The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-09-26
WORLD STEEL
POWER NOW
LOST TO GERMANY
May Drop to Fourth Place
With United States
First

The secrecy which had been main
tanned by Germany regarding the wal
iron and steel output since October,
1916, was recently broken and an an
alysis of the production reveals some
striking features. In steel of all
grades Germany reached her maxi
mum output in 1913 at 1~8,894,241
metric tons. The largest war produc-
ton was in 1919 at 1~6,587,360 tons.
At no time during the war did the
flow OF steel from German furnaces
approach the peace production, de-
spite the fact that attempts were
made to make the Allies think that
records were being made. 1t is a fac
that the coal production, on which
munition works and steel plants de-
pend, was only about 100000 tons
per month under the peace output,
but those well informed knew that
he country could not maintain a
pigiron and steel production equal
to the pre-War rate under the con-
ditions, therefore the production of
over 16,50O,000 tons was by no
means a mediocre achievement. In
the ten months ended with October,
1918, its output was 1~3,756,813 tons,
and if this rate could have been
maintained for the other ten months
the years production could have
been over $780, 900 tons.
By no means was the same rates
n pigirvn output maintained as in
steel. AS compared with a peace out
put Of over 100000 tons in 1918,
he largest wal production was 49,
284,738 tons in 1916. The striking
act that it was possible to greatly
augment the steel output out of pro-
portion to pigiron under war cohdi-
Gions is probably explained by the use
81 tremendous amounts of scrap
aiken from Belgium and France in
The shape of broken machinery and
ron and steel in all manner of forms.
Comparing the 1917 steel output
Niththat Of 1913, it is notable that the
3essc-war basic output declined over
hirty-fve pei cent, due perhaps to
! lack of pigiron. The open hearth
PRODUCTION was maintained at more
han the relative pre-war output Of
,270, 900 Aons as compared with
100000 tons in 1913. In crucible
.teel there was a marked increase
elatively, and scrap steel was prob
.bly also an important item. The
expansion in 1917 over 1913 was over
30 per cent. But the striking features
Of comparison are the changes OF the
relative and the steel casting output.
The 1917 electric steel production
was over twice that Of the 1913, when
Germany led the world in this phase
Of the industry. In steel castings,
however, the growth was remarkable
under war conditions, the 1917 out
out having been over four times that
Of 1918, or LAOS, 900 tons, against
298,0 00 tons. The extent of this ex-
pansion is appreciated when it is re-
nembered that the German steel
foundry output in 1916, 1917 and
probably 1918 exceeded that Of the
entire United States. To what extent
the supply Of stolen scrap was a fac
tor in the electric and steel casting
output is not known, but it probably
vas important.
Perhaps again will Germany
occupy second place in the worlds
steel and iron production. The eli
mination of Alsdce-Lorraine and
Luxembourg means a drastic curtail-
ment in the amounts credited to Ger
many and the quantity unavailable
for inland consumption as a result of
the Allies Occupation of German ter
ritory is by no means small. Accord
ing to data already published for jan
uary and February, the present Ger
man output excluding Luxembourg and
Alsace-Lorraine, is at the rate of
about only 100000 tons per month of
pigiron and steel, respectively. If
from this is deducted it's quantity
produced in the occupied areas the
German steel output is at the rate of
only about 5000, 600 tons per year and
that of pigiron only 4,800,000 tons.
AS a result of the war Great Brit
ain now occupies second place in the
worlds steel and iron output, and it
IS probable that France will soon af-
ter her resuscitation and rehabilita-
ton not only outrank Germany but
perhaps step into a position second
only to the United States in the
greatest industry.