The sun., 1900-12-22
ArrAcG os AsssscAx siwss.
voseisr ststsmsnU That They Are wssh
Traced To wsnins Prestige Of british Fis'n'

Toseisn statsmsnts That they Are weak
1rscedto wsnins Prestige ef British Fhn',
| Agitation, q term formerly employed In
| England chiefly to describe political ferment.
/ IL used by English reporters and CORE
| spondents, who have been quoted here In
published cable dispatches within day or
! two. 70 oharacterile q movement set sfoot
by Sir Alfred Hickman. NJ. =, looking u
! the deprecation Of American bridge building
with tho aim 81 supporting the waning pres
J tlgo Of British firms engaged In that impor-
tant branch of commercial activity Period
! icaly. since tho Americans have been taking
! trade along this line from their English
brethren, there havo been spasmodc out
bursts on the part Of Britshcrs whose busi.
ness has suffered; but they have been di-
reoted chiefly to inducing the British Gov
I ernment to favor home industry rather than
foreign enterprise. Now Sir Alfred Hick-
man has essayed the equivooal task Of down
ing American competitors Of British bridge
builders by efforts To convince the British
public that the work of the Americans Is OF
less stable quality than that OF their Anglican
brothers and therefore to be Stunned. The
disposition to smile at him and pity him on
this side IL checked by recognition OF his
former claims TO respectful attention as u
reputable steel maker
Sir Alfred is q steel manufacturer Of VOL
verhampton and was formerly President OF
the British Iron Trade Association. In
recent published interviews In the English
press he has asserted that much OF the iron
and steel exported from this country is OF
inferior quality. and that American-bullt
bridges are faulty In construction. He has
gone so far as TO supply statistics to the For
eign Office. In which. according to the cable
ha eka ,aA tkat A-.l L.,
this country collapse each year; and on this
showing he based a recommendation that
inspection Of American built bridges be
made most rigid. He made his remarks
appertain particularly to recent work OF
American engineers "in Burmah, Uganda
and the Soudan." Contrasting English and
American bridge builders. he said that the
English expected bridges to last. while Ameri-
cans considered thtt duty performed If they
put up bridges to answer a required purpose
for the least cost clnchng his obscrv alton
with the epigram that the English did not
believe In economy at the expense of sta
bility.
Mr.. Charles Macdonald. vice-Pre sident
OF the American Bridge Company, in which
are comprised now the chief companies OF
the United States engaged in bridge building,
read the reports Of Sir Alfred Hicknan's
agitation, and when a Sun reporter called
upon him corrected a few Of the implications of
Sir Alfred's remarks. Mr.. Macdonald has
direction especially OF the railway depart
ment OF the American Bridge Company's
business. Referring to Sir Alfred Hickman's
declarations Mr.. Macdonald said
We are now building several bridge. in
Uganda for the British Government These
bridges were designed by English engineers
and are 10 be constructed under their super
vision. As these engineers are recognized
as among the first in the world. IL Is TO be pre-
sumed that they knew what they were about
In awarding the contracts TO us. and. further
more. that they were abundantly able to
protect British interests In the inspection Of
the work as 1t passes through our hands
This IL not by any means our first experience
In competition with the English In 1888
We constructed the Hawkesbury bridge In
New South Wales upon plans which were
approved by Sir Ben njamin Baker. the engineer
of the great Forth bridge In Scotland Quite
recently we completed the Atbara bridge In
Egypt. under the inspection OF English en-
sineers. In an unprec cedentedly short space Of
time. thereby greatly facilitating the Kitch-
ener campaign.
We are now constructing bridges In Cuba
and Costa Rica for the eminent firm OF En-
glish engineers. Livsey. Son Il Henderson.
and have just furnished plans for a bridge
in New South Wales which have been ac-
ccpted and upon which work will proceed
promptly. | am surprised that a man of
the experience of Sir Alfred Hickman should
have expressed himself. as he has been re-
ported regarding the character of Amerl-
can bridge work. IL is TO be hoped for the |
sake OF his reputation. that the cabled re-
ports are incorrect
American bridge builders have secure ed
contracts for bridges in the past and expect |
TO continue to do so. for the simple reason |
that they can execute the work in accord |
anoe with the highest standard required |
anywhere In the world at a less cost than |
their competitors and in very much less time. |
Our methods are open TO the most rigid |
Investigation and we are prepared to assume |
the responsibility OF the results
1T is natural. perhaps. that there should |
appear occasional outbursts OF dIssatisfac- |
ton on the part OF English manufacturers |
who find themselves distanced In the race |
by their American competitors But we |
are happy to note that these outbursts are
the exception rather than the rule As a
class, the English are broad-minded men
who are quick to recognize merit wherever
they nee II and who will no doubt endeayor
to adapt themselves to circumstances by
improving their methods rlther than by
wasting printers ink in criticislng those of
bair mr. nj