Confederate Victory: When does the Confederacy become a pariah state?

SWS

SWS

(CONT.)

'These facts and others similar, which could be adduced, show clearly, we think, that we have set out upon and are pursuing a wrong policy. Even if the iron produced by mineral coal were not so good as that produced by charcoal, still it would be better to have iron not quite so good, than not to have it at all. But it has been recently proved, by experiment made by this Company, that iron of superior quality can be made from our ores, by the use of the mineral coal of this region exclusively as fuel, in the whole process from the ore to bar iron. The result of this experiment was every way satisfactory. The iron was subjected to severe tests, and exhibited remarkable strength and toughness.

As a further and practical illustration of this subject, we will state something of the operations and experience of this Company. Unacquainted with the business as they were, they commenced, some two years ago, with the idea of constructing three, four or five blast furnaces, expecting to make some ten thousand tons or more of iron per year, after completing their arrangements. But the first furnace built by them had not been long in operation, before they discovered that it would be a hard task to keep that single furnace in full and constant operation with charcoal, even while the wood from which the coal was obtained stood within convenient proximity to the furnace. The forests which stood near have, in a great measure, disappeared, materially increasing the difficulty of procuring fuel. From this and other causes growing out of the condition of the country, such as want of laborers, the scarcity and dearness of provisions and all other necessaries, the impracticability of obtaining teams to put in the places of those worn out by hard and constant service, the business is attended with many more difficulties now than in the early part of last year. With great exertion, the Company were able to make and deliver to the Government last year, counting from March to March, only about 3,500 tons, including what they used in improvements and repairs. Small as this quantity may appear, it exceeds what any other Company in this State made within the same period. The difficulties attending the business now, being considerably greater than heretofore, this quantity is not likely to be increased, but rather diminished, in the future, under the present system. Bur we presume this system will not be adhered to. We are about making propositions to the Nitre and Mining Bureau at Richmond, looking to changes which, as they involve no loss or expense or inconvenience to the Government, while promising a large increase in the production of iron, we can hardly doubt will receive the proper sanction. If this is done, we propose to complete a new furnace, commenced last year, construct a railroad from our works to the Alabama and Tennessee River road, about six miles, on which the work is far advanced and in progress, and make other necessary arrangements for obtaining a full and regular supply of mineral coal. This being done, and substituting mineral for charcoal, we have great confidence in the ability of the Company to increase the manufacture of iron more than a hundred per cent., without increasing the number of laborers required in their present business, and with one-fourth the number of wagons and teams now employed. It is deemed unnecessary to go into a statement of particulars to show how this result can be brought about. The great advantage consists in dispensing with a large number of hands and teams required in the production and hauling of charcoal, and in the increased amount of iron which an equal quantity of mineral coal will produce. It is estimated that the hands required in the production and delivery of charcoal for one furnace, are sufficient to mine coal enough for two furnaces. This Company propose to mine their own coal, having one mine opened and being engaged in opening another. What is practicable for this Company, may be fairly presumed to be so for a portion at least of the other Companies of this region.

The business of mining coal is being largely extended, and under the arrangement completed and in progress, the prospects are that the supply or coal will, ere very long, be ample. The principal difficulty to be apprehended in the successful prosecution of the plan of substituting mineral coal for charcoal, in a large degree, is the want of railroad machinery for transporting the coal. The present machinery is insufficient, but we understand that arrangements have been made to bring upon the road considerable additional machinery.'
 
SWS

SWS

(CONT.)

'We will now proceed to give you, as nearly as we can, the special information you desired.

We have no sufficient data on which to state the quantity of iron produced in this State during the last twelve months, say from first of March, 1863, to March, 1864; but probably it was considerably less than 10,000 tons. There were in this region but three blast furnaces in operation during the first half of last year, and one on the Coosa river, the iron from which goes to Rome, Ga. Three other furnaces were started, one in June or July, and two others subsequently. If these seven furnaces shall be kept in regular operation, adhering to the use of charcoal, it may be reasonably calculated that they will together produce from 300 to 320 tons per week, or from 13,000 to 14,000 tons per year, presuming they will run forty-four weeks in a year.

Four or five additional furnaces are expected to be in operation in the course of three or four months, and one of them may already be in operation. These furnaces will be of greater capacity than the average of those heretofore in operation. Should they commence operations, say four of them, by the first of July or August, and run eight or nine months up to the first of March, the average product of the four may be reasonably estimated at from 210 to 220 tons per week, or from 6,500 to 7,500 tons for the eight or nine months. This, added to the estimates given above for the other furnaces, would give about 20,000 tons from March, 1864, to March, 1865. These estimates are deemed reasonable, under the supposition that the furnaces referred to be kept in regular operation with charcoal for the periods mentioned. It would not, however, be safe to rely with full confidence on this result under existing circumstances, if the exclusive use of charcoal be adhered to in the production of pig iron.

But presuming that two or three of the present furnaces, and two of those to be completed, embracing the largest of the furnaces, shall be operated with mineral coal for seven or eight months prior to the first of March next, say for thirty weeks, the increased production from them might be reasonably put at from 280 to 300 tons per week, or from 8,000 to 9,000 tons per thirty weeks, which is probably more iron than was made by all the furnaces of this region for the year ending the first of March last.

We come now to speak of the rolling-mills of this State.

This Company have one, the capacity of which, with the addition of two or three more puddling furnaces, which could soon be constructed, may be estimated at 30 tons per day of gunboat plate, and proportionably of smaller sizes, making an average of about twenty tons per day of various sizes.

There is a large rolling-mill at Selma nearly completed, and expected to go into operation in May next. The capacity of this mill is estimated at thirty tons per day of gunboat plate and other large sizes, being constructed with the view of making gunboat plates, boiler plates, etc. The same Company, we understand, are making preparations for the construction of a mill for making small and ordinary sizes of iron.

There is a small rolling-mill at Montgomery, but we are not informed of its capacity; but it is probably from three to five tons per day.

The Government own a rolling-mill on the Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad. It is new and represented to be a very good mill. It is adapted, we believe, for the manufacture of small and ordinary sizes only. We are not informed of its capacity.

Arrangements are in progress for the erection of two rolling-mills on the Central Railroad, which connects with the Alabama and Tennessee River road. It is understood that one, if not both, of these mills will be of large capacity, belonging to a large and strong Company.'
 
SWS

SWS

(CONT.)

'It is doubtless a reasonable estimate, that the mills now in operation, and the one in Selma soon to be completed, can, if supplied with the requisite number of proper workmen and the necessary materials, make from fifty to sixty tons of iron per day, including from thirty to forty tons of gunboat plates and other large sizes. The other mills referred to, when completed and in operation, would probably increase the quantity from thirty-five to forty-five tons per day. These estimates are based upon the presumption that the mills would have a full quota of competent workmen and an ample supply of the necessary materials. To the extent that these may be lacking, the product of course would be diminished.

There being yet wide, unoccupied fields, other establishments may, and doubtless under proper encouragement will, spring up for the manufacture of both pig and bar iron.

A branch railroad is being constructed from the Alabama and Tennessee River road into a portion of what is considered one of the most valuable coal fields in this State, where the coal seams are said to range from three and a half to six feet and upwards in thickness, and well situated, many of them for cheap and convenient mining. One vein, said to measure twelve feet in thickness, has been discovered: It is estimated that the region to be penetrated and developed by this branch road, which it is intended to complete at the earliest day practicable to an extent sufficient to develop a large portion of the coal, will afford many millions of tons. A good many hands are now at work there, opening mines or getting out coal, which is done entirely, or nearly so, with negro labor. A comparatively small number of experienced and skilled miners, to lead in and direct the work, would greatly improve and facilitate the operations.

There is a matter connected with this subject, too important to be passed over without special notice. We allude to the want of rolling-mill workmen. Everything else may be possessed in abundance, but bar iron cannot be made without competent workmen. The possession of a sufficient number of these is indispensable for any considerable increase in the production. There are barely enough of these workmen for the present limited business, and there are but few in the country, unless they are in the army. If they
are there, we think that systematic steps should be taken to ascertain where they are, so that they may be detailed where they are most needed. The comparatively few men of this class, who would hardly be missed from the ranks, could render the country better service in making iron, doubtless than ten times their number in the army. If they cannot be obtained in this way in sufficient numbers, we would suggest the importance of measures to induce them to come from abroad, and to retain them here. We have no doubt of the entire practicability of this, if proper and judicious agents were sent abroad empowered to give satisfactory guarantees of perfect exemption from all military service, and prepared to offer pecuniary inducements, such as our enemies do not hesitate to do for men far less valuable and important to them. If they can afford to lavish millions of dollars, not to procure artisans necessary to their service, but to lure to their ranks of death, to be hurled against our citizen-soldiers, thousands and tens of thousands of stalwart peasants of Ireland and other countries, cannot our Government, in aid of its sacred cause, in comparison with which more money should be counted as dross--can it not afford to expend the amount, whatever it may be, necessary to obtain and secure such number of competent artisans as its service absolutely and imperatively demands? Men of this class, more, probably, than can be found in the Confederacy, ARE INDISPENSABLE; and, in our judgment, no pains or expense should be spared to obtain them, with as little delay as possible.

We have information, deemed reliable, that a circular, under high authority from the enemy, has been circulated among rolling-mill workmen offering a large pecuniary reward and other inducements to such of them as would leave this country and go to the enemy, the main motive, of course, being to deprive us of their services. Under this double influence of repulsion and attraction, it is not to be wondered at that many of these men should have disappeared from this country. One of these forces may be neutralized and the other should be contracted, if possible.'
 

Jürgen

wcv215 said:
Once again, this is an assumption people make with nothing behind it. Slave industries in the South were at least as profitable as northern industry. Slaves are compatible with industry.
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They may be as productive as industries using free workers, the problem is that a slave economy will lack the domestic markets to sell their products in. If we look at societies with high inequality (outside outlier like USA), their manufacturing sector tend to suffer because they have a smaller market for consumer products. Free workers gives you a domestic market for your products, plus in highly unequal market you will often don’t need labor saving devices, because the price of labor will be dirt cheap. It’s why I think the industry will main focus on the army, because it will need industrial products and have the capital to pay for it, and with the state dominated by large landholders, their will be few private investors willing to invest into the industry, which means that the army will likely have to found and operate those industries on their own, they will likely make mostly use of free labor mostly veterans and their extended families, which will result in that group in time growing into a counter to the planters and the Texas cattle and oil barons.
 

Jürgen

interpoltomo said:
Slaves being compatible with the technical requirements of industry doesn't matter if nobody will buy from them.

Look, europe conquered and partitioned africa in part to stop the slave trade. Yes, Brazil got away with not banning it until 1888 but the CSA would get more scrutiny than brazil since it's a "real"(read: the right kind of white) country. There's a reason I think 1880s or 1890s are likely: sheer diplomatic pressure.

Incidently, I see a US where the ACW never happened being able to pull off keeping slavery until 1900-1920 due to being both bigger and significantly harder to bully than the CSA.
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For Europeans Brazilians (at least the ones who mattered in Europe) were as white as Americans in the 19th century.
 

Jürgen

NedStark said:
Wait, if slavery lasts until 1900, then we would see a situation in which the CSA becomes a slave-majority state population wise.
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Not necessary, Brazil saw large European immigration even through it had slavery, while CSA won’t compete with USA it will still see a large influx of Europeans., though mostly to Texas and the Upper South. If we mix this with slaves being sold south from the Upper South, you will end up with a whiter Upper South and majority black Deep South
 

NedStark

Jürgen said:
Not necessary, Brazil saw large European immigration even through it had slavery, while CSA won’t compete with USA it will still see a large influx of Europeans., though mostly to Texas and the Upper South. If we mix this with slaves being sold south from the Upper South, you will end up with a whiter Upper South and majority black Deep South
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The percentage of foreign born population in the 19th century in pre-war South was around 2.6% and post-war South was 2% IOTL, while for the North it was always double-digit. It would not change significantly ITTL for obvious reasons - the South would have never had rapid industrialization or Homestead Acts (i.e. good lands would have been quickly grabbed by the planters). It also had big problems with nativism, and outside Louisiana, anti-Catholicism.

At the same time, lots of poor white would have emigrated to the North for industrial jobs.
 

Jürgen

NedStark said:
The percentage of foreign born population in the 19th century in pre-war South was around 2.6% and post-war South was 2% IOTL, while for the North it was always double-digit. It would not change significantly ITTL for obvious reasons - the South would have never had rapid industrialization or Homestead Acts (i.e. good lands would have been quickly grabbed by the planters). It also had big problems with nativism, and outside Louisiana, anti-Catholicism.

At the same time, lots of poor white would have emigrated to the North for industrial jobs.
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European emigration rose significant after the American Civil War, so we should a increase in foreign born population in the South after the American Civil War not a decrease.
 

Johannes Parisiensis

Jürgen said:
Not necessary, Brazil saw large European immigration even through it had slavery, while CSA won’t compete with USA it will still see a large influx of Europeans., though mostly to Texas and the Upper South. If we mix this with slaves being sold south from the Upper South, you will end up with a whiter Upper South and majority black Deep South
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But didn't these European migrants chose the areas of Brazil least populated with slaves?
 

Jürgen

Johannes Parisiensis said:
But didn't these European migrants chose the areas of Brazil least populated with slaves?
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Yes and they will do the same in CSA. The interesting factor is what it will mean long term for CSA with Texas dominated by the cattle and oil barons and with significant European immigration, a even blacker Deep South dominated by the planters and Upper South with decreasing number of slaves and decreasing influence by the large land owners and the growth of a diverse economy of manufacturing and small farmers.
 
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