The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-19
SEEKING NEW IRON SUPPLIES.


tho Noeus OF tho Future
The fact Ia most significant that the
British Iron Trade Association has asked
the Government to instruct its consular
officials throughout the world to collect
information and report on the iron ore
resources Of many countries with view
to assisting British iron makers In their
search for the raw materials needed to
carry on their industry In lis letter to
the Prime Minister the association has sug-
gested the appointment OF royal COM
mission to inquire into the question OF raw
materials and to collect through the Consuls
all facts relating to iron ore supplies which
it concerns the buyer and the user Of such
ores to know.
This application illustrates the changed
position of Great Britain as an iron manu-
facturer II was not many years ago
that the British boosted Of the great adj
vantage they enjoyed in the fact that their
iron ore, coal and the limestone needed
for fiuxing were near together so that they
could turn pig iron out of their blast furnaces
more cheaply than any other country.
In the great iron ore districts Of Cleve-
land, south Scotland, Staffordshire, and
Lincolnshire the ore and coal were side by
side, while in no district of the Kingdom
were they separated by more than 100
miles and in hardly any district by more
than fifty or sixty miles.
On the other hand in the United States
the ores and the coal were generally about
1000 miles apart except in Alabama; and
in Germany the bulk of the ore had to be
carried by rail to the coal over distances
varying from 100 TO $50 miles. To-day,
however. Great Britain is bringing millions
of tons of iron ore thousands of miles to
her coal and the reason is interesting.
Great Britain still possesses enormous
resources in iron ore. But a'great change
has occurred in all the iron markets The
Use Of iron is decreasing, while the demand
for steel is growing every year
A very large variety Of articles once
made of iron are now made Of steel, and the
fact is deeply regretted by all British manu-
facturers that the larger part of their native
iron ores contains too much phosphorus
for the production of iron suitable for the
manufacture of Bessemer and Siemens
steel.
The most important iron ore district of
the Kingdom is the Cleveland district, near
the east coast, south of Newcastle. Until
about twenty years ago the iron ore from
which its millions of tons of pig iron were
annually produced came almost wholly
from the hills of the Cleveland region. To-
day, however the vast demand for the high
est quality of steel-making iron compes
the importation of large quantities of
foreign hematite ore, which is now used
in Cleveland to the extent of nearly 5000, 600
tons year.
The same change has also overtaken
Scotland where until about fifteen years
ago the iron produced was almost wholly
from local ores, whereas now nearly one
half of il is made from ores imported in
order to provide quality of pig iron suited
to the demands of the local steel works.
Scotland produces a considerable quantity
of hematite ore, but nothing is more GER,
tain than that in the near future Scot
land must rely increasingly upon i'm
ported ores.
The most important iron-making district
after Cleveland is the west coast, hat is
to say. west Cumberland and northwest
Lancashire. The total product of pig
iron in this district exceeds l,5O0 600 tons
yearly; and that of steel is from 100000
to 100000 tons. The pig is chiefly pro-
duced from local hematite ores. this being
the only important centre of such ores in
the British Isles, but the local supplies
have in the past three or four years been
largely supplemented by imports of hema-
tite ores from foreign countries.
The fact that Germany to-day is produc-
ing more steel. though not more pig iron.
than Great Britain is due to the poverty
in steel-making ores OF the British Isles.
The result, therefore, Of the substitution
of steel for iron in many manufactures
is that Great Britain can no longer say
that the supplies for its blast furnaces are
near together.
Nearly the whole OF the ore for the most
important form of iron that was used in the
manufacture of Bessemer steel or mild steel,
Ia brought 1000 miles over the sea from
Spain. Some Of it comes from other coun-
tries, but Spain is the largest source of sup
ply.
II has been evident for some time that
the mines OF north Spain will not for many
years longer be equal to the demands which
Great Britain and to less extent Ger
many, are iHdhlHS upoi hi'Ip' bNucHScs
of approaching exhaustion are already
apparent in Some Of the best Spanish dis
tricts. II is an imperative necessity that
Great Britain should secure other sources
of supply of hematite ores.
Another fact that has helped to wrest
the supremacy in iron and steel from Great
Britain is that richer ores are found and
worked in some foreign lands. Even the
best Cumberland and Lancashire hematite
ores have but 81 per cent. Of iron, while the
Cleveland iron ore is very much eaner.
Our Lake Superior ores, on the other hand.
contain from 50 to as per cent. of iron, while
the Gellevara mnes of northern Sweden
give as per cent. ore.
Thus il happens that Great Britain, which
had always held the premier position among
iron producing countries has lost its s,i-
premacy. Thirteen years ago the United
States wrested the lead from Great Britain,
and except for two years has held ii ever
since.
Fifteen years ago the British production
of ore was double that of the United States
But the British have now been left far be-
hind and there is every indication that
within q very few years the blast furnaces
of this country will produce far more than
twice as much iron as those of Great
Britain.
From American MCdiriHC.