Show Iron and St Steel el Industries s of Df France Hit by Sterling's Fal By RALPH nEI HEINZEN ZEN United Press Staff Starr Correspondent PARIS Jan 18 UP UP Statistics Statistics of ol production and exports of the Iron and steel trade show that the industry industry indus indus- try in France has been hard hit by the slump in sterling and the increased increased in in- creased competition of British and md German steel in foreign markets The latest figures s. s those for November November November Novem Novem- ber show that production has fallen to tons a month compared with tons in November 1929 1029 tons in November 1930 am and tons for November 1913 The French steel industry struggled struggle for two years after the collapse o of Wall street brought general world worl depression Gradually neighboring countries closed their ports to foreign steel and France found her goods good fighting for fol markets in Germany England England En En- gland Spain Luxembourg Italy an and Switzerland d. d FRENCH STEEL SLUMPED Meanwhile French steel requirements requirements require require- ments meats hit a new low level in proportion proportion proper tion to the general slump in French industrial production French steel stee needs were tons a month in 1929 but fell to tons in 1930 The year ear just ended saw a rapid decline decline de de- cline dine in demand from tona tons ton tonsa a month for the first trimester to tons for the second and tons for the third trimester Even before belore the world crisis exports exports ex ex- ports showed a decline France sen senan sent an average of tons of ot high quality steel abroad monthly during 1927 but this fell to tons in 1928 tons in 1929 tons in n 1930 and tons monthly for the last quarter of 1931 FALL OF PRICES As world competition Increased prices fell The They are now less than half halt the gold old value of ol steel in 1913 1013 Taking the prices of the Brussels bourse calculated on a gold base the 1913 average represented 5 the 1929 average 5 58 8 and the 1931 closing prices ices French railroads shipyards automobile automobile automobile auto auto- mobile manufacturers and other heavy users of ot steel cut their orders drastically That is why the government government govern govern- ment meat has been anxious to see parliament parliament parlia parlia- ment rush to a vote the project for building modern modem ports and warehouses ware ware- houses In many of the continental and colonial coast cities and for the construction of the trans-Sahara trans railway rail rail- wa way both of which will require Immense Immense Im irn mense quantities of steel Meanwhile with production at the level of tons monthly monthly 33 33 per percent percent percent cent less than last year at ot this time time time- and domestic requirements tons Ions a month manufacturers are arc anxious anxious ious bus that the government negotiate with Britain Italy Spain and Belgium Belgium Bel Bel- gium to obtain tariff concessions which will facilitate the marketing of French steeL |