New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-06
YANKEE INDUSTRIAL TRIUNPHS

Upward of 4 dozen articles appeared last win
ter in Engineering leading technical period
zeal printed in London. showing in some meas
ure why American manufacturers We're able TO
compete successfully with their British cousins
in the worlds markets Competition of this
sort had then recently forced itself In an I'M
pleasant. not to say startling. manner on the
attention Of Englishmen, and explanations
seemed to be In order A somewhat similar
series Of papers has just been published by
The London Times" But ii is 10 be noted
that, whereas the discussion was conducted in
the pages of Engineering by Americans who
had been invited to deal with special phases of
the subject, The Times" articles emanate from
q strictly British source. q special commissioner
who was sent to this country to investigate and
report. He will hardly be suspected of par
TALLY to the United States.
To begin with, it is pointed out that not only
does England buy more than she sells. but the
excess is steadily growing. In the mean time
America sells more than she buys and is rap
idly increasing this advantage. Secondly in the
iron and steel industries America has pushed TO
the front in a marvellous manner. Since 1890
she has surpassed England in the output of pig
hon but the difference was not conspicuous
until 1898 This country now makes 80 per cent
more iron. twice much steel and two and
nHiI times as many steer rlliS. Again. lle
Yankee buys far less manufactured metal
hardware and machinery-abroad than formerly
and sells much more The vital feature of this
America not only completes with England in
other countries, but also invades her rivals
domestic market.
Partially to account for the remarkable de-
velopment here revealed The Times commits
soner declares that Americans have better ore,
better apparatus for getting II out of the ground.
better means for loading and unloading, better
transportation facilities. bigger furnaces and
superior methods OF operating iron and steel
plants. He insists, moreover. that the Ameri-
cans are a new race, people whose energy and
Intelligence have not been fully appreciated.
And he chides his fellow countrymen for not
having visited this country more frequently for
purposes of study. At present. with Il good de-
mand and high prices, England has little to fear
from American competition. he says; but when
these abate as they are likely TO do sooner or
later. the Yankee will seek to place n much
larger proportion of his product In foreign mar
kets than now. Then will arise perilous stu
alton for the British manufacturer. Only the
fittest can hope to survive In such a crisis. And
The Times" commissioner is confident that I'M
less some of the iron and steel works In his
country are brought up TO date by the invest
ment of good deal of money their owners may
suffer seriously.
American manufacturers so fully occupied
with their immediate business cares and are so
well satisfied with the progress which they have
made that they are comparatively Indifferent to
the opinions of outsiders. They boast less to-
day than at a time when they had less occasion
for so doing All the same, they would not he
human If they were not pleased with Engineer
ings" and The Timess" recognition of their
prOwess.