678 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN September 25, 1914. GERMANY’S MARKETS. IV.—IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS.* Iron or Steel Bars, Rods, Angles, Shapes or Sections.— The following statement shows the value of angle-iron, &c., exported from Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the United Kingdom to all destinations in a recent year:— Exported from Germany (1912). Girders £2.617,000; malleable iron bars, except girders, unshaped bar iron, hoop iron, £5,682,000; total, £8,299,000. Exported from Austria-Hungary (1913): Iron and steel in bars or rods, hammered, rolled, or drawn—Not shaped, £117,000; shaped, £50,000; total, £167,000. Exported from the United Kingdom (1913) : Iron, wrought, in bars, rods, angles, and shapes or sections, £1,326,000; steel in bars, rods, shapes, or sections, £3,571,000; girders, beams, joists, and pillars. £1,043,000; hoops and strips, £440,800; total, £6,380,800. Owing to differences in classification indicated by the foregoing particulars, it is not possible to make a close comparison between the exported products of the several countries. The United Kingdom was Germany’s most important customer in 1912 for girders and malleable iron bars, &c., with £1,236,200. Other important German markets for all classes of angle iron, &c., were the Nether- lands (£1,167,000), Switzerland (£773,250), Argentina (£617,200), and Japan (£427,050). Considerable amounts were also sent to British India, Australia, and Canada among the colonial markets, to Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Italyr Roumania, Norway, and Russia in Europe, and to the Dutch East Indies, Brazil, and the United States. Austria-Hungary’s exports of this class of goods are trifling in comparison with those of Germany. Her principal markets are to be found in south-eastern Europe—viz., Roumania, Italy, Bulgaria and Servia, the only other markets of any importance being Russia, Turkey and Argentina. From two-thirds to three-fourths of our exports go to British Dominions, though the United States, Russia, Japan, France, Netherlands and Belgium are also very valuable markets, particularly for steel bars, rods, shapes or sections. The United Kingdom easily holds the colonial and United States markets, and also holds a fair position in the Russian, Japanese, and Argentine markets. There would appear to be openings at the expense of Germany m most of the European markets, especially the Netherlands and Switzerland. Compared with Germany, the United Kingdom holds an extremely strong position in the South African, Cingalese, Canadian, New Zealand, Australian and Indian markets, though in the two latter cases German competition is not lacking. We bold a fairly strong position in Egypt and the United States, and are doing fairly well in the French, Russian, and Brazilian markets, but in most of the European markets there would appear to be important openings for British manufacturers of bar, angle, &c. iron, particularly in Scandinavia, Denmark, the Nether- lands, Belgium, Italy, and Roumania. In the Dutch East Indies and Japan, Germany has a long lead over the United Kingdom, but in China the reverse is the case. Germany’s exports of such iron to Argentina are two and a-half times as great as those of the United Kingdom, but jn the remaining South American markets we have a lead, though not a large one. Tubes, Pipes, and Fittings of Iron and Steel.—The following statement shows the value of iron and steel tubes, pipes, and fittings exported from Germany to all destinations in 1912 :—Iron tubes and pipes, pipe connections of non-malleable cast iron, rough and worked: Over 7 mm. thick, £304,000; 7 mm. or less in thickness, £78,000. Fittings for conduit pipes (taps, valves, &c.) worked, £218,000; spiral pipes, rolled or drawn, pipe connections, rough and worked, £258,000. Oth^r pipes, rolled or drawn : Rough, of material of any thickness, £2,094,000. Worked : Of material 2 mm. or more in thickness, £918,000 ; of material less than 2 mm. in thickness, £87,000; tube joints and fittings of malleable iron for steam boilers, steam drums, reservoirs, &c., £426,000—total, £4,383,000. The exports from Au stria-Hungary in 1913 amounted only to £12,840. There were exported from United Kingdom (1913):— Iron or steel tubes, pipes, and fittings, wrought, £2,959,000; pipes and fittings, cast, £1,702,000—total, £4,661,000. Owing to the entire absence in the United Kingdom returns of any particulars as to thickness, method of production, or finish, it is only possible to compare British and German exports of tubes and pipes in the aggregate. The distribution of the products of these two exporting countries is, moreover, very different. Thus fully one-third of the British exports go to British Dominions — Australia, South Africa, Canada, and Straits Settlements. In Egypt, China, Japan, and South America, British manufacturers are doing fairly well, though German competition is becoming strong in Brazil and Chile. We have a fair share of the trade in Norway and Sweden, but in the remaining European countries our share of the trade is distinctly small. Even to countries like Italy and Roumania, which can be easily reached by sea, we supply but a small part of their requirements of these goods. The value of German and British exports of fubes and pipes and fittings to Western and. Southern Europe were roughly * We have already drawn attention to the bulletins issued by the Board of Trade with the object of assisting British manufacturers and traders to secure trade with British and foreign countries, formerly in the hands of their German and Austrian or Hungarian competitors. In this and the following articles we give some brief extracts from certain of these bulletins, which are to be obtained, it may be added, from the Commercial Intelligence Branch, 73, Basinghall-street, E.C. as follows:—From Germany (1912), £2,500,000; from United Kingdom (1913), £330,000. It is clear, therefore, that there is an immense field open to our manufac- turers in European markets, as well as in the Far Eastern and South American markets. Compared with German and British exports, those of Austria-Hungary are negligible. Iron or Steel Plates and Sheets (other than Tinned and Galvanised).—The following statement shows the value of certain descriptions of iron or steel plates and sheets exported from Germany in 1912:—Sheet iron, rough, scaled, straightened, dressed, varnished, of a thickness : of 5 mm. and over (rough sheets) £2,630,800; over 1 mm. and less than 5 mm., £717,700; of 1 mm. or less, £400,600. Sheet iron, ground, coated with enamel, lacquered, polished, pickled or otherwise artificially oxidised, £47,400. Sheet iron, coated with base metals (other than tin or zinc) or alloys of such base metals, £110,000. Sheets for working shaped articles by stamping, spinning, drawing, fluted sheets, chequered plates, sheets rolled with projections to give studded patterns, £28,700. Sheets, pressed, bossed, flanged, welded, rounded, perforated, drilled, £187,800—total, £3,523,000. The exports from Austria-Hungary in 1913 were:— Sheets and plates ; rough (black plate), of a thickness : of 2 mm. or more, £139,000 ; of less than 2 mm. and down to 1 mm., £13,900; of less than 1mm., £11,700. Sheets and plates, dressed or pickled, £5,300. Sheets and plates, coated with lead, brass, &c., varnished, smoothed, £6,600. Sheets and plates; pierced, perforated, punched or cut out, £7,150—total, 183,650. Exports from the United Kingdom in 1913 were :— Ship, bridge, boiler, and other plates or sheets not under ‘I in. thick, £1.233,000. Black sheets under 4 in. thick, £825,600. Black plates. £754,400—total, £2,813,000. There are very considerable differences in the method of classification adopted by the three countries ; and these differences render really close comparison between the particulars of this part of their export trade some- what difficult. It appears, however, that we are fairly well holding our own in the Australian, South African, Indian, Russian and Japanese markets, though in the last three German competition is increasing in severity. The sales of German plates and sheets in the Dutch and Swiss markets are more than 10 times, in the Norwegian, Italian and Belgian markets three times, and in the Roumanian markets nearly five times as large as the sales of British-made plates and sheets therein. In the Dutch, Belgian and Swiss markets the geographical factor is doubtless important, but this factor would appear to be of less moment in the Norwegian, Italian and Roumanian markets, and the reasons for our comparative inferiority in these latter markets must be sought elsewhere. Roumania in particular seems to receive less attention from British manufacturers and merchants in all lines than the importance of the market deserves. Austrian sales to Italy nearly equal and to Roumania actually exceed those of the United Kingdom. In Russia our position is distinctly better, our sales in that market being nearly twice as great as those of Germany, while Austria is practically unrepresented. Our exports to the Dutch East Indies are much smaller than those of Germany, and might be increased. In the remaining markets our position is fairly satisfactory. Railway Material of Iron and Steel (except Rolling Stock and Wheels, Tyres and Axles).—The following statement shows the value of railway material exported to all destinations from Germany in 1912 :—Rails for railways, &c., tramrails, £2,900,600 ; sleepers of iron, £763,800 ; fishplates and bedplates, £329,300; fishplate screws and wedges, bolts for sleepers, gauge bars, clamp plates, hooked nails, £250,000; railway carriage metal fittings, railway buffers, £75,400 ; parts of railway switches, parts of signals, £119,200; railway carriage springs, buffer springs, £92,900—total, £4,531,200. There were exported from Austria-Hungary in 1913 : Rails for railways, pierced or not, £35,660; other rail- way material, including fastenings, frogs, buffers, &c., £1,810—total, £37,470. The exports from United Kingdom in 1913 were :— Rails, new perfect rails, for use on steam or electric railways, and conductor rails for electric traction, £3.457,800; tram rails, with grooved heads,. £156,500 ; chairs and sleepers (of iron or steel), £764,900; railroad iron or steel, unenumerated, £810,400—total, £5,189,600. Germany's principal markets for railway material in 1912 and the aggregate amount sent to each were as follow:—Dutch East Indies (£518,900), Turkey (£473,200), Argentina (£319,100), Sweden (£303.700), Switzerland (£288,000), Netherlands (£297,600). Chile (£193,900), Brazil (£181,100), United Kingdom (£180,100), Japan (£166,900), and Denmark (£150,400). The most important item exported was rails, the exports of rails accounting for fully one-half the total. Austrian exports of railway material are insignificant when'compared with those of Germany and the United Kingdom. Rails form the bulk of the exports, and were sent mainly to Roumania (£30,610) and Servia (£4.870). . As regards rails, it appears that in India and Australia we already hold an overwhelmingly strong position, and though in South Africa our position is not quite so strong, even there we already hold four-fifths of the trade. In Egypt, Portuguese East Africa, and Argen- tina our share is larger than the German share of this business, but in each of these markets our share might be increased. In the European markets and in the Dutch East Indies we have hitherto hardly been repre- sented, and the present embarrassments of Germany offer very considerable opportunities to British producers of rails. In the case of chairs and sleepers, the position is practically the same as for rails : a strong position in British colonial markets and in Portuguese East Africa, and a weak position elsewhere. Iron and Steel Wire.—The following statement shows the value of iron and steel wire exported from Germany m 1912:—Unworked or worked but not polished, lacquered, &c.: {a) rolled, £1,152,000; (5) drawn, £753,000; coated with zinc (galvanised), £1,271,000—total, £3,176,000. The exports from Austria-Hungary in 1913 amounted to £51,300. Exports from the United Kingdom in 1913 were:— Wire for fencing (including barbed wire), £377,500. Wire, other sorts (including uninsulated electric wire), £680,600—total, £ 1,058,100. The principal German markets for rolled iron or steel wire, not polished, not lacquered, &c., in 1912 were: United Kingdom, Roumania, Switzerland, and Denmark. For drawn iron or steel wire, not polished, not lacquered, &c., the principal markets were : the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, Portugal, Norway, Brazil, Japan, and Argentina. Galvanised wire was sent mainly to the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, Japan, and Argentina. Nearly one half of these exports consisted of galvanised iron or steel wire, the principal destinations being Argentina, Japan, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Plain rolled wire was sent chiefly to the United Kingdom, Roumania, and Switzerland, while the drawn wire was sent chiefly to the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, Brazil, Portugal, Norway, and Japan. The markets supplied by Austria are situated mainly in the Balkan States and in the Levant, though certain quantities are also sent to the Argentine, China, and Japan. There would seem, therefore, to be scope for increased sales of British-made iron and steel wire in these regions. British India, for instance, takes from Germany a considerable quantity of galvanised wire which might be supplied from this country, and the same applies to Australia and New Zealand. The market for iron and steel wire in the Balkan States is a small one, but our exports to that region might be increased. The two markets, however, which show the greatest possibilities are Japan and the Argentine. The former took £275,000 worth of German wire in 1912, and the latter £269,000 worth, while the United Kingdom only supplied Japan with £15,800 worth, and the Argentine with £85,300 worth in 1913. In a lesser degree, there would also appear to be opportunity for expansion in other South American States, such as Brazil and Uruguay. Screws, Nails and Bolts and Nuts of Iron or Steel.— The following statement shows the value of screws, nails, and bolts and nuts of iron or steel exported from Germany in 1912 :—Horseshoe nails, nails with rosette shaped heads, and nails not otherwise mentioned, £124,700; wire tacks, £518,800; screws, bolts, and rivets of all kinds,* £535,150 ; nuts, washers for screws, insulator supports, £62,500; total, £1,241,150. The exports from Austria-Hungary in 1913 amounted to £86.200. The exports from United Kingdom in 1913 were as follows.—Nails and rivets, £388,400; screws, £294,200; bolts and nuts, £518,800; total, £1.201,400. Owing to differences in classification indicated by the foregoing particulars, it is not possible to make a close comparison between the exported products of the several countries. The aggregate values of these goods exported by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the United Kingdom to the principal colonial and neutral markets supplied by the first two countries are given in the next section. The most important markets for the United Kingdom are Australia, British South Africa, and British India. In the Straits Settlements, Norway, and Sweden the trade is fairly equally divided between Germany and the United Kingdom. Most of the trade in Western Europe goes to Germany. In Italy, South-Eastern Europe, and Turkey the bulk of the trade goes to Germany or Austria. Germany supplies the major portion of the nails, screws, &c., required by Russia and the Dutch East Indies, while German competition is severely felt in China, Japan, and South America. For nails (other than wire nails) Germany’s principal markets are in Western Europe, Russia, Brazil, and Argentina. Wire nails are sent chiefly to Denmark and the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Russia, Turkey, the Dutch East Indies, and Japan. Screws, bolts and rivets and nuts and washers go pr ncipally to Western Europe, Roumania and Russia, Dutch East Indies and South America. Apart from the quantities of wire nails sent to British India (£13,280) and China (£2.180), and of shoemakers’ nails sent to Switzerland (£2,270) practically the whole of Austria’s exports of this class of goods is sent to Italy, South-Eastern Europe and the Levant. More than half our exports of this class of goods go to British Dominions and Possessions. Our share of this trade in Western Europe is much smaller than that of Germany, while the markets of South-Eastern Europe appear to receive much less attention than they merit. The Far Eastern and South American markets also appear to offer promising fields for the extension of our export of nails, rivets, screws, bolts. &c. The general conclusions to be derived are that British manufacturers of iron or steel nails, screws, bolts, etc., more than hold their own in the big colonial markets. In Scandinavia they have a fair share of the trade, but Western Europe. Denmark. Netherlands, France, Switzerland, and Spain have hitherto been principally supplied by Germany. The requirements of South- Eastern Europe and the Levant are mainly supplied by Au stria-Hungary. Russia and Turkey mainly depend on Germany for their supplies of these articles. As regards Eastern markets, large quantities of German made wire nails are taken by Dutch East Indies, China and Japan.‘while German competition appears to be very severe in South American markets. * Except railway fish-plate screws and bolts for sleepers, which will be dealt with in a separate bulletin relating to railway material.