The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-03
WILL D0INI'N
.NIIORL DIS, MARKETS.
This the Manifest Destiny Of tht
United States.
VAST PRODUCTION OF IRON
--..--.----- ------.--.-.
No District 50 Favorable as Tia: 81 BlrmlDt-
ham. Alabama, Says the Secretary
Of the British lroa Trade
Association.
VAST PRO DuCTIoN OF IRON
lspecial Dispatch to The Times. |,

Especial Dispatch to The Times)
BALTIMORE, MD, Jan. Elm this
weeks issue Of the Manufacturers Rec
ord MIR. ]. Stephen Jean, secretary of the
British Iron Trade Association and one
OF the worlds noted authorities on iron
and steel, presents an International view
of the iron and steel industries, In which
he says the outlook Of these industries
in America is most hopeful. He says that
every country in the wide world has rec
cgnized that not only has the United
States become the leading n1eeallursicai
nation, but they all know, also, that that
nation appears to have the manifest des,
tiny before it Of dominating the world s
markets. He sketches the manifestations
in Great Britain, which have changed It
into the greatest iron and steel importing
nation, and finds comfort in the state
ment that if Great Britain falls to come
UP to the high standard Of the iron MAX
ing resources OF the United States, it may
at least be said that no other European
country is, ON the whole, better OF.
BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT.
He adds: III I were asked to specify
the district which, in my opinion, offered
the most advantageous terms and condi.
tons to the capitalist who was looking
less to the Immediate than to the prox-
innate future I Should feel inclined to
name the district Of Birmingham, Ala.
Many Of my American friends are aware
that I have been there within the last
three months. then had the opportunity
of examining and estimating the re-
sources of the district from an iron
making point Of view know Of nothing
to excel and hardly anything to equal
them. In the Cleveland (England) dis
trict the ores are. as at Birmingham,
generally close to or within ten miles Of
the blast furnaces, and the coal is within
twenty-five miles, while limestone is rot
more than thirty miles Off But in Cleve-.
land the ore rarely exceeds thirty per.
cent. of iron, and In all but one or two
cases 1t has to be mined from. considera-
BILE depths. In the case Of Alabama
saw the ore being brought out by drifts
from a very considerable depth, and l
saw coal dealt with in the same manner.
In no other district with which I am far
niliar can one stand at given point
and see blast furnaces. coal mines ana
iron ore mines-or rather their evidences
in the form of equipment-at practically
tho same moment
NOT DOING HER BEST
"And, in my view, Birmingham has
not done its level best. Thez new plants
in course of construction or projected
will be likely to do much to demonstrate
how much better the district may do than.
anything it has yet achieved. It is q great
point in it's favor that it is nearer to Iide.
water than any other important iron max
ing center Of the Unitede Sta eSa and I.
saw and heard, enoughs.to, convince me
that its railway service is ready to help
10
bama can otherwise rise to the level OF
it's great chances. One thing, however,
must be dealt with properly and firmly
If am correctly informed that the trade.
union is becoming increasingly. and tyran-,
nically aggressive in Birmingham, can
only point to English experience, and de-
clare that the thing that works mischief;
in one case cannot be desirable in another.
NO DANGER OT SURFEIT.
''Were it not that the history of tho
three years ended 1901 gives countenance
to the belief that the world can hardly
have too much of good thing in the
form Of iron, I should have felt a little
uneasy as to the wonderful developments
that were going on in every place I Wis
tied during my recent visit to the United
States. No other country, except Russia,
is attempting similar progress which Will
not be likely to represent more than
600 600 to $50 tons Of Pig iron annually.
But the schemes with which became &C
quainted during my stay In the State
provided, should think. for an increased
output of more than 100000 tons Of pig
iron, having regard, of course. to the
greater productive capacity of the Amer
lean furnaces. In Great Britain, France
and Germany very little increase Of pig
iron output is in prospect. The few fun
naces that are being provided in Austria,
Hungary, Italy and other countries are
hardly likely to have any very sensible
effect on tho vastly increased supply
which, the world must call for within
few years at the most. Hence am not
pessimistic about the future demand for
American iron nor That Of any ether
country which may succeed in producing
the metal at a sufficiently low price.
"To large extent am In agreement
with my friend. Mr.. Edward Atkinson,
when he declares that there is more like
lihood, in the long run, OF a famine
than Of a plethora of iron. II, then.
American capitalists and manufacturers
are satisfied that they are able to pro-
d,rce iron cheaper than it can be produced
in other countries, they need not be
afraid of excess Of production over 8
term of years, although that remark does
not, of course, imply that either they
or any other community can enjoy COM
plete exemption from the ups and downs
to which all communities are periodically