The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-02
a Turning of Tables.

Y n CONSEQUENCE of receut cap
lures in Great Britain and Ger
n tain British colonies by Ameri-
can firms of contracts for sup
plying locomotive and stationary en-
gines, steel bridges and other manu-
featured products of iron, with the
rude shock which these episodes have
given to Englands fancied suprem-
acy in such lines Of industry. chorus
Of protests is being surg by the Brit
ish trade press. One illustration Will
suffice.
Recently the city of Glasgow had
occasion TO purchase foL' generating
engines for the power plant OF its
electric street railway systa n. Sper!d"
cations We're drawn by the consulting
ergr eer of the GLASGOW Tramway
committee-a gentleman named Par.
sl9ll--and bids We're received. Two
firms in England. one firm in Glasgow
and he +. p. Allis company of Mit-
waukee, Wis, submitted bids. The
English version of what happened may
best be told in the words of the Trade
Journals Review, which must be in
terpreted with recollection of the fact
that this journal is in a sense the or
gan of the manufacturing interests
of Great Britain:
Mr.. Parshall is an American, with
a high reputation as an electricians. ana
we doubt not that he wished sincerely
enough to put Glasgow in POSSESSION
of the best engines for the purpose
intended. 1t is not surprising, ther,
that he should specify dimensions that
accorded with American practice, or
at least, with the practice Of the Ailis
company of Milwaukee. But some of
these dimensions were so absurdly at
variance with what is regarded IS
good practice in this country, that or
engineers were puzzled, as they might
well be. Accordingly, they felt con-
strained to follow their own ideas, and
to send in their own designs. 1t may be
assumed that the committee knew
nothing of the merits of these designs;
nor was it necessary. 1t was sufficient
to know that the British firms refer e 4
\,
well able to carry out anything they
undertake to do. In the matter Of
price it might have been expected they
would be high, but in fact they were
considerably lower than the Ameri-
cans, The highest of the British ten
ders was nearly 100000 less than the
sum named by the Allis company. But
strange to say, Mr.. Parshall recon-
mended the acceptance of Messrs. AL
lis tender, on the ground that their
engines We're the best offered. Cur
ously enough, the committee, by a ma
recommendation; but when this was
submitted to the general council it was
rejected, and thus was the corporation
of Glasgow saved from making an eg-
gregious blunder. Had time permitted,
a complete specification would have
been drawn up, so that all competing
firms might estimate on the same
basis but the indefinite delay this i'll
Volved and the fear of not having the
engines at work in time for the ax-
hibition Of 1901 rendered hasty de
cision almost obligatory, At a subse-
quent meeting the committee advised
that two engines be got from Messrs.
Musgrave & Sons, Bolton, (at e24,0OO
each) and two from the Allis company,
Milwaukee Cat G2S,OOO each), and this
recommendation has been adopted by
the council"
Proceeding from this painful state
ment of fact to an expression Of its
opinions, the British trade journal thus
"beefs:"
Reviewing the whole circumstances, we
cannot but think this decision, TO give
half of the contract to America exceed
ingly regrettable. 1t is difficult to avoid
| the suspicion that 1t was a foTcgJne con-
clusion; and 1t looks very like an at
tempt TO crush a great British industry
and TO throw 1t into the hands OF power
| ful rivals That an extra $4,000 should
| be paid for engines that will In all prob.
| ability be inferior to those of British
make is incomprehenslble We are as.
| tonished that so many hard headed Scots.
men should have been Influenced in this
matter by the opinion Of an American
| engineer, We have nothing 10 say agaiust