the company had four British machines for preparing manila fiber for rope making. The combined daily output of these machines did not exceed 31⁄2 tons. Each required two operatives. An American machine was introduced, costing $1,000— about the price of each of the British machines. It is worked by two operatives of the same class and receiving the same rate of wages as did those who managed the British machines. It is capable of turning out 5 tons of the product per day if pushed, and it actually does turn out 4 tons each day. The product from the American machine is of better quality than that from the British. When this American machine demonstrated its superior utility, others were added to the plant from time to time.

To make sure that my informant was not mistaken in these statements as to the comparative efficiency of the American and British. machines, I have verified them fully. However, that this is by no means a rare example of the marked superiority of certain kinds of American machinery is indicated by the fact that on the same day another engineer told me that he had just finished fitting up in a printing house in Edinburgh an American folding machine which is managed by one operative, and is hereafter to do the work that up to the present time has required four British machines, each with a separate operative. I have myself seen this American machine in operation. Its owners are greatly pleased with it, as it does its work in a far more satisfactory manner than any other machine they have for the same purpose.

The machinist first above referred to continued:

Even the most conservative manufacturers in this country are now convinced, or are beginning to realize, that they can no longer afford to do without at least a moderate percentage of American general machinery, in addition to the common machine and other tools which have already been adopted everywhere. A great disqualification which much of the British machinery has, in addition to its being slow to work with, is its unnecessary weight. It is often absurdly heavy. I may say, without reservation, that machinery of every description is invariably made lighter in the United States than in Great Britain. This is one reason why it so often gets preference over British machinery; its lightness makes it better adapted to general requirements. The American designers and makers seem to have a happy faculty of properly combining lightness with strength and durability in machinery of all kinds. One sometimes hears misinformed or prejudiced persons say that American machinery is “jerry built." This is the reverse of true, as the machinery not only does fine work, but is well built from the best materials. As to durability, it lasts as well as any in the world. A fiber machine which my employers got from the United States eleven months ago has, since its arrival, been worked continuously ten hours a day every week day except Saturday, and six hours on Saturday. It has never been for a moment in the slighest degree out of order and has never cost us a farthing in repairs, but has uniformly run without a hitch, and has at all times done its work faultlessly.

On the subject of rope and twine making machinery, with which he is especially familiar, he continued:

American machinery of this class is far in advance of that made in other countries. It has already been adopted to a great extent by each of the more important

works in the British Islands, notably by those at Belfast, where, in addition to several American drawing frames, there is a full assortment of other American machinery, comprising various sizes of the other three principal classes of machines used in the industry, viz, balling machines, twisters, and layers.

Speaking particularly of American machine and other tools, he

said:

The improvements in these tools and the beneficial results from their adoption in this country have been tremendous within the last three or four years. No machine shop can now be well equipped without tools from the United States-lathes, shaping machines, planing machines, screwing machines, etc. These, not to attempt to enumerate the hundred kinds of hand tools, are being used everywhere throughout the British Islands. You may say that no machine shop worth mentioning in this country is without at least such tools as turret lathes and ordinary lathes of American manufacture. The turret lathe, which is made in many sizes, varying in price from $250 to $1,000, is a typical example of the general convenience of American tools. With the ordinary British lathes, used for the same purposes, workmen lose time in substituting one tool for another which may not be readily found. The turret lathe obviates this delay. A full assortment of tools being fixed in its turret, the workmen can instantly get any tool by a slight turn of the turret.

Certain British manufacturers are now turning out machine tools, etc., made exactly, or almost exactly, after American designs. A firm in Leeds makes a specialty of constructing machine tools and some other labor-saving machinery according to American patterns. This company probably pays a considerable sum in royalties to American patentees.

With reference to the swelling volume of importations of American machinery, and the ultimate effect upon British industries of this new factor, he expressed opinions which may come as a surprise to those not closely in touch with the industrial forces of the day. What he said is here given:

British manufacturers have been criticised for their conservatism, by none more sharply than by the leading British papers. Let me say that this conservatism has not been a matter of choice, but, as they have thought, an imperative necessity. They know have long known-that American machinery and methods are beating them in their own markets. They have known that for their own salvation they must adopt American machinery and methods; but until quite recently, they took no step in that direction for fear of bringing on a serious complication with the working people. To rightly understand the problem which British manufacturers have to deal with, one must consider the differing industrial conditions in the United States and in the United Kingdom. Leaving wholly out of view the different economic systems, what do we find in comparing the two countries from an industrial standpoint? The wages of skilled labor in the States are from 70 to 90 per cent higher than the wages of skilled labor here. Good wages inevitably mean greater efficiency of labor. Workmen are stimulated to put forth their best efforts. They work cheerfully, and therefore they work well. Moreover, the high scale of wages has been a strong influence in favor of the invention of machinery which gives labor a productive capacity corresponding to the wages received. If labor-saving machinery has thrown men out of employment in any branch of industry, they have quickly found work in another, so multifarious are the industries and employments

in a country so vast as the United States. I personally know of cases in your country of workmen forced out by labor-saving machines getting immediate employment in making the machines.

Now, turn to the United Kingdom. The laboring population is almost a fixed quantity, both in number and occupations. It is fixed in grooves. Once a bolt maker, always a bolt maker. Moreover, old methods are stoutly adhered to by the workmen. Their wages are comparatively low; their organizations are extensive and powerful. They have, as a rule, set their faces against labor-saving machinery, because the displacement of labor here is regarded by the masses as a very serious thing. I am inclined to so consider it. You can readily see why manufacturers in this country have been conservative. It is not because they have not desired to push ahead, to adopt every new device and every new method, and to run the industries at high pressure. They have simply been afraid to venture. But the tide of iron and steel and other manufactures rolling not only to our colonies, but also into our own markets from the United States, has compelled them to venture. It was a choice between a great, permanent loss of business and the risk of a struggle with labor. At first gradually, then quite largely, they have been importing American machinery, not only for various uses in iron and steel manufacture, but also for wood working, printing, binding, pumping, electric power, rope making, milling, paper making, sailcloth making, shoemaking, and so on. They have also been importing, as I have before stated, American tools of all sorts.

There has been an effort in some quarters to change the plan of work, notably, to dispense with the 9-o'clock breakfast, which is expensive because it generally requires a shutting down of machinery. Stopping and starting in the middle of the forenoon involves a loss, direct and indirect. Moreover, it leads to a dawdling habit on the part of workmen. A straight run from 8 to 1 o'clock would be far more productive than a broken run from 7 or even 6.30 to I. But wherever the change has been proposed, it has, I believe, been resisted. Innovations of any kind are generally opposed sharply, sometimes fiercely. The new labor-saving machinery is as yet not a large part of the total equipment in the more important industries. We have hardly got beyond the experimental stage, at least so far as the labor question is concerned. There are ominous grumblings. I can not clearly foresee the outcome. If our labor organizations can be made to recognize the absolute necessity confronting British manufacturers for adopting the best machines and the best methods all may be well, and the labor problem solve itself. Obviously, however, the only solution is the emigration of workmen, unless larger markets for British manufactures are to be secured in China, Africa, and other parts of the world, requiring increased production and thus giving full employment to men and machinery.

As everybody is aware, our markets at present are falling away-even the home and colonial markets-and some of our industries are declining. Any hope of expansion or of recovery in the near future seems chimerical, in view of existing conditions and the prospect of an ever-growing foreign competition. What wonder, therefore, that workmen are puzzled to discover any benefit to them in the new order of things? The perfected machinery for production is a matter of immense significance; the expanding markets for British products are as yet a dream. If the majority of skilled working people in the United Kingdom do not abate their hostility to improved machinery, and take the chances of a readjustment of the mass of labor to the new mechanical facilities by emigration or otherwise, there is trouble ahead, the consequences of which no man can measure. The engineers' strike, which came to an end in the spring of 1898, threatened the entire fabric of British industries by shaking the confidence of the world and of our own people in

their productive power. Another such experience would be disastrous beyond all calculation. Our manufacturers have to face that possibility. I do not put it as a probability, because I am not a pessimist, but prefer to look at the bright side. It were useless, however, to blink the fact that in the industrial revolution now going on, brought about chiefly by American competition, there lurks a grave peril.

EDINBURGH, July 24, 1899.

RUFUS FLEMING,

Consul.

RUSSIAN CATTLE FOR ENGLAND.

The Russian Government has for some time past been endeavoring to induce Great Britain to permit the entrance of Russian cattle, hogs, and animal produce of various kinds. Under the auspices of

the South Russian Society for the Exportation of Cattle and Animal Products and at the instigation of the Minister of Finance, a committee of English experts will visit Russia on or about the 10th of September next for the purpose of examining various veterinary establishments and also the numerous stock farms throughout southern Russia. The committee will consist of Mr. Kearley, M. P., Mr. Lambert, M. P., and Professor Cope, chief of the veterinary service of England. This committee will arrive at Moscow, and, after visiting the veterinary establishments in northern Russia, will be taken south to Kharkof, thence to Nicolaiev, thence to Rostoff-on-Don, and the northern Caucasus. A special car has been placed at the disposal of the committee, and the sum of 5,000 rubles has been granted by the Russian Government to cover the expenses of the trip. It is desired, in the first place, that the visitors should see for themselves. the condition of the veterinary establishments, and also that Russian cattle, hogs, etc., are free from contagious disease. After having looked the ground over, the committee will be in a position to advise the Russian Government what measures, if any, might be taken which would allow Russian cattle to enter British ports under the most favorable circumstances. Russia has been engaged for some time in trying to promote this trade by subsidizing steamers having cold-storage room and by aiding, at various shipping points, in the establishment of slaughtering houses, packing houses, and houses for smoking hams, sides, and shoulders of pork. The plan also includes the shipment of dairy products.

ODESSA, August 5, 1899.

THOS. E. HEENAN,

Consul.

CONSTRUCTION

OF STREETS AND BUILDINGS
IN

BRESLAU.

The law regulating the construction of houses and streets is very strictly enforced in this city, under the supervision of the board of public works and city engineers.

STREETS.

All new streets are paid for by the owners of property adjacent to the street, as well as the sewer, water, and gas connections, upon a warrant issued by a city engineer, countersigned by the auditor. Before a new street can be constructed, the majority of the property holders on said street must petition the city government to have it surveyed and advertised for construction. The city engineer and the

board of public works receive bids for the same and award the contract to the lowest and best bidder, who is bound to finish the street within a specific time and to keep the same in repair for five years. The property holders must deposit with the city treasury the whole amount which the construction of the street will cost, before the work commences.

First, the sewer is dug in the center of the street, all water and gas mains laid, and every 25 feet (which is considered the width of a lot) the sewer, water, and gas connections are made to main sewer, water, and gas pipes, extending to the property line.

The specifications for the construction of streets have the following requirements:

Asphalt streets.-The street is dug and leveled to receive the foundation and asphalt as follows:

Twelve inches of coarse gravel and Portland cement are well mixed upon a 12 feet square board platform. The same is mixed dry and then thoroughly sprinkled with water to make a compact mass, when it is wheeled into the street, thoroughly leveled, and left standing for two days when the weather is warm. When cold, it is left until perfectly dry and as hard as stone. This foundation is then inspected by the board of supervisors. If it is found to be made according to specification and dry enough, the contractor is permitted to finish it by putting on 2 inches of asphalt; the same being thoroughly rammed and rolled. The price of a square meter (10.7642 square feet) of asphalt pavement amounts to about $3.57.

Granite streets the crevices of which are filled with sharp gravel sand.— The bed or foundation for this kind of street is first filled with irregular rock, laid by hand side by side, 8 inches high; on this are scat