The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-09
sATu RDAY, FEBRUARY Q, 19ol-
BRITISH AND AMERICAN PROS
Poets,

No one who reads the British papers
can fail 10 be struck with the s1reness
felt by the English over THAR loss of
foreign trade. 1t is al very we'll TO argue
that the loss docs not exist because the
British trade has really Increased both
in exports and imports. ard that it is
not fair to say that the British are losing
their trade because they have not gained
is much pro9ortionately as America or
Germany. This argument may be sufti-
cient for the stock brokers who wish TO
sen British bonds. II certainly is Tot
sufficient Ito satisfy the minds Of the
stockholders and managers Of British in
alst1ses-
Especially is this true in the iron and
sized trades, a field in which American
competition i1as been most l1cenly felt.
The London Times has employed a spec
ia! commissioner 10 look into the advance
made by America in these lin.s and its
columns are now filed with letters from
correspondents giving their views on the
situation.
one letter is from a gentleman Tllo
says: Il am a steel works manager. and
am obliged TO consider the interests Of
other persons in addition 10 my own,
and /, therefore, regret the necessity Of
writing under a nom de plume" This
writer attributes one of the chief diff
ctllties experienced by British nnannfac-
tuners Of steel products 10 the eNot41itant
and unreasonable specifications demanded
by The railroad officials WHO give the
These specifications, as much as any
thing else, have been the means of letting
foreign competitors into our market, by
increasing the cost and retarding deliv
,.rsrsof railway material as manufactured
in this country
Il blame the manufacturers for their
weakness in agreeing to work under such
arbitrary conditions.
FOREIGNERS when rendering, decline TO
be bound by clauses Of a specification
which they know viii simply delay de-
livery and increase cost, ana after all
secure no better material.
..It is a fact that our foremost enSin-
GERS have sanctioned the use OF material
from abroad made 10 tie engineers sPeci-
ticzation but waving certain clauses
clauses which render quick delivery and
cheap manufacture impossible.
With all dcye respect 10 railway en-
ssineers, submit that it is not reasonable
for them 10 dictate upon the subject of
steel making, q process of which they
have no experiences acquired by practice
Nj J. II. Howell. of the Castle Garden
Engineering Works. says that the trouble
lies IN the fact that america has a pro-
3ective polics- which keeps out foreign COM
petition and has free trade between the
States at home, and, therefore, has a
population Of St.0Qa,oo1 of The most pros
pecous and rorac:ous consumers in the
world as Clients. AIR. Howell sums up his
remarks by saying that The cost OF pro-
duction IN america can. therefore, be re-
d,iced 70 a point far below what the Eng
dish have achieved, or can hope to achieve,
under the existing conditions, and THAI
as the output governs the cost England
can never hope 10 compete with us until
some policy be adopted that will give her
a chance 20 have the same fixed field for
her lrokicts.
Mr.. Howell further says that Unless
Great Britain manufacturers can raise
rheir output to a level wita, that of the
United States gigantic concerns the tech
afical education which is now being harped
upon as the great need of English work
men will not be sufficient to save Eng
fish trade in The coming battle.
on top of this the London Times has
an editorial on British commerce, in which.
s; says that the latter part of the year