The Washington times., 1902-04-27
Earl of Cromer Compares
Them With Those of
British Make.
BUILT QUICKER, COST LESS
Following Peculiar Specifications Takes
Longer and Increases Expense for
Builders Here-How the Baldwin
Works Completes With All the World.


ish railways. especially upon those in
Egypt, is discussed in a report by the
Earl of Cromer. the British consul general
in Cairo. copy of which has just
reached the Treasury Bureau of Statistics.
The report states that American manu-
facturers are able to furnish engines of
their standard types at lower prices and
in less time than British manufacturers.
but that for specially manufactured
engines upon orders, differing in detail
from American iYpeS fhe prices Of Brit
ish manufacturers are slightly below
those of the United States. and that tests
of American and British engines in actual
service have shown that the American
engines consume from % to 80 per cent
more coal than those manufactured in
England.
Two offers from American and British
manufacturers for specially made engines,
according to specifications issued by the
Egyptian railway board. are quoted. In
one of these the British price is G2.2i0,
and the American price G2.100: and in
the other case the British price is e3,250,
however, Lord Cromer adds:
''On the other hand the American firm
(Messrs. Burnham, William G. Co.. whose
works are known as the Baldwin works.
offered to supply engines differing in GER
tain particulars from the Egyptian de-
signs and specifications. but which they
held to be Of equal power and equally
suitable to the work which had to be per-
formed. Under these conditions, the
American prices fell respectively, to
G1.S55 and f2.475-that is to say. 1s per
cent below the British. The reason for
this great fall in price is sufficiently
obvious; 1t is thus explained by Mr..
Trevithick. The American firm, he says,
were able to introduce their stock stand
ards. ana to advance work continuously
without teing hampered by. to them. un-
known and unnecessary conditions. an ad
vantage which in my opinion, quite ac-
counts for the difference in-the cost and
time OF delivery between the two makes of
engines.
Celerity of Construction.
''1t appears. however. that ii is not SO
much in the matter of price as in respect
to the period required for the construc-
tion that the American manufacturers
have had the greatest advantage, not only
over British, but over all other competl.
tors. The figures in this connection are.
indeed. very remarkable. On the two oc-
casions given by Mr. Trevithick, when
British and American firms entered into
competition. the former offered to COM
plete the orders in forty-eight and ninety
weeks, respectively. The American offers,
on the other hand, were for delivery In
eighteen and thirty-five weeks. If the
Egyptian designs and specifications were
followed. or in twelve and thirty weeks
IL certain changes in the designs were al
lowed.
1T cannot be doubted that the main
reason why so many orders for railway
and other plants required in Egypt have
recently been given to America is that
American firms have been able TO execute
them with extraordinary rapidity. For
reasons TO which ] have frequently al
luded in my annual reports. and on which
/ need not, therefore, dwell at present,
railway development in Egypt did not, for
many years, keep pace with the rapidly
increasing prosperity of the country. The
natural result ensued. moment came
when large quantity of material was re-
quired for delivery in short time, and.
ipasmuch as American firms were in a
far better position than others to comply
with the requirements of the government
as regards time of delivery, a large por-
tion OF the orders naturally went to
America
Immense American Plant.
With reference to this particular ques-
tion o. time Mr.. Treyithick forwarded a
memorandum to Lord Cromer as follows:
The Baldwin works are at present
turning out locomotives al the rate of
1000 year. or 2s per cent more than
the combined turnout of the four leading
English firms, viz: Nelson, 300; Dubs,
l5O: Sharp Stewart. 1s0. and Kitson, 130.
Their secret of success in rapidly and in
expensively constructing locomotives is
their continuous day and night work sys
tenn of piece work and working to fixed
types and templates. 1t Will be readily
understood how great an economy can be
effected In the construction of machines
so complicated as locomotives when, by
working day and night, double the amount
of work is obtained out of the plant and
buildings fcapitaD when no scheming nor
drawings are necessary. and when COM
plete sets of templates and patterns exist |
Moreover, under this system they are I
a bic 20 make use OF labor-saving machines |
and tools specially designed for the manu- |
featuring OF the various parts forming 1
their standard locomotives, and the en- |
ployment OF which would be inadmissible 1
in English workshops, where only few |
engines are constructed TO the same type. 4
.sThus IL is thai the Baldwin Works, so |
long as they have sufficient orders to en-
gage their machinery day and night, and |
are allowed 10 construct their own stand /
ard types, can 50 successfully compete |
with the world in locomotive manu-
facture."