The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-11-24
INDUSTRIAL.
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We Are Making Headway.

The editor of the British and South
African Export Gazette has been STIR
ring up the British and South African
public on the fact that American
manufacturers are making rapid head.
way in the markets of Africa. In 81
letter to the leading publication in
London and re-published in the British
and South African Export Gazette OF
November. 1900, just received by the
treasury bureau of statistics. He says:
For the information Of your readers, I append
herewith a list of some orders lately executed,
or now being executed in America for Cape
Colony: In December, 1897, American makers
had in hand orders for 60 saloon carriages for
the equipment Of the eastern section OF the Cape
government railway, and in that month six 90
ton locomotives were. delivered at the Cape gov.
ernment railway works from the Baldwin works
OF Philadelphia. In March, 1896. six improved
Pullman cars were landed at Cape Town for the
Cape government railway. In July, 1900, scv-
era! Baldwin locomotives were delivered at
Cape Town in part completion of Cape govern
nent contracts. In that month, according to
the general manager Of the Cape government
| railways. there were still thirty-ninc engines
and about S96oOOO worth of trucks and other
rolling stock on order in England and America
Four engines built by Messrs. Dickson & Co..
Philadelphia, for the Selati railway, have been
acquired by the Cape government, and now
running on the Wynbcrg branch In September
1900. the Union Switch and Signal company, OF
Pittsburg, had in hand large order ior special
frogs and switches for the Cape government rail-
ways. and several side tank engines from the
Baldwin works were daily expected TO be dcliv-
eicd nj Cape Town for the railways. III Sep
tembcr. 1900, the Pressed Steel Car company Of
Pittshnrg, L. S. A., had in hand all order for
the Cape government railways for several steel
platform cars OF forty tons capacity.
Apart from these items it is significant that
for the year ending June go 1892, the United
States OF America shipped 1851 tons OF steel
rails to South Africa (valuc 10000 pounds ster-
ling), as against 3,l05 tons (value 13.ln pounds
stcrng) i'll the previous year. In the estimates
! oi the Cape government for the current year the
sum OF 6i5,S02 pounds sterling is put down tor
rolling stock locomotives, etc., but nothing is
OF course, said as to where these large orders
will be placed.
do not altogether blame the Cape Colony for
thus direring large share OF its orders to other
countries, for it is notorious, Sir Walter
Peace has remarked, that, as time is now the
essence OF the contract, British engineering firms
have been and unable to accept them, the
work already in hand being more than they can
ovcrtakc Price, too, is an important factor,
and especially is this with railway material.
locomotives and trucks, which cost considerably
less in the United States than in the United
Kingdom. 1t is. however, impossible 10 over
look the fact that many important orders have
gone 10 America from the Cape that could have
been placed in this country had efforts been
made to this end; and, rightly or wrongly, sus-
picion exists in the minds OF manufacturers that
is entirely due to the anti-Brtish tendencies of
some OF the Cape's officials. Whatever the
son. the empire ut large will agree that it is
dsgraceful that other countries should reap the
advantage OF the unparalleled sacrifices we have
made in the Boer war; and while admitting that
governments like individuals, must he guided
b. business prudence, it will certainly be la
mentable ii every effort I've not strained to check
the tendency to favor the foreign manufactures
at the expense Of his British competitors.
There is one way whereby the tender system
leads to the diversion of orders to America, even
despite the good intentions Of the Colonial E,v-
elnments. This is in where 10 stipuia-
tions are inserted in the contracts that the ma
tcrial employed shall be ordered OF British man
niacturers. Quite recently order for rails
for Natal municipality found its way to the
I.oran Steel company, ,ohnstown Pa, In this
way-wholly it is permissible to believe, against
the intentions Of tho municipal authorities, and
possibly against the intentions of the contractors,
who had probably based their estimate on the
lower American cost.