In tracing the causes for this enormous preponderance in the ton-
nage of the United States and Canada, as against the rest of the
civilized world, we find two principal reasons. The first lies in the
radical differences in machining practice. In England and on the con-
tinent, where labor is cheaper than in the United States, it is customary
to finish machine parts to a much greater extent than in America, and
hence much of the very best part of the malleable casting is removed.
Necessarily the poorer, often spongy part of the casting has to stand
the service strains, and frequently fails. Hence the more prevalent
use of steel castings.
The second cause is to be found in the progressiveness of the
American manufacturer. Not content with the comparatively thin sec-
tions made in Europe to this day, heavier and thicker work is demanded,
so that chills are extensively used to get the metal white as cast. And
this in spite of the fact that in no branch of the iron industry is the
chance for loss so great, and the profits so sharply cut as the result of
fierce competition.
The capital required to build and operate a malleable casting plant
is four times as great as for a gray iron foundry of corresponding
tonnage. On the other hand, the work is very steady, enormous
numbers of the same piece are usually required, and with long time
contracts it is possible to make a fairly good profit in brisk times.
