290 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.

possible at times to maintain prices within such territory! Scotland
 withdrew from the North of England markets and in return
was given Belfast. Dumping was resorted to by the Scotch combifiation
 to meet the competition of an Irish firm which refused to
join. One instance is reported where orders received by certain members
 were divided with another member who had no orders, for the
purpose of maintaining the combination. As soon as the first signs
of a falling demand were noted in 1907, works were closed under a
general agreement, and compensation paid to their owners by the
remaining firms. The association also appears to have agreements
with certain outside firms for the supply of half-finished materials.?
In 1908 the Midland steel makers came into the combination. The
Midland consumers then attempted to buy from the Clyde makers,
 but were forced by quotations specially priced to meet the situation
 to return to the combination in their own district.?
The export prices of the combination have been lower than its
domestic prices, but the long distance from the countries of importation
 has prevented reimportation into England.
Products not included in the combination showed much less of an
increase in price than those which were included, and during the depression
 of 1907 the price of plates went down more slowly and with
much longer pauses.*
In 1913 the association was partially dissolved by the withdrawal
of two firms and the discontinuing of the agreement covering angle
bars. The rebate scheme, which had proved unsuccessful, was also
abandoned. This change proved a serious disturbing factor. It is
reported that in 1914 plates were also freed from the combination
control.
The National Galvanized Steel Makers’ Association.—The National
 Galvanized Steel Makers’ Association, composed of the manufacturers
 of galvanized plates, is a combination organized similarly
to that composed of the ship and boiler plate manufacturers. Galvanized
 plates form one of the chief English steel exports.
Early in 1908 the association adopted a basis price, f. 0. b, Liverpool,
 and the price was maintained unaltered throughout the year in
various sections of the country, a fact which a trade paper characterized
 as evidence of “the smooth working of the association.” The

1 That these associations were able to exercise control over prices is shown in the acsount
 in the Statist for June 1, 1907 (p. 1111), of a meeting held hy the North East England
 Steel Makers in 1907 to discuss the advisability of advancing the price of steel
materials.
1 Levy, op. cit, pp. 226-231 ; Macrosty, op. cit., pp. 71, 72; Carter, op. cit., p. 128.
t Levy, op. cit, p. 229.
+ Ibid., pp. 229-231.
i Iron and Coal Trades Review (London), Jan. 2, 1914, pp. 13, 27, and Jan. 1, 1915,
n. 11.