Ax the present time our greatest competitor in shipbuilding is Germany; this, says " Engineerng," is due in some measure to the combination of cheap labour and efficient machine tools; in fact, some of the works of Germany are at least as well equipped as those onthe Clyde. Without entering into detail, it may be said that wages are lower. The engineers, for instance, working on the construction of the great Atlantic liners are paid little more than half the hourly rate obtaining in some establiskments in this country; and although the economy or efficiency of the labour may be less, the total labour cost of work is under that ruling in this country. In America, on the other hand, wages are higher, and since labour-saving machinery can cnter into the cost of building ships only te more or less restricted extent, the labour cost of a ship is greater, probably from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. Material, on the other hand, is cheaper in America; and wherever it is possible, machinery has been adopted to a greater extent than in this country. In spite of dear labour, new ship-Building yards are being installed in the United States, for the execution of Government as well as of private contracts. It is difficult to obtain accurate comparative data on the relative cost of ships, because of the great variations in design, and the fact that the ocean steamer of British build differs much from the coasting or lake steamer as constructed in America. Lake steamers are efficient cargo carriers. The largest of these carry 7,900 tons, and, fitted with quadruple-expansion engines supplied with steam from water-tube boilei cost at present from £9 to £10 per ton of deadweight, while 3,000-ton steamers cost from £11 to £11 10s. per ton. In this country the ocean "tramp," to take 4,000 tons at 9 knots, costs £10; the 6,000 ton 10 knot steamer, £9 10s.; and the 10,000 ton 11 knot steamer, £12 per ton deadweight carrying capacity;30 that, even allowing for the lighter scantlings, the American lake ship is not much costlier than the British steamer. In the Lake districts, where there are special facilities in the way of steel and coal, the only chance of competition at present with British builders appears to be in the event of a trade being developed between the Lakes and the Atlantic; a practice already inaugurated.
The canal lock which now limits the dimensions for vessels to trade between the inland Lake porte and the Atlantic is 270 ft. long, 45 ft. wide, and 14 ft. deep. In the prices given above there has been an advance of 50 per cent, so far as Great Britain is concerned, as compare with those of a few years ago, largely awin; to the cost of labour, not only in the upbuilding yard, but at the steel works; it is doubtful if in the immediate future labour rates will recede to their former level. In the case of the hull there seems practically no change in cost, as compared with 10 years ago: a slight increase being probably due to the higher rate of wages. Generally there has been a slight decrease in the labour cost of the engines, whi ch is, perhaps, the result of the introduction of automatic machine tools, and increased cutting speeds in lathes and the like. But in the case of boilers there is no marked improvement. Modern high pressures demand more careful workmanship, so that the labour bill is necessarily higher.
Tur following letter to the "Times" from a German officer, on the subject of the alleged British brutalities in South Africa will be read with interest Sim,—Will you kindly allow me to corroborate the testimony of Oberstloutnant aD." and " Ritteister a.D." in their letters to "The Times"? The only thing I would wish to add is that where " Oberstleutnant a, D." puts "we should have" I should have written from experience "we did" do it in 1870-71. When it was necessary we did not hesitate to burn villages and "chiteaux—for instance, the'Chat-can clu Comte de Gastey, in the Vosges, whioh was utterly destroyed by a bataillon and escadron sent for the purpose. The Count was said to be at the head of the francs-tireurs in Schlettstadt. When the railway was destroyed or the telegraph cut, the villages on both sides were either burnt of so severely punished that it very soon stopped. We did not threaten only, but carried it out straight away. engine where the least danger was ex-Notables" were pat on every railway pected, and in consequence the inbabitants never tried to wreck a train. Contributions were most freely raised wherever a shot fell. As for foraging, we took the last half-loaf out of the houses when several inches of snow were lying on the ground, and left the women, children, and old men to be cared for by the villagers. No Miss Hobhouse or others went bothering about, so the people took care of themselves. And yet our method was far more humane and merciful than the English way of doing things. One or two of these fearful punishments carried out without much warning convinced the French that we were in earnest and meant the thing seriously, so they stopped their game immediately. Thousands of lives were probably saved, and the war curtailed down to nine months by it. Had we acted as the English do in South Africa, threatening but not carrying out, condemning but not shooting the rebels—so-called "Jeniency," which is always taken for wealmess—why, the war of 1870-71 might possibly have been going on now, and both Posntres and half Wurope rained by it.
The sooner a war is ended, even by the severest and harshest measures, the more merciful it is; and no measures can be severe enough to put an end to this franc-tireur affair in South Africa. Had one used the' utmost rigour and severity from the first moment, there can be little doubt the war would have been ended in afew months, and endless misery saved. The English way of doing business reminds me of an old anecdote of the old lady who wanted to have her puppy's tail and cars "cropped" (or is it docked"), but told the veterinary only to do it very gradually and mercifully, and every day to cut off only a very small piece in order not to hurt poor doggy too much.
Yours truly,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.