New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-09
THE ATBARA BRIDGE.

The news that the contract for building the
Atbara bridge had been awarded TO an Ameri-
can firm gave rise to much satisfaction here
and to not little exutation-thc latter not in
the discontinue Of British contractors. but in
the success of our own. II appears 10 have
caused disappointment in England which Is
quite natural, and some Indignation. which does
not seem well founded. We do not profess to
have any special knowledge of the case. We
do not know what influences prevailed upon
the Anglo-Egyptian Government in awarding
the contract. But so far MS the facts have been
revealed, we can see no cause for the talk Of
scandals and "favorltsm" with which some
British papers are attacking that Government.
1t seems to have been n simple, straightforward
business transaction. in which the British COM
petltors were fairly beaten by their American
rivals, just as they have been on other occa-
sons and just as Americans have often been
beaten by British rivals.
It Is simply impossible to believe that the
English advisers of the Khedlve have the fool
ish and unpatrotc prejudces' against British
engineers and III favor Of Americans which
one English paper attributes to them. The
chief English adviser OF the Khedive. the man
who in fact controls the Egyptian Government
British Empire a more upright man than he
or a more loyal Brton. or one more incapable
of any such conduct as would be involved in
favoritism and trckery against his own coun-
trymen. we should like to know where he Is.
He needs no vindicaton Mt American hands
Neither. we believe, does any one connected
with the awarding of the Atbara contract
But in these envenOmed attacks upon that
American contractors and against American In
dustry which cannot he permitted to pass UNI
challenged unless supported by vastly more
convincing proof than the mere assertions OF
unsuccessful bidders or of papers hostile to the
British Government and not overfrendly to
the United States.
The facts as they appear on the face OF the
case are as follows The Atbara bridge was
needed at the earliest possible moment For
the last two or three years the engineering
trades of Great Britain have been demoralized
by strikes and lockOuts, so that It has been
impossible to fill some contracts actually made.
At the same time the corresponding industries
here have tended toward overproductiOn. More
over there IS far more bridge building done in
this country than In the United Kingdom.
Nothing seems more natural then. than that
in such circumstances n sudden call for big
bridge should have found an American concern
more ready, with stock on hand. to construct
It promptly than any British firm. That Is abb
solutely all that there seems TO be or to have
been I'm the ease. There Is no dishonor to Eng
land in It, There Is, doubtless. cause for re-
greet But there Is no more cause for resent
ment or for wrath IN the fact that Americans
are TO build n British bridge than In the fact
that the British do most OF the Americans
ocean carrying trade fair field and no IA
vor has long been the British demand. We
see no reason for supposing there was anything
else In the case OF the Atbara bridge.