liege
is situated in the center of one of the
great bitumnous coal-producing sections
of Europe. \ vast amount of machinery
is employed in the different mines, all Ie
quiring screws, bolts and nuts of all
kinds
Speaking of the prospect in Denmark,
Jules Blom. vice consul at Copenhagen.
says: The trade in the articles men
toned is large the Danish consumers be-
ing supplied partly by domestic manufac-
turers, of whom there are, however. very
few. partly by German. Belgian, and
French manufacturers. l am informed
that Germany has by far the largest share
of the trade. There is no import in this
line from the United States"
Consul r. p. Skinner. of Marseilles.
France. reports that the screws, et sold
in his consular district are exclusig -y of
European or British manufacture. The
local dealers have never handled Ameri-
can goods. and have never had any de-
mand for them. They assert that the
| quantity of such goods consumed there
would not warrant direct Importation, and
that in any event they would prefer to
buy from branch houses maintained in
London and Paris by the American man.
ufacturers. There is n belief there that
American wares OF the description named
cannot be utilized until the manufacturers
| in the United States adopt the metric sys-
| tenn of measurements, which is in use
throughout Europe.
Very few. if any, of the articles of
| United States manufacture mentioned
have been handled by dealers here with
any degree of profit" writes John A.
Baines, consul at Cologne. Germany. This
is due to the prohibitory duty, as well as
| the excellence and cheapness of German
| goods. These conditions virtually exclude
all foreign competition
| No bolts, screws etc. from America are
used in the consular district of Stettin
Germany, according TO the report of Con-
sui John E. Kebe. The consumption of
| such articles is not great but he adds
Il find that they are rather inclined to
handle our wares, provided prices and
4
| George ]. Corey consul at Amsterdam.
Netherlands. reports as follows:
| Set screws,ca screws. machine screws
bolts and nuts are imported into the Meth
erlands principally from England Ger
many and France: not from the United
States. The competition in these articles
! is very strong. France has the lion 5
| snare of the imports of machine screws
bolts and nuts. England surpasses Ger
| hn INN of
screws. The consumption of and trade in
these articles are very large, and If the
| quality is fine and the prices low there is
| an opening for trade in the American arti-
| cles''
| Says S. Listoe. consular representative
at Rotterdam, Netherlands:
There are, as far as | have been able
TO ascertain. no American-made articles
| of the kind in question consumed in my
consular district, though there ought to
be as good a field for the same as for
those manufactured in other countries At
present most of the bolts screws and
nuts are said to be imported from France.
There are also considerable importations
from Germany. Belgium and England. and
! there are some five factories in the Meth
| erlands producing the articles. 1t is gem
orally believed by the dealers here that
the American bolts and screws are the
| best and have the finest finish, but that
they come too high to compete with the
| French, Belgian and German bolts and
screws, which are flooding the market
In brief report, Consul General W. R.
| Holloway, stationed at st. Petersburg.
| Russia, states: There are a number of
machine shops in this consular district
| that manufacture brass and iron bolts,
screws, nuts, etc. They are protected by
high duty. There are no American manu-
factures OF this kind in this district"
'sEhRre Ia0 inn, Of got cor