AMERICA

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 10, 1 July 1900, Page 83

AMERICA

The wondorful increase in the production of pig iron in America is an indox pointing to her taking the premier place amongst the countries of the world in manufacturing industries. Andrew Carnegie, oneof the best authorities on the subject, says "that the city or nation that can produce the cheapest ton of steel has insured industrial supremacy. The cost of so many other articles depends on the cost of this prime eloment." "In? 1884 the United Kingdom produced 7,811,727 tons of pig iron, in 1899 about 9,500,000. The United States record in 1884 was 4,097,869, and in 1899 nearly 14,000,000, ominous figures truly. The American, it 'is true, has advantages in tile shapo of rich deposits of ore, but this is not all. ' The very best labour saving machinery that' can' bo dbvisfed' has much to do with the returns. The Englisn manufacturer is content to stay at home and only take advantage of -such improvements in machinery as he hears or reads about. "The American, on the other hand, travwls far and wide to see for himself the" different nidßes of manufacturing, and- his inventive genius ib ever on tho alert to improve on thbra and'apply any principle to his special p'urpo"seV ;: The result is obvious. As an example, 1 at 'the' Lake Superior ore deposits a efceam'stidvel lifts five tons at a hoist, and tak'e6' fivWdigfr to fill a twenty-five ton railway trtick*. Sik" hundred tons are said to have' been deposited

in trucks within the hour by two men and four cwt. of coal at a cost of about tenpence per ton. That is the way in which competition can be defied.