The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-12
AMERICAN AND ENGLISH MANU-.
FACTURERS.

Evidence continues to multiply Of the
progress which American manufacturers are
making in capturing foreign markets. A
London csblegram a few days ago stated
that the Great Central Railway Company
had ordered twenty-eight locomotives of an
American factory. A later dispatch says
that in reply TO a question in the House OF
Commons as to whether the Indian govern
meat had placed an order for a viaduct
with an American firm. and why 1t was not
placed with British manufacturers. Lord
George Hamilton. secretary of state for In
dia. replied that the order was not placed by
the Indian government, but by the railway
company. which invited SIX English and
two American firms to make bids. He
added:
Four Of the British. firms refused to BID,
and the most favorable British bid received
required three years for completion of the
work, at a cost of Gllp,00O. while the Amer
lean bid proposed TO. complete the work in
one year, at a cost of f6o.l25. The company
had IN these circumstances accepted the
bid of the American company. Lord George
Hamilton added that the Indian railways
facturers, but he was sorry to say that this
was not the first contract in which there
was a marked difference in the price and
llIuo VI UtllNtIy DclWttn bIlllSn anu AUQeT-
lean bids.
The surprising contrast between these bids
must have been a disagreeable revelation
to the House of Commons. though it is
scarcely greater than was furnished by the
case of the contract recently awarded to an
American firm by the British military au-
thorities for an iron bridge across a river
in the Sudan. The English people are learn
ing some very disagreeable lessons in re-
gard to the enterprise and activity of Amer
lean manufacturers. The British CORE.
spondent of an American trade paper, writ
ing recently on the introduction of Amer
lean machine tools into Europe. says:
Only a few months ago an Australian
firm ordered some machinery from an ELL
glish engineering firm, and a similar order
was given TO an American house-of course,
with the object of getting quick delivery.
England and reached its destination on the
same vessel hat carried the British ma
chinery: but, although the American had
been carried 5000 miles more than the En-
giish and had been trausshipped, the freight
was actually rs. Cd. go cents) less per ton
So we see that the distance over does not
count. and as for the reduction in freight
well, those who know how shipping. rings
work in London against British goods will
not wonder at the cheapness.
In further reference to the point Of prompt
delivery the correspondent mentions a case
in which an English concern. desiring a large
supply of heavy machine tools very urgently.
divided its orders between different manu-
facturers in England, Scotland and the
United States. He says:
When the time came for the machines to
be ready only those from America were In
working order; those from our own makers
were either not delivered or had to be COM
pleted, fixed. etc., and will not be ready for
months TO come. That is one cause of trade
leaving England.
1t has taken the United States a long
time to get the better of Englishmen In
respect of manufacturing, and they will
doubtless make great efforts to recover their
lost ground and waning prestige. Whether
they will be able to do it remains to be
seen, but they will make a long and hard
fight. In order to succeed they will have
to improve on their present methods and
learn some lessons from the enemy.