The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-15
Consul FIeming's Report on the Eff
forts to Capture the Chief Mar
kets of Scotland.
STEEL AND LOCOMOTIVES
MACHINERY AND LEATHER GOODS,
ESPECIALLY SHOES,
Now i'm Successful Competition with
ened with Meat Famine.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE effect of
American competition on Scotch industries
in the three great lines-steel, engines and
machinery, and leather goods-is set out
in a report to the Bureau of Foreign Com
merge of the State Department from United
States Consul Fleming, at Edinburgh He
bases his report on a review of the years
trade prepared for publication in a Scotch
newspaper by experts in the lines named.
The opinion of the expert in the case of
steel is that the Scotch SHOEMAKER has al
lowed his plant to get behind the times in
capacity, while the American SHOEMAKER has
made such enormous strides in production
that his extraordinary success seems to
threaten the trade of the world.
Touching the introduction abroad of Amer
lean locomotives, experts are quoted to show
that the American machine, while sold at a
lower price than the British locomotive. is
inferior in durability and other desirable
qualities and is being gradually crowded out
by the latter. This is said to be the case
in Japan particularly, where the British
and American machines have been tried
simultaneously for some time past. The
difference in price in favor OF the American
locomotive is explained by the theory that
the new Winchester system of compulsory
inspection in England causes the rejection
of much valuable material at all stages of
manufacture, while the American manu-
facturer is not obliged to submit to inspec-
ton, and therefore is enabled to use in
ferior material. The consul in quoting this
opinion adds that as the Midland Railway
Company in England has just ordered TWEEN
ty American locomotives it would seem that
the managers are not specially apprehensive
that the American machines cannot pass the
British tests.
1t is admitted that the Americans and
Canadians still retain the bulk of the inn
portant trade in agricultural machinery and
have practically a monopoly. There is also
an open confession in the case Of the boot
and shoe trade that the British cannot
make a shoe equal to the American product
for the same price. The expert says: ITO
our annoyance and irritation it must be
candidly admitted that their manufacture
for beauty of style, handsome appearance
and perfection Of fit excel ours; in their
words, they have gone one better US"
The British manufacturers had hoped that
the American shoe would be found to lack
wearing qualities, but there again they
We're disappointed, for the expert admits
that the American shoe is made of the same
leather that the British shoemaker uses.
In upper leather entirely ana in sole leath-
er to a great degree the American leather
eXcels the British currier and tanner, and
the latter have admitted that they must
adopt American methods If they are to sur
Vive. A very large part of the British
colonial trade has been captured by the
Americans, who have now WreSted away
from the mother country almost the whole
of the boot and shoe trade OF west Aus
tralia and Africa.