The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-02
DEMANDS FOR STEEL
INCREASE GREATLY
Shipbuilding Not Suffering
for Product as Much as Other
War Industries.
PERSHING ORDERS HEAVY
Railroad Operations in France
Require Thousands Of Tons
for Cars of All Kinds.
PERSHING ORDERS HEAVY
Special Despatch to TIE Sex.

quest for an increased allotment Of
plates for shipbuilding purposes was re-
fused by the War Industries Board, who
held that the $4,000 tons OF plates a
week was all that could be spared from
the war programme of the Government.
The equity of this refusal is easily
seen now that It Is known that the war
needs are increasing hugely. and the
pressure for steel In so many directions
shows no letup II Is said Mat over a
million tons of plates have been de-
livered to the shipyards and have not
yet appeared in any Of the vessels con-
structed While a good deaf Of steel Is
always in transit and some in process
of fabrication. It is believed that by
careful distribution the reserve or l.
100000 tons OF plates will take care Of
the urgent needs of the shipyards. added
to the SO, 900 tons coming in every week.
The amount mentioned in the last named
figures will take care OF 100000 dead
weight tons a month. and as launchings
last month amounted to 1924 ions
de adweight, It is easily seen that there
Is no problem to solve in the shipbuil1-
ing programme such as faces the War
H. iustries Board in other lines.
Railroad operations in France are
bringing in heavy orders every week.
the latest OF which is for 10000 thirty
ton standard gauge cars and 5000 mar
row gauge cars, while another tentative
order calls for 10000 thirty ton cars.
each car involving about ten tons of
steel. And now comes the word froit
Washington that the first estimate VI
Of naadad half
90. 900. 900 tons-is not sufficient, and
that 1t will come nearer the 23.o0l.oon
mark. In the new regulations applying
to the distribution of steel a few COM
mercial activities have been sanctioned
such as the repair of buildings. the up
keep of facilities for heat, light. povef
and sanitation, but as the output during
the current half year cannot possibly &c
beyond eighteen to twenty million tons
of steel, the important uses will Sat y
all up. and even these sanctioned ave-
nues OF use will be closed to orders.
New Tactics Change Specifications.
1t has been noticed in the orders COM
ing from the Government that the
change in fighting tactics on the western
front have altered many specifications,
as the different war requirements have
cropped up. A heavy drain on the shell
departments is now on. while large otd.
ers for utensils in connection with field
kitchens have been placed. In two Of tho
Pittsburg mills the rolling OF eh@l
rounds has been substituted for the
manufacture OF small billets for wire
rods, and other curtailments are hap
pening TO some other finished steel proi'
ucts to provide larger supplies for the
more essential war needs.
q
able as to the probable tinplate pro-
luction in August. hut the common view
has been that II would run somewhat
! below the July production of 3.l14,0OC
! boxes. That was considered a very
| remarkable record for the month, and
on the whole August weather has beer
more unfavorable than that of July
There remain very considerable re-
! quirements to be Allied in connection
| with the perishable food crops, but
| some of the mills are getting close to
the end OF their obligations in that
quarter. When by the Food Admins
trations order of May 0 the manufac'
ture of tinplate for miscellaneous ust
was shut Off. to provide for war orders
and the pershable foods, ordinary COM
| mercial consumers were advised by tho
mills that there would not be any tin
plate for time before the fourth quarter
although there was no promise mad,
that there would be supplies at tina
time. Consumers have not been activ,
lately in sounding out the prospects
but are beginning to take more interes
| in the situation. now that October |!
only a month distant. A little interes
is being manifested as to the tinplat,
price for the fourth quarter. the presen
price of s7.75 having been set, lik,
other iron and steel prices. 10 rui
through to September 80. In this con
nection it may be observed that Their,
Is no reason TO expect any change IL
the price. and no reduction is In sight
except as there is always a prospect o
u general reduction in steel prices.
Byproduct Ovens below Capacity
Carnegie Steel Company is now oper
ating about $50 byproduct ovens a
Clarion. but the output of the oven
operating is well below capacity. a
most of them have been started re
Gently. The first coke was made tw
months ago. and in a few days all tn
ovens in the first battery-l38-werei 1,
operation. The second battery has sine
been started and part OF the third TIL
fourth and fifth batteries are to com
in before the end of the year. The plan
has had no difficulty for a month o
more in supplying the entire coke re
uuirements OF the three Clarion fur