The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-01
YANKEE WORK THE BEST
LORD GEORGE HAMILTON REPTIF.S
TO SIR ALFRED HICKMAN'S
STRUCTURES
JOHN BULL NO LONGER LEADS
American Locomotives and Steel
bridges Have Amply Demon
strnted Their Superiority
on Indian Railroads.

LONDON, May 31-Lord George Ham
liton, the Indian secretary, who was not
present in the house of commons when
SIR Alfred Hickman Conservative, Nav
q attacked American-buit locomotives
ana bridges, has replied in a letter to Sir
Alfred Hickman. In part it is as fol-
lows:
No practical engineer. who has visited
American workshops and inspected their
methods Of production and manufacture
would for moment indorse YOUR as
symptoms Their connection is dangSr-
c'ls because they are yearly improving
their products both in quality and prica
lt always has been the practice Of the
board OF management Of the Indian rail-
ways to give preference in all their con-
tracts to British manufacturers and that
policy has so far prevailed that I'D to the
great recent engineering strike no order
Tor q railway locomotive was ever given
OUTSIDE OF Great Britain Since then,
owing to the British workshops being
blocked with wax, certain Of the India
railway boards found it necessary. as
locomotives could not be obtained here
to place few limited orders in America
l am ready to give all the available re-
ports concerning working. consumption
or fuel and load-draWing power Of these
locomotives. The earlier reports were m
favorable, but when their working was
better understood and alterations were
made to suit the local work a remarkable
Improvement was noticeable, so much SO
that one company wishes to obtain more
engines Of similar construction. That
American locomotives obtained O. foot
ing in India was due to the strike have
referred to. But f. as 1 hope, British
locomotives are in the future to rega In
their monopoly in that vast system Of
railways, British engineers must profit by
TIE hints ard suggestions these reports
convey"
BUILD BEST BRIDGES.
Concerning the Gokteik viaduct In
Burmah, Lord George Hamilton says the
order was placed with q PHILADELPHIA
company because no British firms had
anything like the same experience in this
class Of construction. The Americans bid
a lower price and quicker time than
ether competitors. The charge made by
the late supervisor of the construction Of
the viaduct that the riveting was de-
fective was in no way supported by a
searching inspection.
The Burmah railroad board" he adds.
composed Of the most competent rail-
way experts, are satisfied that the bridge
is sound and reliable
Lord George Hamilton also saws that
if he seems tc combat Sir Alfred Hick.
mans contention it is not because he
does not heartily appreciate his object
They both wish to assist in maintaining
the supremacy Of British engineers and
workshops against foreign contractors.
''You seem to think" he continues.
that orders have only gone abroad be-
cause those who gave them did not
understand their business. I wish it we're
so. The competition we nave to face Is
founded or something much more
formidable and more substantial Chem
ical research. the consolidation Of capt
tai thorough technical education and i'm
proved industrial organization have made
in recent years a greater advance IN
America than mere. 1t is with the
product of these combinations and not
with the assumed stupidity of the Indian
officials that the British engineer has to
contend SO far as 7 am concerned, I
can undertake that preference, unless the
difference in price, quality and delivery
is very substantial, viii always be given
to British firms. May not ask you. as
a leading member Of the great steel in
eustry of this country. to cooperate with
me by impressing on your associates the
necessity Of meeting competition In the
future, so as to insure that price and
time of delivery viii be on the side OF
British productions"