The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-10
A BRITISH KICK
On the Letting Of Contracts to
American Firms.
AMERICANS DO BETTER WORK.
English Manufacturers FInnlly Dis.
cover Why VIC are Successful in
Competition in the Industrial
Siarket-The London Press Urging
British Manufacturers to Action.

NSppyrlsht, 1879, Dy Associated PresSJ
LONDON. April 9.-Amerlcas sue
cessful competition In the Industrial
market, where she is beating the Brit
ishers on their own ground. Is undoubt-
eddy causing deep concern and heart
burnings in British engineering circles.
The acrimonious protests OF English
firms respecting the awarding OF the
Atbara bridge contract to Philadelphia
firm brought out clearly this feeling,
and the attempts to explain Americas
success by, glut OF work here do not har-
monize with the complaints from Eng
lish firms who have not received orders
which have been sent to America. AS
the st. James Gazette" puts It: .If
the British manufacturers have so much
work that they cannot accept contracts
they are 20 be congratulated. But in
that case 1t Is difficult to see why they
are complaining"
The fact is that Industrial circles here
recognize that these contracts mean
more than mere evanescent compete
tlon. as in the case OF America engines
the railroad authorities here have con-
ceived the highest opinion OF American
work. This Is born out by the state
ment of Manager Smell. OF the locomo-
tive department of the Great Northern
Railway. which recently ordered en-
glnes from America. He said: Apart
y from the fact that American builders
IA ,pty Il Ill
than the English, there Is no doubt
whatever that American engines are Of
the highest excellence. and their pres
ent features and Improvements are of
such utility as to attract the custom of
English companies" 49,
The Daily Mall, taking up the ques-
ton, urges system Of profit-sharlng,
with the newest and best machinery, as
the method whereby Americans can be
fought and worsted,' though the paper
ADDS: We must own that the nation Is
in some degree suffering from the lack
OF tstrenuousness both in employers and
employed"
y The correspondent has had CONVEX
sation with the secretary of the eugl-
neer's society. and his statements bear
out the impression tina. considerable
y apprehension Is felt here at the prospect
OF an American Industrial invasion. He
satd:g We certainly regret the trans
terrence OF work essentially belonging
to our market, and 1t would be affecta-
ton to deny there is Indignation and
much comment on the state OF affairs
We hope it will prove only temporary
transferrence, but you know the dam
ger.''
Inquiries made regading the Belgian
syndicate, which Is about to send
patty OF engineers to study the construc-
ton OF e railroad between Manila oHd
Batangast south Of the Bay OF Manila,
show the district has already been SUR
.yeEed five times. The work was con-
sldered impracticable under the Spanish.
regime. The Spanish government made
offers to the construction OF the line,
but there was no response from any
quarter, as the petty e1actions and in
reference OF the Spanish authorities
rendered the enterprise most difficult.
The prospects. naturally, have changed
under the American administration, and
the Manila Railroad Company has been
partly promised that the United States
authorities would take over the existing
railroads and exploit them on the Ger
man state system. In any case the rail-
] road company expects to be fully in
demnlfed for its losses In consequence
OF the war. though an enormous leap In
business Is inevitable as soon as tram
guilty is restored.