The record-union., 1899-04-11
AMERICAN MACHINERY IN ENG
LAND.

1t has been stated in fugitive news
paper paragraphs that American rail-
road locomotives are now selling IN
England in competition with the best
class of fast locomotives from English
shops. Consul Smyth, writing from
Hull to the State Department at Wash
dngton, gives us more information upon
the subject. 1t appears that few
months ago the English papers an
nounced that the Midland Railway
Company had made a contract for de-
livery of large number of American
made locomotives. The statement Gre
ated a great deal of controversy and
in railroad circles, says Mr.. Smyth, 1t
fell like thunder clap"
There was immediate demand from
the inquisitive general public for an ex-
PLANTATION, for the British public is ex-
ceedingly sensitive concerning any di-
version from business houses of their
own brand. On the 17th of February the
explanation came, being formally de-
lvered at the annual meeting of the
Midland Railway Company, one of the
foremost, by the way. in the system Of
British railways, and one of the best
organized and equipped in the world
The synopsis of the explanation is given
in newspaper report, clipping from
which the Consul forwards, and we re-.
produce it for the decided interest it
possesses for American readers. We
assume that it is the President of the
company who is represented as speak
ing:
1t would be seen that the directors
had ordered some locomotives in Amer
lea, and, as this was a new departure,
mo doubt some information on the sub
Ject would be of interest. He would
much prefer to order goods of any kind
that were of home manufacture, and he
might say that the question of cost
was not one that entered into the call
culations of the directors when asking
for tenders from over the water. The
increase in their train mileage had been
very large lately, being in 1898 consid-
erab.y over 2,O00. 600 miles; and it was
obvious, therefore, that additional en-
gines must be purchased. For years
past, their locomotive Superintendent
tMr. Johnson) had impressed upon them
that they worked their engines too
hard. He believed the ideal position,
according to Mr.. Johnson. would be
that they should have 10 per cent in
steam; but 80 per cent. had been much
nearer their figure, so that there was
no margin They had now on order.
in this country ITO engines. They COM
menced ordering in December. 1897. and
the first delivery should have been
made in July of that year and they
should have been receiving a number
in each month, which would have made
UP a delivery to- the present time Of
forty eight engines. The company had
not received one Of these. The last
order given was in November of last
year for twenty engines at an extrava-
CANT price, and the makers did not
even promise delivery of one for fifteen
months the order to be completed in
May 1860 Locomotives Were a ne
cessity to the company: they must have
them and SO the directors determined
ITO ask for tenders from America They
asked for tenders for ten engines each
from two firms - the Baldwins and
Scheneetadys-and they received offers
to deliver in the one case within ten
weeks from the date of the receipt of
all necessary information for construc-
from America was promised for March
next This offer was made in Decem-
Der. so that, while the directors could
not get an engine made in England and
delivered in Derby. in less than year
and quarter, they could, get twenty
from America. in four months. The en-
fines would be of the American type.
with certain alterations which Mr..
Johnson considered desirable. They
would be of the same power as the
Midland engines. and 1t would certainly
he interesting to watch their perform
ance. as Mr. Johnson-and he hoped all
his staff-intended that they should
have fair play in every particular.
Our Consul at Liverpool, Mr. Boyle,
reports to the State Department upon
the, same subject, giving some explana-
tions why the English shops were un-
able to fill orders Immediately. lie
says:
No one item in connection with Amer
fcan imports into Great Britain has at
tracted so much attention over here, as
that relating to- the recent order by the
Midland Railway Company of Eng
land for twenty American loco
motives. Various reasons for the
though the officials of the railway
company have been reticent, it has been
generally accepted that the real rea-
son was the inability of English shops
to turn out the engines within the time
required Probably. the engineering
shops of Great Britain have never been
so busy as they are now. There are
several reasons for this. First. there
are a vast number OF domestic and for
eign orders which had accumulated
during the engineers strike: then there
is the great demand for engine work
fer steamships. both mercantile marine
and navy; and. lastly, there are the
orders growing out of the widespread
movement in the British municipalities
for public ovements-electric light
ing, street railroads, water works. etc.
which have created an unprecedented
demand for machinery and steel and
iron structural work
AS. Mr.. Boyle suggests, here is OPP
portunity for surplus products and sur
plus labor and energy of the United
States at least in the lines indicated.
He adds that 1t has been demonstrated
in nearly every line Of work in special
demand, in England that the United
States can produce cheaper than Eng
land, and that while very little is said
about it, there is well-founded belief
that American locomotives can be de.