Page:James Hudson Maurer - The Far East (1912).pdf/42

 shop, mill or mine the master demands science. The gueue or any other traditional custom that in any way threatens the profits of the master class must go. We therefore see on all sides the wonderful preparations being made for China's next great step—the entrance of the Capitalist System.

Before very long China will successfully dispute with the United States and other countries for the iron and steel supremacy of the world.

In 1907 the following article by Frank N. Basiskett appeared in the Technical World Magazine:

"Situated at Han-Yang, some seven hundred miles up the Yang-tse river from its junction with the Hawangho or Shanghai river, there today is established an industry that is already competing with America and Europe in supplying the rails for the immense railroad systems projected in China. This establishment will in a short time be able to supply the Philippines, Japan and all other points of the far East with such railroad materials, including bridge work, cars, and all types of steel construction, that are required.

"With an unlimited supply of labor at such cheap rates that labor-saying machinery is at a discount, without any fear of strikes or trade combinations, with an abundance of iron ore and coal within easy distance of the works, and with mines all owned by the company, the products can be turned out in less time and at lower prices than the same articles of manufacture can be imported from the United States and Europe.

"This new establishment is comprised of twelve Bessemer and four open-hearth Siemens furnaces, over half of which are now in working order and the others are to be completed within a very short time.

"Twenty sets of rolling mills of rails and other steel products are also in running order. The engine power at present in use is 17,500 actual horse capacity, while the electrical units for lighting and power aggregate over 5,000 horse power. Ore which is worked into steel by the direct electric process is brought from the mines in steel barges holding from 500 to 800 tons, and delivered at the wharf near the works; from the wharf it is conveyed to the works in steel cars. A fully equipped railroad runs over the entire works, and long trains of cars carrying limestone and coke to the converters and returning with pig iron to load on