The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-07
British Railways Buying Our Locomo-
tives and All the World ClamOring
for Our Dredging Machines.
CECIL RHODESS ADMISSION
SAYS AMERICAN ENTERPRISE is con-
QUERING THE WORLD.
Return of Queen Victoria to Windsor
M. krantx French Minister of
War in Place of De Freycinet.


TCopvright 1899 by the Associated Press.l
LONDON. May 6.-Public attention has
again been directed to Americas growing
competition with England in the Industrial
markets by the announcement this week
| that the new English trunk line, the Great
| Central Railway, has ordered a batcn OF
| locomotives in America, while advices from
| abroad show that the Americans are beat
! ing the English right along the line. The
| British consul at La Rochelle, France, in
report just submitted, says that the Amer
| cans are fast taking the agricultural ma
| chinery business in his district from English
| firms. The latter it is pointed out by the
| consul. would not conform TO the farmers
| de nand for light machinery, whereas the
| Americans have adapted themselves TO cir
| cumstances and make machinery that is ex-
actly suited to the farmers requirements
| The foregoing is only a sample of the
| tributes which are now constantly found In
consular reports to American enterprise and
showing that American manufacturers are
slowly elbowing their English rivals out OF
markets which the British thought were
their own preserves. Articles on Anglo
American industrial and commercial rivalry,
which are very f1attering to Americans,
| Daily News, in a typical article this week
| on American Engines-the Threatened In
vasion." compares the enormous progress in
| power and speed of American locomotives
| with the slight improvements in English en-
| gines. The Daily News says: 1T is a trifie
| humiliating but still none the less fact,
| that our modern English engines both for
passenger and goods trains have not in
| creased in power faster than trains in
| weight. On the other hand technical ex-
perts come back from America with glow
| ing accounts OF great improvements In rail-
way working there" The article further
| declares that this recently created superior
| ity. which must be ascribed TO latest de-
| veopments In America to the locomotives,
which have combined speed and power, has
not yet been realized in England.
DREDGING MACHINES.
In connection with this commercial in
yasion of the old world by America, Chi
oago engineer, named Bates, arrived in Lon
don this week. Mr.. Bates is playing an i'm
portant part in introducing American ma
chinery and methods. Eighteen months
| ago the Russian government requested Mr..
Bates to make study of the River Volena,
with a view to the improvement OF its nav
igation. AS result, the government mas
decided to adopt his methods for some Z5p
miles Of river improvement, and mas IN
structed him to construct the largest and
most powerful dredging machine that could
be built. This machine has just been COM
nleted in Belgium IT is an electrically
self-propelling hydraulic dredge or $500
horsepower. It is creating a great deal of
comment and speculation in engineering and
scientific circles Prince Hilkoff, the Rus
Of
gian minister of public works, together with
a large company of Belgian officials, were
present at tests of the dredging machine,
which were made on the River Scheldt
few days ago. Since those tests were made
committees representing the Austrian and
the Indian governments have inspected the
| machine as a result Of which Mr.. Bates.
! I'm London. to-day signed contracts TO fur
| nish similar plants for India and Austria.
| Committees from the Panama and Suez
| canals, South Africa, China and Japan. be-
| sides several European countries, are COM
| ing to inspect the machine, while the last
| to announce an intended visit are the King
| Of Belgium and Prince Albert. son OF the
| heir apparent to the Belgian throne.
Regarding the general Industrial situation.
| Mr. Bates said that the present boom i'll
| iron and steel in the United States has had
| the effect of checking the expansion or
American trade in Europe. Up to few
| months ago he had been able to import all
kinds of machinery and material cheaper
| from America that 1t could be bought in
Europe, but this is no longer the case.
The Iron and Steel Institute held its an
| nual conference here this week, concluding
| to-day with the reading Of paper by Ber-
| tram Summers. Of Chicago. The delegates
| included Andrew Carnegie, Capt. John
Jacques, u. s. NJ; John Platt. of New York,
and c. F. Hennery. of Rochester. n. Y.
Captain Jacques. who is on an official mis-
sion TO report regarding new developments
| in the forging of armor and heavy guns, in
| formed the correspondent here of the Asso-
ciated Press that he had visited continental
centers in pursuance Of his instructions.
Everywhere in continental and English
manufacturing centers Captain Jacques said
he had found the trend of thought directed
to the immense advantage of labor-savfng
appliances, and since his last visit TO Europe
there was an increased respect for American
competition.
Captain Crozier, the military member of
the American delegation TO the international
peace conference. is likewise here making
| inquiries at Woolwich before he goes to the
continent captain CroZier carries creden-
tials TO French and German military depots.
His mission includes investigation of and
report on the latest phases and develop
ments in quick firing artillery
Douglas Harry Coghill. member OF the
House Of Commons for Stoke-on- Trent. will
next week ask the government whether.
considering the injury done our trade by the
present tariff. the Foreign ONCE will enter
into specific commercial negotiations with
the United States with view to obtaining