Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-06-04
REPLIES TO HAMILTON
Sir Alfred Hickman Sticks to His
Claim of Unfairness to
England.
he CHAMPIONS BRITISH PRODUCTS
Declares Uncle Sans Locomotives In.
ferior in Endurance and Make
Demands Investigation.

London, June 4-Sir Alfred Hick-
man, former president of the British
Iron Trade association, has replied to
the response of Lord George Hamilton,
secretary of state for India. to his re-
cent attack in the house of commons
upon American built locomotives and
bridges. He quotes from the report Of
the Burmah Railway company for the
first half of 1900 to show that Ameri-
can locomotives used on the line
burned 3D. per cent. more fuel per
train for each mile and 23.3 more per
vehicle for each mile than British
built locomotives; and he declares that
the alterations alluded to by Lord
George Hamilton were made in the
tenders only so as TO enable the carry
ing of more fuel. After inQuiring why
certain reports have not been pub
lished he says. The Burmah rail
way officials seem resolved to screen
the Americans at all cost"
Makes Point. If Correct.
After inquiring why, if American
competition is founded on superior
chemical research and technical edu-
cation, British makers should he full
of orders from Americans to deliver
Immediately at any price. he remarks:
lnal Is some eNlueDte Illdl the
world outside the Indian railway Off
cials considers British engines and ma
terial better and i'll reality cheaper.
The official locomotive engineer re
ports to the Burmah Railway COM
pany that the engines show early signs
of wear and want of strength and that
cheapneSS in the first cost is not true
economy"
Says the Trouble Is Protection.
Sir Alfred then cites Egyptian rail
way reports against Belgian engines.
| and quotes from an Assam railway
report, dated April Is. 1901. as saying
that American locomotives take ~ per
cent. more coal and - per cent. more
| oil than British. This. Sir Alfred
AYERS. cOncusively proves bad work
manShip He atiirmS that the great
advantage which continental and
American manufacturers have over
| British manufacturers * due TO what
practically amounts to export boun-
| ties, adding: The American engineer
| has Il protected market which enables
him TO make enormous profits at home
and even to sell at a loss abroad. still
getting n satisfactory return on his
| capital. | venture to assert with con-
| fidence that hut for the 81 per cent.
duty we should sell more engines in
| America than the Americans would
send here
| Charges Bad Faith In Contracting.
Discussing the GOhties viaduct IN
| Rurmah Sir Alfred says Lord George
| Hamilton refuses to give Constable an
| opportunity of proving his statements
| about the bad American work, ION
| the assurance of gentlemen who have
proved their Partially TO the Ameri-
can bridge building company by show
| ing them in advance the private esti-
| mates for the projected bridge over the
| Irrawaddy. and who, by every shift
| and contrivance, have endeavOred 10
| Stave off the publication of the reports
| of their own engineers" Sir Alfred 5
| long arraignment concludes with a re-
| quest 70" the appointment of a com
mittee to investigate the subject.