Underbidden At Home

Washington, Feb. 9.- United States Consul Parker at Birmingham, Eng., has supplied the state department with extracta t'rorn local papers showing that the British iron makers are disquieted over the receipt at Birmingham of large consignments of American pig-iron at L4, 5s per ton, or fully 10 shillings under the English minimum. There were also reports of negotiations in Philadelphia for the sale to European buyers of 20,000 tons of billets at L3, 15s per ton, delivered. The British iron men generally ascribe this 'phenomenal movement to the trade depression in the United States, which causes forced sales abroad. But others point to the steady continuance of American shipments as evidence that they must be made at a profit and hold that superior natural advantagi and improved processes of manufacture haiv turned the scale. As a matter of fact, these shipments are from the bama iron district, and ave made at a profit. Wages paid In Alabama are not appreciably higher than in England, bul mproved processes of nbtainins the ore and coal explain the vlctory of the American over the Engiish maker in the latter'i? own market.