Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-10

Additional light has been cast upon the
cal reason for the trade invasion of Eng
land which has been attracting attention
OF late. This is afforded by the contents
of a paper recently read before the Institu-
ton of Civil Engineers-doubtle Ameri-
can. though not stated in the Engineer
ing News, which contains a report of the
matter-by Messrs. jeremiah and Archibald
Head, well-known English metallurgical
experts. with reference to the Importance
of the Lake Superior iron mines in their
bearing upon the steel markets of the
world. Their Investigations were under
taken in view of the opinion of many Brit
ish iron masters that the American export
trade in iron and steel is conducted at a
loss and will never assume serious proper
lions. THEW conclusion, after exa~-'ning
the Lake Superior region, was that
Lake Superior iron ores are likely to
have a considerable and permanent effect
in cheapening iron and steel and all goods
made therefrom throughout the markets of
the world; and thar they will tend to
courage the production of such goods and
especially of ocean-going ships and engines
at United States ports to hitherto I'M
preCedented extent.
Incidentally the authors gave an interest
ing series of figures relative to the COM
parative cost of various iron products in
the latter the city of M:ddlesbrough. which
lies on the northeastern coast, about 20
miles by rail across the island from Liver
pool, and for the United States the city of
Iittsburg. According to this statement,
the cost OF pig iron at Pittsburg is approx
iEaJeIy Vs. a ton, anu al MIddlea Drough
$l2-6S ton This advantage. the Messrs.
Head believe, is due principally to the Lake
Superior ore and the Pennsylvania fuel
supply. They further state that the advan-
taSe in favor 81 the American product Is
increased in proportion when the pig iron
is converted into ingots and further into
finished steel. by reason of the lower cost
of fuel required for the conversion process
Ses- Thus. heavy steel rails cost t pounds
: shiIIlngs and pence ton in Pittsburg,
and pounds, u shillings and Is pence in
Allddlesbrough, an American advantage of
shillings, pence. Steel ship plates cost
pounds. 10 shillings and o pence in Pitts
burg, and pounds 10 shillings in Mid
dlesbrough, an American advantage of 1
pound. , sh-illngs. pence. Steel billets
and blooms Gngots) cost 3 pounds. shi-
hngs, pence in Pittsburg, and 4 pounds
. shillings in MiddlesbrOugh. an American
advantage of 1 pound. shiilings 6 pence.
These costs, of course, refer to the prod
ucts at the point of manufacture. 1t would
in general terms seem that the cost of
shipment across the ocean would enable
the English manufacturers to retain their
market despite these heavy American ad-
yantages- Yet this does not seem to be the
case, for Messrs. Head note that the pres
ent tendency in shipping rates is down
ward in this country, and that they al
ready permit the placing of steel in Liv-
erpoOl at an American advantage save in
the case of heavy rails. 1t may be esti-
mated that it costs about 16 shllings a ton
to carry the products from PittsDurg to
Liverpool. AT this rate American pig iron
can be placed in LiverpooI-not counting
| the profits on either siGe-at 3 ShIllingS S12
pence ton cheaper than the same article
costs in Middlesbrough, steel billets shi-
ings cheaper and steel ship plates shi-
lings cheaper. while heavy rails can be 50
placed there with only q shiIlings English
advantage. Counting the transportation
cost from Middlesbrough to Liverpool
doubtless these two products are on prac-
ucally even terms.
With the Superior mines more fully de-
velOped and the most economical adjust
ment of ore and fuel supplies at the most
convenient point of manufacture and ship
ping. a problem toward which the Ameri-
can mind is expertly directed, it is
easy to believe that these differences in
favor of the American product in England
Will increase ana speedily disabuse the Eng
lsh mind of the misconcepton which sent
the Messrs. Head across the ocean The
trade invasion is an assured success.