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Robert E. Gross
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Memorial
to the
Founder
of the
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i
Business Administration Library
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ua/aor-ma
Los Angeles
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V /^J
y9
DEPEEDATIOIS;
CO.,
STEFANOS XENOS.
9,
8 G
1).
[_>'iecund JEditiOn.}
FEINTED BY
TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET, LONDON.
Gross Colfection
Bus.
Adm.
Lib,
HE
GrSX26
PREFACE.
Whoever may
volume
was impossible
into an explanation of
my
me
for
to enter
first
giving some
its
existence
for
three years previously to the period at which I entered into relations with the great
Lombard
capitalists.
Street
to the
With
by the
questioned
some
In the
planation.
years,
may be
first
ex-
many
a diary of
all
been engaged.
documents;
that, in
so
authorities to
which
case of
I can
necessity,
refer, and, if
7337
have
need be,
IV
And,
produce.
thirdly,
as far
as I
personally
my memory, which
am
though
respect
am
possibly I
in cases
I can
ill-treated.
my
opponents, but every look, and movement, and gesture that have aggravated the wrong-doing by
Of
I suffered.
speakers expressed
same,
which
what the
literally
the
English.
It was,
the one
going to
press.
my
amongst
Mr. Edwards's
others,
letter in reference to
which I
of
my
refer at
page 217.
It
chance occurred.
made when
No. 24.)
Lodge that
this mis-
was
(See Appendix,
these documents
me
but obliged
many im-
in
a position to
which
is set
down
it
may
not
Greek and
origi-
to see
nally portion of a
many
were fresh in
facts
vibrated in
my
years.
my memory
making my defence
my
my
trial
am
remember that
me
not spared.
still
little
auditory will
urged against
defence.
ears.
In publishing this
hope
It
it
that I
free
I say is
Should
it
my name was
spoken solely in
the materials at
be
What
With
make
my command,
self-
might
Had
my
piquant allusions to
many an
VI
di-amatic Eucharis
tales of Pretty
titled Calypsos, at
of
I might, indeed,
many
men
or I
might
whose
bid-
cial lists,
And
reckless extravagance.
With
all
these accessories I
Were
I might, in a
laid before
which
is
daily
being
revolved
PANANTHROPOPOLIS.
in
this
GEEAT
CONTENTS.
I.
Vlll
CHAP.
CHAPTER
I.
is
in the
marked and
my
brisk competition
my
sailing packets.
complaint.
Amongst
to their correspondents,
were
pay
10s. or even
Ov^dng to these
incessant
difficulties in
Smyrna,
Disagreements
Odessa, and other Levantine towns.
were constantly occurring between London merchants
and their foreign consignees, and in more than one
instance commission agents
had
me
But
to turn
my line
to start a line
applied to
came
to
my
assistance.
The
that
Messrs. Lascaridi
The
company thus started in May,
The
Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company." As
our having miscalculated their carrying capacity.
we
others.
tion
at first
were able
to
we had
In
We
we enjoyed the
Greek houses of London
and Manchester.
It is a recognized
be a
loss in
my
management of steam
property.
Our steamers
of coal
and, above
all,
unfortunately
we had paid
Then
steamers.
our agents
abuses crept
their expenses.
in,
Neither had
so that,
we again
lost several
thousands of pounds.
all
capital, I,
through
my
friends,
me
to
but
my
found no
difficulty
Owing
to these
in mastering a
made the
man whose
England
to
love
of trade.
Having gone
my
for freights,
we
20,000 would
annum on a
It
was
would pay
find the
for herself.
cargoes.
abundantly through
gave
me
goods.
my large connexions.
first
My friends
refusal of their
Add
the charter-
affairs
when
several
office,
the
6
vessel,
name.
bills
Mr. Lascaiidi; he at
I tried
first
positively
he decided
and he
bills,
my
cleared
ownership to me.
bills
herself in
line,
my
half ownership.
Messrs. Lascaridi and Co. had at this time in their
employment, as managing
ressios,
Greek.
It
was
clerk,
this
my
surprise, they
for
informed
21,250
me
in
it
I refused to sign
up between
and
Lascaridi
me
Messrs.
and Co., or between me and
Mr. George Lascaridi.
I twice loaded the General Williams with excellent
the line without any contract being drawn
cargoes.
off
about 8000.
These
profits
and for
stores
London
CHAPTEE
11.
The
exorbi-
I pro-
and
house
replied
" Oh, no
Lascaridi
said distinctly,
nople.'
'
Send them
The world
you told me
believes
to our
it
you
house at Constanti-
to be your house.
Had
how comes
Besides,
it,
especially
when
'
these gentlemen
now
drafts,
and that the price of coal is gone up at Constantinople, so that the coal is worth much more than
coal,
when
I sent
it
out."
Oriental,
latter
it
all
losses
of the
the partners.
wished
to
losses
my
and Oriental. The conclusion drawn from these pretexts by Mr. George Lascaridi was, that the Greek and
Oriental Steam Navigation Company was to bear undivided every loss it incurred, and was at the same
time to be reckoned a debtor to the house of Las-
10
caricli
and Co.
for
money advanced
or bills accepted
between
His
us.
name
as
my
partner.
prepared
thus
i or 20
G. P. Lascaridi.
Stefanos Xenos.
Nicholas Koressios.
and vice-president.
I refused to
sharp correspondence
up a deed of partnership
Mr. George Lascaridi used
me
that he
in
my
11
honour, and did not care for a written contract.
could not do
less
left
with only
their building-yard.
Whilst inspecting
in the
West
moment being
I asked to
tried.
whom
it
at that
belonged.
the
as
Danube
up
Without
England."
losing a
moment,
tiations.
12
power.
little
Navigation
Company from
which was equivalent to 2 1 years' credit. The acceptances were to be drawn by Messrs. Lascaridi and Co.
The steamers were to be delivered free of mortgage.
I did not finally close the contract, because, before
doing
so, it
Lascaridi.
to speak with
was necessary
I
Mr. George
I said
him.
" Now, George, you
know
very well
that
this
In the Levant I
merchants in London.
owing
vices,
to
my
may perhaps
through
my
my
family name,
sacrifices
add,
that
am
popular,
am
favourably
known
literary works."
" there
is
steamers,
another point.
If,
4s.
load
them on our
oav^
We
to make a fortune.
own steamers whither we liked, whilst
13
a charterer could only send his cargo to be discharged
at the port whither it is bound."
showed him
coming
to maturity,
offer.
It is not often
him with
boundless.
all
my
heart
now
indeed,
closed
my
my
one meets
thanked
gratitude was
registered in
I
named
my
name,
free of
the Tzamados.
14
CHAPTER
PEOFITS AND
From
III.
CONTRACTS.
business of the
Fortune smiled on
profits.
all
my
5000
less
undertakings.
vessel, I
The
The
bought for
building of
Brothers, of Hartlepool
to the
Emperor of
shipped at
was
Cardiff".
to bring
The
freight
was 2500.
She
It
and
this
Thomas Richardson, of
Hartlepool, and Messrs. Richardson, Duke, and Co.,
visit
steamer.
This vessel,
about 1000 tons burden, I called the Marco
Bozzaris.
It was purchased on the same conditions
of
as
those
bills
in
my
Mr. George
office
with the
15
to
my
was about
the Danube.
sent the
These
in
my
in
sailing
packets from
Marco Bozzaris
this
had
and having
her
home
2500, I
started for Paris to receive the outward freight on
the imperial carriages.
I had been about eight days
in Paris, and had received the expected money, when
a telegram arrived at the Louvre Hotel.
It was
from Mr. Henry Stokar, my supercargo on board the
Admiral Miaoulis. He informed me that the steamer,
in a thick fog, had struck on a rock off" the island of
Osel, and was completely wrecked, but all hands were
saved.
This vessel had been one month in my possession, and now her insurances and freights, with the
stores on shore, left me a profit of 15,000.
Yet I
also insured
freight of
which
at Paris.
As the
16
gation Company, which I had given for the Admiral
Miaoulis, were to extend over a period of two years, I
able, with the
was
money
steamers.
fresh
Admiral
Kanaris,
months
gross
tons
To these
Modern Greece,
twelve months.
tons
the
added the
Scotia,
1200
;
the
tons.
Leonidas,
Colo-
I
cotronis, Pigas Ferreos, and two small yachts.
bought the Powerful from Messrs. Robinson and Fleming, and the Lord Byron from Messrs. Thomas
Wingate and Co., of Glasgow.
It will
ployed,
Company had
attained considerable
Steam' Navigation
expansion.
I
had
And
offers of
them.
number of
steamers,
had tonnage
to carry
some time
after,
in
had even
suc-
17
advantageous contract with the principal shippers of
^Translation.^
my
Felloiv- Countrymen
Oriental
and
the
At the present moment, when the competition between steamwhich it cannot go, and
when our fleet is made complete by the addition of the steamers
Smyrna and Patras, which enables us to transport your goods from
Holland and Belgium, and place them direct on board our large
ship owners has reached a point beyond
by
Lighters, I
support.
am
you have
to crave
your
Jiitherto
to
am
manner.
If this line has done no other good,
it
was
now
petitors,
added to the
line,
its
forma-
But
and encouraged by
following scale
Freights,.
Per Ton.
Sugar (loaf)
do.
to
London
do.
_^,
50/.
'
Per Cent.
j
and 10 primage,
^
-,,.
do.
do.
and 10
lo
"
55/. and 10
60/.
1
^
.,
ri
18
Per Cent.
Per Ton.
30/.
and 10
40/.
Tin Plates
30/.
and 10
and 10
Iron
do.
do.
Measurement Goods
Alum
per ton of 40
ft.
^Ji and 10
(in barrels)
35/.
and 10
35/.
and 10
you consent
to subscribe
to
pay formerly
which
to sailing vessels, I
promise
1.
2.
my
superin-
To give
scribers
may wish
to send from
To ship
may wish
to send
to another.
"With the freights regulated in this manner, and the Greek and
Oriental Steam Navigation
Company
same
men
regularity,
is
and
I flatter
all
You
dissatisfaction.
will bear in
This support I
now
it.
Tour obedient
(Signed)
We,
servant,
Stefanos Xenos.
19
London,
RODOCANACHI, SoNS,
&
May
IStli,
A. Peteocochino,
G.
S.
Valliano Brothers.
ZiznsriA
A.
C.
A. Fachiri
J.
& Co.
& Co.
& M.
Edward
&
&
Sons.
&
Co.
Zarifi, Brothers,
Sevastopoulo.
CorrPA, Brothers,
&
G. HOMERE.
Spartali
Soisr,
Lascaridi
&
S,
M.
Co.
Caralambi.
Castellt.
Petrocochino
&
D. Georgiades.
CONSTAJ^TINE GeRALOPOTJLO.
Delasso
&
&
Yitaxis.
T. Negroponti.
Co.
Chrissoveloni.
SCHILITZI, VOUEOS,
&
H. Gerotjsi.
George G. Ceffaea.
Co.
Melas Brothers.
Xenophon Balli.
ZiFFO,
&
Leonidas Baltazzi.
Brothers.
Ralm &
1859.
Cassatetti, Brothers,
Co.
Co.
c2
&
Co.
Alpack.
Co.
Co.
Co.
20
CHAPTER
IV.
At
this
of the
office.
and Hollams.
I was never more surprised in my life than whilst
listening to George Lascaridi talking to Mr. Hollams.
He told that gentleman he had decided upon making
the Greek and Oriental a limited company, of which
he would be a director and shareholder, and he was
revolving in his mind other names, thinking who else
he would make a director.
I remained silent, and, I must confess, with no
slight effort restrained
my
temper.
21
Hollams
left,
way
that
to
Do you
him.
this
company
for
Mr. Hollams,
think I
partnership
between
I asked, as before,
line
this
and
Messrs.
" If you
" That
would be no
use," I answered
" you're
and
"
so,
about
I do not think I
considering that
all
my
and Co.
am
am
Now, George,
this is
my
position
me
Except
either I
and
Co., or I
all
the part-
You
22
have already mentioned that Messrs. Fachri,
Lascaridi, and Co., of Constantinople, held coal of
I
mine
to the value of
4500
that there
had been a
Company
Navigation
George Lascaridi
latter.
In
myself or in
and
Co., enter
individually.
my
left
me and
Mr. George
determination with
later,
and
Co.,
23
Galway steam
line
which I now
refer, in a very flourishing position.
I had met him
several times before at Lascaridi's office, and was
under the impression that he was looking for some
trifling commission business.
As I was very familiar with all the clerks, I asked
one privately what brought Mr. Barker so often to the
office.
He said " he did not know, but thought Mr.
Barker had some large transactions with the governor
transactions,
in bills
and steamers.
at the time to
He had
often seen
him
there
Who
is
Mr. Lever
is
" I
asked.
sufficient to
alarm me.
line.
had
If Lascaridi,
who
property,
more
especially
"
24
of mail packets, should abandon his legitimate Mediterranean commerce to enter into such transactions, I
then took
more
I
we
I
could talk about business.
through the City, to see what
my way
Galway
line.
was
when
Flats.
we were
left alone, I
if it
were
much
'Tis
also.
true
"
1
"
What
Co.
And
in
what
and Oriental 1
You know
ances, endorsed
renew
if
Greek
to
be renewed by
Do you think
they will
25
Certainly not.
to pay, perhaps,
know
all
that
Greek and
Oriental.
Ah,
expressed myself
against
my
friend
come
right ultimately.
He
he expected to be knighted
its
with considerable
that
evening.
Galway
line
But
would
having assisted in
promotion.
tried
to
26
CHAPTER
V.
on
my firm,
Navigation Company.
builders or sellers of
These
my
bills I
London
firm
to
Galway
which was
between the Old and
New Worlds. The scheme was admirable and eminently practicable, and, with the support afforded by
the Governments interested, ought to have been
crowned with success. But we know how different
was the result: the Galway project failed. It was
Mr. George Lascaridi who had undertaken to carry out
the idea of the promoter; it was he who had advanced,
by bills of Messrs. Lascaridi and Co., money to purchase or charter some of the steamers,
he, of course,
taking mortgages on them.
It was he who had
enabled these vessels to start, and show the world
blishing the much-talked-of
line,
line.
Ignorant of
knowledge of maritime
affairs or engineering,
made
nor any
the most
It is well
known
27
procured for the Galway line were high-priced.
What
After
all,
interests.
The Galway
have had to contend with the prejudices of the multitude, or the private interests of powerful individuals,
was
It
was
so repre-
mercial existence;
John
28
the powerful opposition of Liverpool'?
Moreover,
it
fire
All
29
This was the time that a joint account
occupied.
gation
office
me
expressions,
long absence
his
Greek and Oriental Steam Navican now solve what was then an
of the
Company
to
now understand
I can
steamers,
from the
enigma
me and
between
existed
and
his
unconnected
his
personal appearance.
The Galway
which
line,
figures in the
books of
may more
down
at a loss
London
of 839,000,
correctly be set
is
debited with a
loss of
Galway
line.*
With
is
Screw
Steamship
dit,
Anglo-Luso Company,
to
fleet,
Brazil.
have
to
lost
it
no end of money.
Overend, Gurney, and Co.; under the advice of Mr. Edwards, established with
which now
30
spargana
it
Barker the
know
is,
sole jproxenites ?
know
not.
All I do
same
amount, or a little more, that Lascaridi and Co. had
advanced, and for doing this Messrs. Overend, Gurney,
and Co. discounted new acceptances on Messrs. Lascaridi and Co., and handed Mr. George Lascaridi a big
cheque to meet the old ones. These acceptances were
What
to time afterwards.
In
for the
advantage
benefit on
points.
no substan-
two
reality,
its
In the
first
was averted
place, the
imme-
and, secondly, a
who drew
the
new
bills,
nor what
What
of the
I can say
is,
new appearance,
to
day a
31
multitudinous intrigues of the wonderful
Street house,
when
whose
my
I introduce
readers within
Lombard
be best understood
intricacies will
work
its
to
portals.
financing,
neither
is it
and the
Paris, Lever,
arbitration case of
many months,
decided ultimately
The
prize in dispute, if
my memory
is
mean
if
golden eggs
Galway
line
and
its
Dis-
32
all
from 80,000
* The
to
say .60,000
to strengthen her.
some
1000 horse-power.
These steamers
cost, as
am
33
profits,
losses.
Had
these vessels
them
to lie idle.
now be found
that
a-piece for
them.
Who
how much
it
Company from
realize
If all
Li such a
which tend
are,
to
draw
off"
than 20,000.
Government
34
CHAPTER
VI.
A COMMEECIAL PEESEUS.
is
spite
is
He
extremely ambitious,
is
to those
At
the
head of a powerful Greek firm, he grew tired of following the monotonous routine of the export and import
Greek trade; he wished to distinguish himself in the
British metropolis by some great national act that
would win the praise of the English people. Had the
Galway line worked successfully, Lascaridi's foresight,
pluck, and enterprising spirit would have been the
theme of universal praise. Besides the wealth he
would have reaped, so splendid a success would have
paved the way for his firm to enter on still greater
undertakings.
It is sad to
different.
in
but I
am
good
faith,
and in
and
fellow-
partners
success.
He
convinced
could not
?5
suspect
he
(your death
|Uou
ttoi'i
is
my
life).
best he could.
of the
them
Was
it
Galway Company
to
him with
where was the harm in
If so,
the
first capitalist
burden 1
Unfortunately,
my
to
assume the
He
D.2
36
of London, French
streets
Of
French perfumeries.
well
glove-shops, as
as
all
He
true,
that carried
if
often, it
him
to the
then
his
mysterious about
in cases
Avhen she
flirts
with a
He
snob..
associated himself
What
many
says the
Greek proverb
diflerent projects.
"
He who
And
pursues
so it
was
with Lascaridi.
Mysterious about
know
trifles
flippant
when
dealing
world
he would,
at the
to
is,
these
large
Lascaridi
37
whom
come
footing and
safe
He
land.
to
assisted
of the profits
of bankruptcy,
his indebtedness
to imitate
amounted
Marc Antony,
to
Rome
500,000,
to
wonder
so much gold ?
Or did his ambition
make him aspire to resemble Marcus Crassus, who, after
feasting the Roman people, and squandering money
where he found
right and
left,
And was
it
others, intending to
like a
my humble
as Pallas, the
commercial Perseus.
38
CHAPTER
MY
VII.
AGENTS.
And what
came out
sole
director.
it
my
steamers on
my
line
far as
with a patriotic
higher freight to
asking.
I
affection,
But
five shillings
per ton
this
was not
all.
and drawing
small
draught of water.
It
was
and bring
large
it
they could
down
float,
to the Sulina
mouth, where
the
cargoes
my
they
39
chartered vessels, I ought to be able to do
seeing that I could
up the
river,
and
much better,
directly
Besides,
on
my opponents.
this,
I immediately sent a
it
into
to
office,
on board
then supercargo
of great courage.
strongly
in
his
The
nature.
He
he unfortunately stuck
therefrom, even
life
in
to his orders in
my
so
arisen that
40
made the
fulfilling of
This
poor Stokar's weaknesses was his economy.
would
that
he
Galatz,
he carried to such an extent at
He never engaged a
fain do all the business himself.
proper
staff
of clerks
know what
to think.
I did not
and obscure.
men
called
magazzinieri (warehousemen), and that they had deceived and robbed him, or else that he was not the
man
I had taken
him
had
to
England.
to be.
Stokar applied to
he could ship
all
became alarmed.
me
the grain he
Knowing
that
whom
M. Peter
had some
41
when
the wardrobe of
new
dresses,
Italien,
made by Madame
and
was the 15th of June,
1858.
I did it with pleasure,* and I afterwards took
him into my ofiice at a salary of 150 per annum.
He
Theologos was a thoughtful, taciturn man.
smoked little cigarettes of Turkish tobacco whilst
he wrote his letters, but his work was well done.
He never made any observation, never advanced
any opinion he was of a tranquil and contented
nature, and seemed to take the greatest interest in
asked
me
to lend
him 10.
the business.
It w^^s
my employment
entered
finding he
* Received of Mr.
S.
pouncls,
which I
42
A. Blackie and Co., 23, Harp Lane, Great Tower
Street,
transactions in ships
and
He
coal.
started in business
We
my
many
spent
arrange with
me
me
evenings together.
He
modation.
wanted
I declined.
to
my
my accom-
willing to give
When
Theologos
left for
I also gave
nizing
him
him
as
him
him
my agent, and
him
I gave
to deliver
These private
letters
43
Theologos's letters in the beginning represented
confusion.
order,
on
His
he delivered his
finally
He
me.
man,
was no wonder.
They were totally opposite characters. One was open,
impetuous, untouched by the spirit of diplomacy the
other was silent, deep, self-possessed, mild-looking, and
endowed with great diplomatic tact. How often does it
happen that, in obscure and narrow circles, as subtle a
to
whom
he regarded as a
dislike to the
It
rival.
game
is
much
skill as
was ever
doomed
is
dis-
In such a
to the calm.
to fall.
the sums of
was
so great that
money that he
he refused to deliver
held.
Nor was
it
until the
to settle accounts
with
me
in person.
is
44
instead of doing this, Stokar went about the
my
my
quently injuring
mine that he
who exported
All this
held.
my
conse-
keep as
tried to
and,
affairs,
He
credit.
little
trade com-
and their
grain,
consignees in London.
Stokar
Before
arrived
in
Theologos
and Carnegie.
London, he
tried to give
When
me
Stokar came to
a verbal explanation of
But, as a com-
at Galatz.
Stokar
planations.
had
so
shaken
my
employment
until
he should have
and menacing.
willing to
make
him
into
satisfactorily
He threatened law.
we agreed
con-
my
was
felt,
submit our
to
an arbitration.
However, I appointed
an arbitrator, Stokar named another, and an umpire
was agreed
on.
him
to dine
the
matters
1000, and
The
sat,
dispute.
each
was
to
agreed
to
meet
I asked
we arranged
to
give
him
river.
45
law,
busmess at once.
with more
sense
would have
satisfaction
settled the
I never paid
money
experience.
Had
and
suffered the
me by
done
this,
losses caused
46
CHAPTER
VIII.
A GRAVE MISTAKE.
now
I SHALL
150,000
to provide for
if
your
is
them
is
this narrative.
To
accept
credit is virgin,
momentary
your property
free,
concern,
your busi-
to do
with a
fleet
known
then what
know now,
my
mission.
Had
and Oriental in 1860, by turning it into a limited comI could at that time have secured the support
pany.
47
of
many powerful
personages to join
Had
it.
done
this, I
I should never
Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co.
have been in the power of Edwards and others, who,
;
when no
ties
When the
know me.
my
business,
bankers
months
my
on the ruins of
still
on the brink of a precipice. Lascaand Co.'s credit was gone; I had nothing to expect
ridi
I should be
from them
now
get a glimpse
arbitrations.
To meet my
me
difficulties
money by mortgaging
the steamers.
Money was
at
"
To
finance a
company
City capitalists,
and means
fashion.
that
is
to
be " financed,"
draws
bills,
the
company
either
from
is
discounted by
48
be shrewd and
active,
to
read the
my
What
operation.
my
agents at
my
On
steamers.
of lading I could
bills
sell
the
the cargoes
and receive
the
money long
By
acting in this
whilst
floating,
still
way
I should have in
By
this
mode
The
and
to bill-discounters.
realization of
management
of
my
tact,
my
agents
at
Galatz.
could
give
details concerning
my
business
should be
tell
how
so
many.
Any
my
paper.
49
A projJOs^ I
me
which
me
serious loss.
my
in
than
went up
me
coal.
Suddenly
realizing
sum
realize a
my
steamers.
My
adding, "
The market
At
War
wheat went up
to
9O5.
and
this
replied again.
The suddenly
days,
my
figure.
as I hoped, I only
made on
Instead of 100,000,
the
transaction
about
10,000.
into the
50
CHAPTER
IX.
DISAPPOINTMENT.
The
was
much
My
diffi-
company
it
The
House, and the sole acceptor of the bills.
steamers were not idle they were constantly in full
woi'k
they were free of mortgage, and represented
How
began
different
many houses
was such a
houses
that,
My
agents, Theologos
had
under
my project,
work
they had
and
left
England.
my
61
I
am
not vain-glorious
can
vised
is
it
servants competent
to
carry
it
into execution,
and
more unlucky
was
my second choice of
my first. But the worst
in
of
the
agents,
whole ma-
chinery.
them
to
sessed
was
so indignant because,
refused his
demand
to
when
Smyrna.
He
removed Stokar, I
e2
52
the
offer.
logos,
was
when
who
at a loss
to
I received a letter
how
sorry Carnegie
were both, he
was
They
said, willing to
do whatever I desired,
establisli
So he proposed to
An
excess of prudence
to myself.
has ruined
many men.
place in Stokar's
case,
Company;
swallow the
so I resolved to
pill.
On
excellent.
expenses of the
office.
They had
annum
also a
for the
commission of
2^ per cent, on all the grain they shipped, and a commission of 2^ per cent, on all the goods imported to
Galatz by
my
steamers.
If,
therefore, they
drew on
53
London bankers
whatever.
best.
They would
carrying out of
obliged to
me
to submit to Car-
to
the
me
in
my
my own
saw
exer-
54
CHAPTER
X.
order to vindicate
my own
character, I shall
committed by
events, expose myself
all
The
difficulties
which compelled me
my own
faults.
several steamers,
Firstly,
and
to the
my
my
agents
When
was acting
its credit.
make
if
my
able
to
load our
65
steamers in the same
way
Greek houses
that
my
friend
had taken
to himself,
but
They do not
inherit
vivacity of intellect.
school,
hue of
to suit
emergencies
stand the
fire
facility that
enables them to
salamander-like indifference.
and utter a
solid
"no"
or a sterling "yes;"
if
or else allow
you
to
56
object
is
they pass by as
if
Gottheimer, who,
Mr.
with
me
Josiah
to
Mr.
Erek,
my
my
word of
Custom-House
until the
honour not
to register in the
He further kindly
convenient to me to
promised
be
take
bilier of
57
The
little
office in Birchiii
many
bills
down tumbled
this
primaroli
limited company.
It
man was
the
way
My acquaintance with
this gentle-
Saddled by him, in
sent
it
Danube.
58
CHAPTER XL
THE riEST MOETGAGES.
was
so disgusted with this mode of "financing," and so
tired of Barker and Lascaridi, that I resolved upon
putting an end to the state of anxiety in which I was
kept.
I decided upon calling a meeting of the shipbuilders to whom I was indebted, and the holders of
my large bills, and coming to terms with them for the
balance due.
I intended to promise them 20s. in the
pound, with 5 per cent, for long credit, say two or
three years, giving some of the steamers as security
for the payments.
During these two or three years
the steamers, working steadily, would gradually free
themselves.
This arrangement would leave me at
least two or three steamers free as a reward for my
hard work. I sent for Mr. George Lascaridi, and communicated my determination to him. He was seized
with terror. He reminded me that the bills had been
endorsed by his firm, and asked if I wanted to break
down Lascaridi and Co. and ruin him, as, of course,
the builders would look to his firm for payment.
He
appealed to my sense of generosity.
I was between
two fires. Had I been born with a foreknowledge
of events, I should have
known
for Lascaridi
that
my
and myself.
And now
whom
proposition
As
it
was,
had not
seen for months, set his wits to work to raise money.
He proposed that I should mortgage the Admiral
I yielded to him.
he,
59
Kanaris and the Marco Bozzaris
he despatched his
grand emissary, Mr. Henry Barker, to seek, ]per mare
et terra, the precious metal of which we stood so
much in need. Mr. Barker succeeded in discovering
;
Lombard
With
oriental ability
did more.
He
Street.
He
"Corner House."
fix a tube through
to the great
contrived to
per cent."
my own
would be happy
Dear
all,
Stefanos,
months
discount the
my
=19,000
to
bills for
calculations that
I think
it
19,000
make
annum.
this pill.
Your
friend,
G. P. L.
18/2/59
to Lascaridi,
a collision between
him and
his partners.
Within a
60
Overend, Giirney, and Co. fresh mortgages on three
small steamers for 15,000.
action were
and 5 per
stiifer
cent.
me
zig-zag
mode
and he paid it
was soon tired of this
to Barker,
in instalments.
of doing business.
that the
this
road to perdition.
What was my
surprise when one day the smoothMr. Henry Barker asked me to give
him a second mortgage on one of the steamers as
faced, soft-voiced
He had
security.
ridi,
My
"
by order of Lasca-
when he asked
What
for a mortgage.
I said,
"
" security to
money
know that
you
for
him
bills
to that firm
"
%
resolved,
my
Lascaridi, in
I said I
office,
which
to an explanation with
concerns.
to see
letter to
immeGeorge
was determined
was resolved
I returned
and come
point, as I
to save
both
61
Paris, Sejn. IStJi, 1859.
Dear Xenos,
I found by your letter of yesterday that you have again
begun
money
If Barker owes
passion.
own
accuse me.
to
affair
it is
not
You
for secuiity.
my
how he
that
you
the means
we
you
But,
my
You
say you
Why
it.
am
clearly to you.
it
to ask
him
all
of
not use
it.
He
and
fault.
moment
-wrote in a
to Lascaridi
Let us
still
do the same.
exhausted.
I
progress.
am
is
my
not the
way
to save the
my
hopes, after aU
Persevere
if
you wish
sacrifice,
company
to see the
because
in
means are
other
company
it is
for
my
interest.
George Lascaridi.
When
many
ns.
interviews
passed between
Avas
making
my
be able
to clear
my
vessels.
In this
my
hoped
to
house at
that
they,
instead
But, as
we
shall presently
of assisting, embarrassed
me by
62
now
was
lost sight of
He
Don
off to
to suffering
Under
commenced
these circumstances I
to negotiate
and
This trans-
many
difficulties,
I stood
who was
would be to couple
watching the tide of
The
my
63
One
point more.
had come
to the resolution
Henry Barker.
resolved
to
make
more
step the
the
I
personal
acquaintance
was prompted
of
to take this
and March of 1860 my payments would, in these three months alone, amount
January, February,
to
143,332
*
My
38,488
bills
19s. 4d.*
5s. Id.
to only
;
29,383
June, 3750
July,
5352
5s.
1750
December, 2300.
all
and
others.
64
CflAPTER
XII.
that I
first
made
XIV.
this loan of
20,000
the
City.
When money
Ward Chapman,
David
Ward Chapman,
David Ward
Chapman was fond of flattery, and, as he could command the market, he had always an abundant supply
presence of the hair-suspended sword.
of the commodity.
He
65
sycophants
trim
all
their sails
David
clever
fellows
The
knew how
degree.
^who
And
to
then
De Coney
David
Ward Chapman
ment of
he
left
the choice of
In private
life
joyous as possible.
reflected
passed
The
^sfemme de chamhre
of the Marquise de
who came
aslc
all,
his object in
bills
so
bills.
borrow money, or
But, over and above
to
coming
to the office
66
the time I
first
partners, to
sented
him with an
So ended his
annuity.
official
principal
ear,
when
treating of affairs
He
was a proud-spirited
man, somewhat pompous and dictatorial in manner
but, on the other hand, he was imbued with a deep
of the most private nature.
were numerous.
a time and
oft,
from a crash, by
He
of designing men.
Like
all financiers,
Henry Edmund
67
When money
With
partly
keeping he might,
command
his
Edmund Gurney
aspired.
Henry Edmund
Listead of incur-
when money
discounters do
is
all bill-
so, in
greatness.
To
the success of
special
interest,
interests
and
to
knowledge, or
else
refined
f2
68
quence was that transactions with the best paying and
best organized lines of steamers were fraught with
Mr. Henry
loss.
acting partner in
more on
his
Edmund Gurney,
firm, having,
the
man
unfortunately,
could accomplish,
left
official
we
shall
make
shortly.
and took an
he
of the firm.
self-possession,
stood
Lombard
wrecked
had entangled her, Robert Birkbeck stood unflinchingly by the side of Henry Edmund Gurney to the
last,
If all
made
blow simultaneously on
that glorious ship, which, after I left, became a total
wreck, she might have lasted to become an honour to
to
Great Britain.
scarcely
ever
to Zachariah Pearson,
69
property, was this
They
Henry John
instructed Mr.
bills
my
dealers, I
visits to
the
office
That
reminded
office often
XIV.
me
Flechier
pour
The
la vertu^
la fourherie ixisse
Lombard
Street.
No
Persons of
all grades,
to the
de
cour,'' as
Moliere
You saw
there the
''
peste
whose sole occupation is to circulate groundrumours and calumnies. It was amusing to see
courtiers
less
specimens of that
class at
Lombard
the
Street court,
and observe the sycophantish smile and slavish humiwith which they approached a disengaged partner,
and commenced an under-toned gossip. You saw there
lity
the '''renard de
He
cour,'' as
Balzac
insinuating
air,
calls
man
70
venture to propose anything until he has sounded the
de
man's inclinations.
o^reat
La Bruyere
as
GOiiT^''
calls
might either
save the
These
the ^^mouche
men were
it profit.
other way.
place courtiers,
coiir,
anxious
clients.
said
Les courtisans sont dcs jctons
Dans
Et
What
have
plots
known
what
to be concocted,
in-
Lombard
Street court
Thomas
Corneille
fait la honte, ct
we
existence,
man
world
still
have " in
my mind's eye
as honourable
thus sacrificed.
man
Whilst I write I
"
as
71
floors,
Street, consisted
large
room
was
There were in
meanly furnished.
it
At
these
may
tude,
and dark
the
as a ship's lazaret.
Happy
the thoughts of
room
for
Beyond
clerks'
room.
72
CHAPTER XIIL
A PERILOUS POSITION,
As soon
as I
office, I
my
I have mentioned
came
visits
how
to the conclusion
were the
better.
above
my
position
became
know even
still
plenty
home
that
it
the existing
crisis
I only
needed at
If that
security,
and
73
of the business, as long as
money
the
As
lent.
it
medium
Company
Navigation
Gurney, and
rough copy, which I found amongst
my
to Messrs. Overend,
The begmning
papers.
lines),
I have lost.
We
would
fall
immediately on me.
to
had
give
me either
his
The contrary
my
my
to
From
resources.
you
come
others to
Liabilities.
to
company,
to save
to disappoint
my
my
honour,
The
who would
fast,
this year to
and paid
it ?
believe
position,
me.
130,000
nearly
still
and 28,000
to Messrs. Pickersgill,
Rodocanachi,
s.
10,000
new
of 30
loss of
nearly
all
left
shoulders and on
low price
74
of the Powerful, Asia, and Scotia,* for the expedition to China, at
And
now
with the
new Bank
it is
of Turkey,
when
Relations of the
relation with
No
and Co.
we
failure
we
of
them
is
but
if
Solidity.
fail,
To
me
shall affect
of
as solid as
we have
wages,
to
provisions,
and
stores
and
it
for everything
meet the
for
respectably,
bills
all
the
of
builders,
till
to
may
be made,
it
will be
found at
After
all
this
long
tale,
this letter.
come
My
object
this,
is
only this
to
if,
Mr. Barker.
which I
am
I said that
at this
if
we have o130,000
Lascaridi and
liabilities
viz., bills
If these bills
were
March, and we have no other means to meet it but by accommodation, and such accommodation, with such bad credit as we have,
* The Asia and Scotia were not taken up by the Government,
being at that time in the Mediterranean, and not arriving in London
in time to be inspected as transports.
75
will be
if I sell
because the
interests for
make
sacrifices,
I really
am
shall be, as I
The end
money.
it,
pay you
find
curing
difficulties of these
pay heavy
Such
to release
my
all,
office,
will
anything to Barker or
Lascaridi, I
if
world.
loan of 80,000,
.
pay you
off at least
conscience
I remain without a
either to apply to
you
giving
my
follow
to
so
security,
quarter
as
shall
10,000 of
you
for a further
take up
to
be
this loan
able,
our
from the
or to suspend
payments, and to ask for time to pay everybody 20s. to the poimd.
This, I know,
smash, and
is
it
deal of scandal
but
it is
way
more
that
we
are going,
which time,
fatal.
that you
same time inspiring more
confidence.
First.
my
and Rodocanachi
the
to you,
few days
and the
her freight
28,000,
the Scotia,
viz.,
the
to collect
it,
for a very
give
you,
Patras, value
in
8000
addition,
;
the Smyrna,
value
the
10,000
They are
;
free,
to
London (now
76
on their passage from the Black Sea), and the contract
signed by
is
Thirdly.
I give
to build or
buy any
our
all
steamers.
Fourthly.
Not
to
accept for
him
my
in
Fifthly.
you send
me
bills,
I have no
The
interest of the
which I expect
annum
but,
months
annually
its profits
name
or, if
you choose, to
register at once
of sale for the eighth, and then you will be entitled to the eighth
If you find
my
proposition a
why
that I have
among
company a
public company.
advance
all
me
and the
and entertain
why
then
it,
numerous friends
do not make the
their eyes
little liberal,
to
show them
my
profits.
them
I shall open
and im-
and
wiU
Liverpool the
at
so,
as
in
a couple of years, every two or three houses will have three or four
steamers, and then
it
will be the
In fact every one would have to work for a 5 per cent, instead of a
40 or 50 per cent. so, as long as I can keep alive the Greek and
;
not to
make
pressed
me
the
company
a great deal.
make
it
77
the shares must be sold only to the shippers
the Greeks
must be the
it
company soon
multiplied, each
is
viz., to
directors
competition
The
and support.
come
will
an end.
to
Another thing
equal to ruin.
many
wheat or Indian
The steamer
corn.
the
till
Another thing
and backwards.
director will
is
is
when one
go to pieces, because,
directors, it will
is
has
it
In other words,
now
if till
a steam
company
its
existed a commercial
it
limited house, to import corn, with directors and board, then this
may
be the same.
being
all
many
but
accordingly;
knowing everything,
and,
office,
directors,
having
other
last long.
It
wiU be a
clear
me
to act
and
business,
or, better
promoters or directors.*
You
pany
to
will tell
me
be smashed
differently.
it is
if
we
my
property
cruel
come
office,
little
in the ships,
but I
is
means
my
this
moment
is
now
time.
also impossible.
am
what
private
strict
economy
life,
I shall
and
me
the
com-
to think
but
and in
am
me
is
position
my
Permit
limited at
I shall get out altogether shortly, and with great property and a
good business.
caridi.
met
all
my
last
He
but, unfortunately, he
78
will.
He
has suffered
That
that, if
is
money
his
is
cannot
He
said to
he knew
my
business
what
is
all this,
to
in this
be done
way more
moment
what
is
clear
to tell
was
so good,
and
all
you
all,
he never
his
and
a part
you
Doing
you help not only me, and Mr. Lascaridi, and Mr. Barker, but
to nearly 250 English families that live
be a great honour to
This
is,
dear
you refuse
my
to
who can
save
it.
Sir,
proposition, to advise
me what you
you
Yours
all,
least, if
course to follow.
(Signed)
really I do
to leave
truly,
Stefanos Xenos.
79
CHAPTER
XIV.
Monet was
CO.
Messrs. Overend,
AND
to
interest
partici-
I asked.
I was
and commission, but they declined
my
pay
might
between them and me.
Mr. Henry John Barker and Mr. George Lascaridi,
those two gentlemen who had been missing from the
business, as that
my acquaintance for
of
official
assignee
in
the
and see him (Mr. Edwards) on the subThere being no time to lose, we started at once.
interview,
ject.
When we
we found
that Mr.
80
He
visitor,
with regard to
that he had
whom
he
were in great
dis-
sweet of speech.
I explained to Mr.
the state of
my
the nature of
affairs,
my
my
visit,
business,
He
and
make
noted
all,
therefore, that
was
for
me
to
81
in,
your
cheaper, after
is
all,
profits,
Chapman, with an
to give us
air of
great
indifference.
" It
may be
so,"
answered
room.
said
I.
" Yes
in the
it is
looked to
actions.
official
beaming countenance.
" I
82
30,000, with 5 per cent, per annum on the money
they will advance you, and I have no doubt but that,
the end of six months they find your business
if at
going on
all
right,
"
When
" as I
Very well
I suppose I
must
accept.
The
stiff."
Very well,"
" but let us give our cheque
Mr. Chapman
to Barker Brothers, and Barker Brothers will give
We do not wish the name of the
you theirs.
Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company to
have a cheque for 20,000 at once.
said
make any
differ-
We
"
What
a fool
"
his
the
83
"
street.
Had
I only
known
them
give
receive.
5000," said
I,
such a round
them
to give
sum
you
his ideas.
had
to
haps
it
my
office.
84
CHAPTER XV.
MY
FIRST FINANCER.
He
at the
"Corner House"
was a
barrister by education,
this country
were not
and an
official
assignee by profession.
would be a lawyer.
However,
amount
lent.
"
85
them
insurance on
the
money
fact, I
and
it
was a week
after I
had
sum
of
all
In
money
most
seriously.
house, no matter
in this
my
security I
how
great
its
me
When
to reflect
a banking-
manner,
reasons for
worried
had
advanced.
it
" Is
to
it,"
amount
" Is
it
went
* This
bill
all,
were included in
it.
86
acquainted with the secret were profiting by their
official
how much
assignee
would allow
he must
him annually for his trouble.
look to his employers for payment, and added that
they could afford to do so out of the 30,000 bonus
asked me, in plain English,
I replied that
and 5 per
500 a
cent, interest I
year.
did not
Messrs.
87
in
but, as I
was
still
When
Edmund Gurney.
Was
and Marseilles.
Was
Edwards and
Chapman, and to throw dust in the eyes of the Gurneys
and Birkbeck 1 Was it because he was the capitalist
of Mr. tienry John Barker's biU-discounting office in
Abchurch Lane, or was it because he was connected
with Mr. Edward Watkin Edwards, the official assignee,
When I asked
in financing the Galway Company
it
for a
commission ]
it
to oblige
"?
firm for
who
quences
and there
is
another
who
will not
make
belonged
should
Had
London.
came.
my finances,
in
89
a personage to trouble himself about so small a matter
perform.
am
overloaded with
evening.
my
He
Messrs.
;
I shall
will
stand.
my
It is just the
March
is
same
entirely in
confidence,
I said, "
a call to
there?'
" Of course," he answered, " I shall come the mo-
ment
have time."
introduced
him
left, they
produce the balance-sheet, which was
copied by Mr. March, and is now in my posses-
set to
fair
to
sion.
tion
work
is
and
its
recapitula-
1
I
lO
Oi
(M
CO
CD
CO
00
II
OJ
Oi
GO
00
CO
CO
CO
C<J
tH
(M
rH
rH
(?q
00
Ol
CO
00
O
CO
00
cT
co"
Th"
oo"
05
Oi
CO
CO
'^i
r-(
P^
!^
Oi
00
60
Ph
05
^
>^
CO
o P
>%
w
PM
M O
91
CHAPTER
MY SECOND
Within a few months
mortgages,
in
my
the
viz.,
office,
first
my
riNANCER.
after
time,
He
entered.
XVI.
business,
informed
me
for
that Mr.
capitalist of the
Greek
the
that
concern should be turned into a bond fide private company, and to do that he proposed that I should enter
into a deed of partnership with
ridi,
the
bills.
Lombard
Street,
firstly,
secondly, because he
mine.
And
92
which he asked me
to sign.
He
me to sign
also asked
sum
in
ness,
spirit
up
my
all
busi-
of the private
Gurney.
"
He
now on
said that as
my
so solid a basis, as I
had succeeded
in getting
it.
He
93
he had a right to his share, as the indorser of the bills
of exchange which had been given to the ship-builders,
and
him
and that
my
if
170,000.
I told
profits of
it was his firm, to which I had no objecbut as long as his firms in London and Constantinople brought claims against the Greek and Oriental
business
tion,
The
official
assignee listened to
me
patiently,
and
of him, said
man
hands of such
Edmund
Gurney's request,
you, and
who
"
so
good
to
a share in
like
him
my
I
and
I regret
now
he
that I
" I
is
had
do not, however,
like partnership
it is
like
94
connected, besides the firm of Lascaridi and Co., with
knew
nothing.
my
position.
The
on
least hesitation
my
part,
me.
me
a greater pleasure
my
sake or his, in
me
95
[^Translation.']
London.
Enclosed you will find our two accounts balanced up
to 31st
December
and 1327
10s.
last year,
7d.viz., 3345
this debt of
yours.
week.
it this
Yours
truly,
This was
my
them
reply to
[Translation.']
March
9th,
1860.
In answer
to
your
you
them.
This
we have
affair is to
Mr. Edwards
is
now examining
we
the various
his decision
we
shall
were
to
was
incurred in
you ten
sailing
their cargoes
my ten
to cede to
vessels,
it
for
96
Besides this loss of profit on freight which
loss,
With regard
to the steamships
namely,
persons
who have
failed,
by merchants
whose goods were lost by your captains. Any balance that there
may be we have passed to your account, and will be decided upon
by Mr. Edwards.
make
I must, however,
Co.,
my
worth 6000.
coal
moneys
of
mine
my
business
now
Elefteriades,
away from my
friends
whom
and
detain
my
deposits
Messrs. Sursook, of
and Mr.
whose
observation, that
this
of Constantinople, in
my
agent,
had
to take
made
to do so I
bills.
by the
decision of
farthing.
But I
am
and not
to
pay you
to
the last
to pay.
Yours obediently,
Stefanos Xenos.
(Signed)
In this state of
affairs,
to enter
"
my
my
duplicate draft of a
that I made.
It is as follows
the alterations
97
\_Copy
Memorandum.
~\
August, 1860.
Mr. Edwards,
Mr. March.
Mr. Xenos will agree that a Partnership Deed
shall be prepared
shall be
and
Co.,
house at
made
latter
shall
company.
to
tides
Mr. Xenos,
Mr. Aris-
^^t to
Xenos.
Mr. Xenos
company
No
management
to attend to the
of the fleet
Mr. Las-
caridi to the
the
of the partnership to be
#0- to
ofilces
of
bills to
new
business
fleet,
Two banking
accounts to be kept
one
for
shall be requii'ed
and one
for the
S.
Xenos
working
account, against which each of those gentlemen shall sign for self
and partners.
Mr. Aristides Xenos
to
Stefanos Xenos.
(Signed)
E.
W.
C. J.
E.
M.
my
brother Aristides a
me was
moment
which I signed
Lascaridi had worked the official
that document.
assignee, who had worked David Ward Chapman, and
Chapman, Henry Edmund Gurney and the great man
H
Fatal to
the
in
98
Any
hesitation on
my part would
Chancellor, said:
receive, at
caridi,
some time or
other,
and Co.
gentleman
for that
forced
upon me
this partnership,
Were
me now
Such
are astounding.
and Co.
Lascaridi had very quickly comprehended the re-
lation in
and
Co.,
official
99
my
ship in
business.
When
he found that
all
my
my
were amongst the greatest capitalists of Europe, he saw that they, having advanced me 200,000
on ships and grain, would, for their own sakes, conPie did not misunderstand his
tinue to support me.
creditors
interests.
had
from
this partnership
to his
\_TransIation.']
Dear Xenos,
I have received your letter of yesterday late to-day, and I
replied to
it
who
told
which I
find right
it
approves of himself.
me
and on Monday
come
to
last Saturday.
your
office
In con-
next, on
with you.
Yours,
(Signed)
'J
my
G. P. Lascakidi.
100
CHAPTER
XVII.
The
reception that
viz.,
"
my two
and
political works,
" Coining,"
literary
whom I
make
those remote
I believed
to
soil
even
free
had sworn to defend. Ultimately the British Star was destined to become the
chief pillar of the Greek and Oriental Steam Naviga-
tion
Company
in several respects.
I lost no time
men whom
brought Greek
Greek
1860 I
I also
type.
esta-
101
blished in London a Greek printing-office, and commenced to publish the British Star.
As the subscription to the British Star 3 3s.
per annum was to be paid in advance, the Greek and
Oriental Steam Navigation Company issued a circular
No.
7.)
least.
(See Appendix,
my
expectations.
first
by a dense
trived to
How
political fog
fill
make
Levant.
a great
stir in
worse name
pointed out in
its
loudly advocated.
to call
them by no
administration
were
made
102
He
would
Star.
why
but he
is
serious collision
it
But before
coming to a crash, he kindly tried to give me precedence, and to place me in that position before reaching
it
himself.
He commenced
Overend,
Greek
and Oriental Steam Navigation Company firstly, because the expenses of the newspaper were enormous
secondly, because
its
it
began
to desert the
company and,
;
thirdly, because
all
the shippers
finally,
because the
were
so hostile to
every impediment
me
to the navigation of
my
would put
steamers in
He
further
come under
his direction,
of the
103
to
when one
of those
Money became
chants.
and
who about
this
terror general.
my
first
alarmed.
to
bills,
became
go through our
to
him, quietly
this firm
sir,
comprehend
I could not
are
is
true,
why
If
first in-
do
so.
We
as to
what was
best to be done."
104
I
saw
clearly
how
of our
things were.
affairs.
Lascaridi,
support his
to
steamers.
Mr. Edwards, in
Mr. Edwards, as an account-
affairs,
know
all
about you."
105
CHAPTER
XVIII.
THE PENELOPE.
We
all
It
from
to separate
us,
and
to go
I said to myself:
assignee.
on with the
"If he succeed
official
in doing
Edwards
to take a seat.
He
stepped
in,
and asked
and
at the
same
What
?' I
started.
he ought
who
to
we might
us,
consult toge-
but to go
first to
evening;
to-night
" I
forget
it
am
have eaten
106
nothing since
eight
o'clock
morning.
this
It
is
and
battle
to
against
me
made
since I first
Gurneys."
We
"
the
official
ago,
when
ourselves
kill
all
assignee.
money," remarked
for
" I was
ill
in
me
We
"
first
to Vic-
He
Street
where
Flats.
It
struck
as a strange
that
years before.
" This is
my
" It
assignee.
town residence,"
is
We
very small.
you
me
coincidence
if
the
said
official
you come
to see us,
" David
Ward Chapman
I.
is
was washing
my
he
is
my
hands in
old
bed-room,
Chapman
when
in
London.
house always
cious dinners.
He
lives
Chapman
He
Hyde
lives in great
full of visitors,
He
has his
He is the most
at the rate
of from 15,000
to
20,000
a year."
"
"
exclaimed
I.
107
" If
all
office
'
Corner House
'
"You
"Fabulous!"
replied.
"Are
Chapmans
the
Quakers'?"
" Cross breed," said the official assignee.
"
"Not
altogether,"
replied
he;
!"
asked.
"but
I have a
We
then
left
It
am
I thought
it
I,
although
himself.
After dinner
we
retired to the
The
con-
Navigation
Company and
was
selfish, as
it
nasty,
and
I also
108
told
him
encouraged
me
in
my
project,
and
that, if I attained
my
vice to
He
highly pleased.
make
him the
I told
"
of no use to me."
is
Thank
assignee, shaking
We
1"
me by
official
the hand.
is
my
mission
said,
" Xenos, do
"
Not 1."
" To become a very
rich
side I
comes
to
"
talent
is
money
me."
You
" It
man
is
not that,
finance.
it is
The
mathematics,
Messrs.
my
I.
friend
my
Gurney wished me
to
109
towards Piccadilly.
wished
and exhausted, so
tired
to
go home, as
was
Kensington.
to
Edwards, requesting
me
to
make him
to
a present.
room
little
When
Aristides.
he advised
me
I told
him
" If
give
my
the
in
brother
about
all
great deal.
outer
"
had forgotten
made me think a
place,
you make
my brother,
fool, or that
you
"I
know no Overends in
are everything
this matter.
they have
all
the power.
If I do not
me
that I
his word.
my
I.
He and Chapman
tell
keep
All
to give
against
my
will, sent
longer,
him the
my
brother,
yacht's papers.
It is
at
1861.
One day my
110
my
by
his
friends,
Mr.
Saturday
last, in his
Victoria
Seine.
This,
been moored
it is
successfully
navigated
the
and
is,
therefore,
an object of great
accepted it."
" Not he," said the kind old man, with an expres-
sion
How
I gave
him the
When
the
fall
little I
Com-
man
to
whom,
in
my
days of prosperity, I
made
Ill
The following
letter
is
9,
W. Edwaeds,
E.
Dear
Fenchurch
Street,
Esa.
Slr,
I have
had
lately to
go through
many
difficulties,
as
sell
my
estate
(Petersham
buildings,
25 per
one year,
settled,
me.
and
since I
cent., so there
till
when
An
bought
^is
it
500
Company
ample security.
is
for
are
due to
Yours
truly,
^TEPANOS XeNOS.
Edwards's commercial
offices, 81,
King William
Street.
took
it
into
the inner
Mr. Kokos
handed the
remained there
day.
whom he
office,
my
112
that day.
then wrote on a
The
do instead of 500."
returned saying "
No
slip of
clerk
it
in,
and
answer."
decapitation as punishment.
If
it
was not a
gift,
was
it
it,
hawk 1
79-|-
cellor.
another
and
firm the
cost
Co., of Gateshead-on-Tyne,
sum
of
2360
me, including
for them.
stores, insurance,
1800 when
Mr. Edwards.
Edwards during her construction, as he asserted in his statement, or on any
former occasion. I promised her to him for the first
time on the evening that we dined together at the
Garrick Club, and that was the 28th of January, 1861,
up to which time, from November, 1860, she had been
lying idle in the Victoria Docks, as can be proved by
reference to the books in the dock offices, and the
charges, about
I gave her to
No. 48.)
Mr. A.
Leslie.
(See Appendix,
113
CHAPTER
XIX.
The commercial
or
crisis,
epidemic, spread so
in
f^ist
Greek commercial
1860, that each morning
the
That
time
is
crisis
had a
origin
political
when
it
perhaps the
political result.
its rise
which,
in plain English,
was executed in
Constantinople drew
It
One firm at
London house, and passed the bills to the other
The bills
firm, who gave its own paper in exchange.
were sent to Lombard Street, melted, found their way
on
its
back
to Constantinople,
The
the other;
I
and
if,
within
114
twenty-four months, the merchant at Constantinople
succeeded in making the Sultan pay, out of his revenues, the interest alone,
all
was
right.
utmost to injure
me in the opinion
of Messrs. Overend,
The Greek
Europe.
At length the
difficulty arose.
What was
And so the
It
Turk
others
for large
115
sums; but some few
contrived
to
The
success of
why
it
Your Highness,"
men wish
Turkey
is
a real,
Then
smile, the
Europeanized
Mussulman.
About
Oriental
Greek and
again into an alarming condition. There
this
fell
time the
affairs
of the
were
In the first place, the
Levant export trade had come to a standstill, and the
import trade was seriously paralyzed; and secondly,
several causes for this.
"
The
storm,"
ends
says the
felt to
hurricane.
Greek proverb
of the
A
east,
A
i2
116
loped the horizon
able
and the
gloom.
Sinister
on every
side.
Tlie brave
to reduce
to
themselves.
As
scarcely keep
on his
dition
legs.
when he heard
He
was
in a fainting con-
and
Co.,
first
both
appearance of
fair
parties.
Eetired within
knew nothing
the
of the
lisp,
During
Mr. Edwards,
117
them
to the
needed
to
be lightened.
of Lascaridi's reckless
moment when
she
mode
A rather
Mr. David
this way.
had begun
to
me.
It occurred in
to the "
Corner House
"
When
and when
arrived there were several Greeks
Mr. David Ward Chapman saw me, he said, in an
alarmed manner, "Walk in there." After keeping
there,
me
my
visit,
cried
appointed to finance
my business.
for the
'?
"
118
of unsecured
bills,
What
crisis.
ing daily
will
fail-
"?
to see
as Messrs. Overend,
bills,
me
to take
Mr. Lascaridi
as a partner.
when I was a
had a very profitable business, and no
Now, besides the tremendous labour
responsibility.
on
to
fleet profitably, I
make superhuman
efforts to
am
also called
I bide
my time,
for
"
"
said
Mr. Chapman,
"I do
my
me
matter.
official
assignee to arrange
119
CHAPTER XX.
MY THIRD
FINANCER.
now changed
list
he appointed
Lombard
Street, every
Mr.
month,
amount.
120
all details, so
that
it
between these
parties,
my name
appearing at
-not
all
and Co. I
system, but I believe
do not
know who
organized this
licked
up a
little
I am ignorant even
and disputes year after year.
now how he settled with Messrs. Overend, Gurney,
and
Co., in 1865.
understand
my indignation.
tyrannical and
destructive.
Co. held
easily
my
me
to a third party
them
:
London, 19 January, 1861.
may
to advance to us various
we hereby
121
aiithorizo
yo\i
to
hold
all
the
deposited with
securities
same, and
when
to
sums
to
instructed
the
may
my
in
pay the
you
iiosscssion,
said various
call for
said
acknowledgments
you as
to
sign
and give
memoranda
of advances shall
make them
aa
Gentlemen,
Yours very
truly,
Stefanos Xenos.
(Signed)
"
I wished for a
On
the present
I soon
Mr.
As may be
I left in despair.
122
It
was about
this
my
and in a
lively, agreeable manner informed me that he intended
He further added that he had
to suspend payment.
already given notice to his bankers not to honour his
very frosty morning,
entered
oiRce,
acceptances.
George,
it.
Good-bye, good-bye.
And with
my
This
is
solicitor."
all
office.
was
over.
I at length
them
"with
to do
'?
"
VI
me
123
Assuredly,"
to his bankers.
At
do
lie
first I
did not
is
know what
"WelH"
" Of" course David
He
begged me
to
Chapman was
go through
fire
awfully alarmed.
and water
to find
to him."
" Did you find him 1 "
" Yes
fortunately I found
him at my office. I
Chapman, looking quite
alarmed, said
Mr. Lascaridi, what is this you intend
?
to do
'I must suspend payment,' replied George.
;
'
'
'
My
realize
me
them
at this
to suspend
than
moment
payment.
my
;
debts,
so
my
but
cannot
solicitor advises
and Co.'"
over
his
assets
to
Messrs. Overend,
re-
124
Mr. George Lascaridi's suspending payment would be
fatal to the old firm, the principal partner of
him
to resign.
come
He had
to England,
which,
and obliged
to
stand by him.
"
sent for Mr. Edwards," continued my third
" George and I are to meet at his house
financer
We
;
am
But
cover this
day's
payments.
Good-bye.
Come
to
you like."
I felt relieved.
The weight that had pressed so
heavily on my mind all day was removed.
However,
I was far from foreseeing the denouement of this
Edwards's to night,
tragico-comedia.
if
125
CHAPTER XXI.
HOW EIGHTY THOUSAND POUNDS WERE
LOST.
my
Mr. Edwards
On my
still lived.
arrival I
found the
wines of the
on the
table.
finest
It
no emotion.
dose of philosophy.
Lascaridi exhi-
He
was
The
Uioywvorpocp'ia (piXoaocpov ov
fortified
Troiei
settling the
(to
with a large
grow a longbeard is
calmly giving the details of his debts to the representative of the great depositari.
made,
The
calculation being
126
sionally cast around,
and a
Of
course
Don
window
it
Giovanni.
looked out
Her wretched
passed,
At
the
moment
that
the
miserable
group
this
Strange contradictions in
helping
glass of
elixir
of
on
Mr. Edwards now informed us that the alarm of
Chapman, on hearing that George was going to stop
payment, was principally caused through his anxiety
about the Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation
life
Company.
But to continue the
I soon
saw that
if
tale of Lascaridi's
he underrated
his debts
affairs.
he over-
rela-
127
Lascaridi's
ar-
"Well,
and Co.
to give
me
the
Gurney,
management of one of
You know my
financial establishments.
their
capabilities
in financial matters."
"
They
Edwards, grave
as a judge.
" But I understand finance so well," said Lascaridi.
Was
The
I in the presence
Theban sphinx?
affairs was gradually
of the
of Manchester
These goods were taken by Messrs.
Overend, Gurney, and Co. as security, on undertaking to liquidate the private estate of Mr. Lascaridi.
Mr. Edwards, in arranging this matter, never ex-
goods to him.
to see
list
sum
128
of 40,000 for which they were given as security.
was the
utterly ignorant of
Besides,
Many
i. e.,
the export
of this
who
were,
to
in fact,
The
Messrs.
in
payment
upon me on
129
they held, and yet did not hold, the acceptances of
Lascaridi and Co. for several large sums.
why
Lascaridi
to break
had been
down
so
I saw, too,
Company.
Apprehending
that, in consequence of his private debts, he should
be obliged to suspend payment, he hoped, by involving
me in his ruin, to fall with the eclat of martyrdom in
the national cause. When he saw that I had convinced
Mr. Edwards of the solvency of my concern, then
he determined to suspend payment. His design was,
like another Samson, to lay hold of the two pillars of
the temple, and bury me and his partners in the debris.
Happily for him, his good angel Henry Barker stepped
in,
own
him from
and
Co., they
complained
bitterly.
Lascaridi retorted
He
further threatened
Galway Company.
And
all
this
at a
new
firm.
moment when
Messrs. Overend,
painted in large
his
letters, after
occupation.
do not remember,
130
any merchant or broker in the City ever having made
a similar epigram to announce his occupation. I never
knew
the object.
I leaye
this
was
for the
were soon
afloat
their deposits
strength,
depositors
hurried to
withdraw
in their
131
CHAPTER
XXII.
A BREACH OF FAITH.
The day
I called
sent,
Mr. Edwards
at his house,
tions I raised
when
first
my
office
You
my
This
me
several thousand
4000 by Bello
objection.
pounds
Brothers, for
there
whom
will
now
affair
has
a loss of
is
he discounted
my
without
all
the
assignee.
it
office
of Messrs.
He
me
was
and gave
drove together to
I went to my
Street, where I left him.
Mr. Lascaridi had not been there for several
Lombard
office.
We
k2
132
weeks, so that our partnership did not last quite four
months.
Lascaridi,
I,
fire,
another
is
burnt in
it."
The
In
my
broker, Mr.
description
John Preston,
tl^e
course
called to say
the intelligence.
My
was
to
when
Nor was
at all events
this
an extraordinary accommo-
the
first
six
months.
When
were
They at
first
per
the
viz.,
cent,
first
interest
for
term expired,
called
upon
to
renew.
to
133
renew, no alternative remaining- except to pay the
for the
enormous sum
of 170,000.
It
was
bill
after this
turn
my
Any
commencement of 1861, and possessed of a little penetration, could see that the " Corner House " was in
They were trying to realize the
great difficulties.
securities they held, at no matter what sacrifice,
especially when they knew that the losses would fall
on their own shoulders. About this time I was conmost inconsistent letters from
them. I could never make out what they desired or
what they intended to do. These letters betrayed
much confusion of mind and great weakness of position
on the part of the writers. Now they asked me to
help them by turning the Greek and Oriental Steam
stantly receiving the
Navigation
Company into
new
me
capitalist in
company
letters which would bring
a limited liability
to sign
were worrying
me
3, 4, 5, 6,
out
of my
134
^
(M
in
o
CO
CO
135
In this balance-sheet 47,362
the
in
one of the
official
136
asked
18G1, D.
W. Chapman
me that
We
I paid to
the positions of mortgagor and mortgagee.
their representative, Mr, Henry John Barker, all the
freights,
bard Street
o'clock),
(it
Lom-
Henry Edmund
had heard was
true.
Incapable of uttering a
false-
137
pendence of
During a
my
crisis
money men.
is
silenced
tience,
sition, or
even
said
" It
if
doings be asked.
" Your fleet
it,"
Their
pride
is
Mr. Gurney.
you," I replied.
which
supposing for a
moment
However,
if
"
We
by the consequences.
said, angrily.
"
You
cannot," I retorted.
but
affair.
138
were.
say I was a d
and the
partially closed,
heard Chapman
Noble
blended
with
assured
me
prudence
The
smiling face.
professing a
sincere
were
official
mirrored
assignee
friendship
in
his
commenced by
He
for me.
then
my
benefit.
me
and they
would be
It was in
They
of half
my
burden.
it
my
for my
of
large steamers he
my
best
Edwards showed
steamers to Mr. Zachariah Pearson
me the bills of sale. I was thunderstruck, the more
;
particularly because I
saw in the
list
of the trans-
When
two of my best steamers.
Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co. did this, it appeared
they forgot that the bill on which I paid a bonus
Mr. Edwards now
of 30,000 was to be renewed.
stepped in to arrange matters.
He proposed that two
large steamers should be returned to me in exchange
for two others.
He also suggested that if I would
ferred vessels
139
sign the bills of sale for the six steamers, Messrs.
engaging not to
sell
as I paid
them a
them was
cleared.
of charity
charitable
What
my
me
a letter,
vessels as long
my
debt to
must we,
therefore,
affirm that
time would
it
me and
he
is
all
that
If I
acts
"l
and
any more of
and
it
was
but because of
my
all
men
140
CHAPTER
XXIII.
ZACHARIAH PEARSON.
A respectable
from which, in an
evil
Henry Barker,
He
in question to different
bills,
although
it
vernment
freight,
141
500 on the
transaction, charged to
my
bills.
causes that
In the
commercial storm had considerably reduced the deposits in the great " Corner House."
first
held.
At
least, this
already tried
it
on those
this distinguished
142
bonus and commission thereon, exceeded, at that time,
300,000. The great Necker of the establishment
advised, in order to finance both the firm and me, that
the grain should be sacrificed coute quil coute, and
my
official assignee.
Mr. Pearson
still
hesitated
talked
him
Edwards
over,
at the
and he
office
in fact,
all.
They, however,
at last agreed
to
meet
May-
nard, the solicitors, in order to complete the transaction at once, as Messrs. Overend, Gurney,
143
said, "
On
their arrival at
the
little
went
room
direct to
Lombard
Street,
in the matter.
room where
Pearson was.
"
Now,
friend Pearson,
"
Mr. Gurney. A further debate on the subject ensued, and after a short time they brought Pearson round
again, and then Mr. Gurney said to him: " Friend Pearson, I will give you, on the spot, a cheque for 500, if
you will sign the acceptances and complete the business
said
Bois,
drawing the
bills of
exchange.
to discount
melting-house.
" This is my death-warrant," sighed poor Pearson.
"Not
at
all.
It's
are
significations
your
meanings
how
!"
Edwards, his
How
multi-
complex your
"
144
had Pearson
Scarcely
Edwards hastened
" Hallo
the
left
after him.
what
are
you going
be
my
"
You
no trade
employ
to
to give
me for this
when
lawyers'
all
"I
call it
my
these steamers.
ruin.
It will
ruin, I say."
Not
at
all,
not at
have to thank
me
all.
for putting
They
men
All right, I
you
will
in the
tell
you.
hands of
in England."
all his
blew.
The
than
intrigues of that
fiction
would dare
'*
Corner House
to fancy.
As a
"
were more
sequel to the
wards pressed, and even worried, Mr. Pearson to take abrother of his (Edwards's) into partnership. Entangled
as
resolutely declined
this
honour,
exhibiting
in his
refusal
145
Moliere's Tartuffe.
tell
is
the
real Tartuffe?
"
What
does
all this
mean ?
"
my bookmy office in
I said to
him
of the breaking
up of our
line,
and speaking
they want
I asked
in a
money
low voice
"
it
themselves."
"
March,
Edwards's confidential clerk. In making up the books
this year, and going through the accounts, he came to
the conclusion that the firm is in want of means they
are not right.
But, pray, do not speak of it do not
;
it's
the opinion of
Mi:..
mention
my
name."
I told
room
silent
him of
and almost
my own room.
up of my line.
was through Mr. John Preston
had bought
all.
The
and, without
which
with which he parries any
steadiness with
146
When
had
told Preston
what
Ross, he said:
"What
what a
pity!
you."
" Do you suppose," I replied, " that I would take
Do you
them 1
play
It will
City, that
my
be known to-morrow,
all
through the
person whose
then,
left
bills
steamers to another
me
my
stripped
me
of everything
then
they can
know
make
a contract
Do you
" Speak to
Chapman."
" No.
with a
when
the dark
I go to speak with
147
him, he sends
were
me
to
Edwards If Edwards
hmidred hands, he would not
Edwards.
with his
Briiireus,
many
others."
be
cool.
I'll tell
this."
London
Street,
London,
Fenclmrch
\4:th
Street,
May, 18G1
Mediterranean,
the line, viz.
we have withdrawn
Modern
But
Greece.
it
and
efficiency
by
George
Thanking you
and
soliciting a continuance of
your patronage,
We
remain,
Your obedient
(Signed)
" Tell
servants,
Stefanos Xenos.
148
the steamers, provided Pearson pays a good price for
If they approve, it
w^ill
They
public.
"Considering
"What
the
do insolvent
consequences!"
men
exclaimed,
On my
arrival at the
wonder-working mansion, I
made
was evidently
He
in better
at
me in 30 or 40 per
worth much more than
that brings
course,
"
Why
Gurney,
don't
you say
r'
per
annum
is,
of
at once,"
sharply,
100,000 each
cent,
put in Mr. H. E.
steamers
are
worth
149
''
What
is
to
mine
As
it
I said,
can never
is, it
be made to pay,"
"
On
the contrary,
now
will be able to
manage them
better."
" That
have
what
left
is
me more
line.
Besides,
And
This
is
the
coi(/p
you
de grace to
Company."
*'
Not
at
A man
all.
buy
you
my
sell
me a
as long as I
against
may
others."
any more of
my
steamers
"
1
handed him the circular. He read it, and, havmade some trifling corrections, returned it, saying:
" You may send it but stay a moment."
I
ing
After
"How
Gurney
are
tells
youV
me you
he said
to
me.
Mr. H. E.
bills
of sale."
" Yes," I said.
temper in
this office
all
You showed a
You must give up
right soon.
though.
it.
These
150
They
at Menard's, the
solicitor's 1 "
I consented.
made out
own."
in the
he
said.
found the
of sale already
bills
were transferring
my
steamers.
of
done
my
When,
office,
salute
sale,
Lombard
Street
1\ow that I had signed the bills, he would do someI laughed in my sleeve
thing handsome for me.
to
known
Edwards.
only to David
I
believed the
151
other partners were wholly ignorant of the true state
was led
by observing that
Chapman, who was living in great luxury, was thrown
into a state of terror whenever the firm was called on
for large payments; and when the smallest cloud
appeared in the commercial sky, Edwards, spite of his
gout, jumped out of bed, and busily applied himself to
business.
The Gurneys and Birkbeck, on such occasions, though they worked with increased energy, never
exhibited the fear or uneasiness that would imply a
Certain it is, they yielded
sense of imminent danger.
of things.
to this belief
and crew of the once seaworthy ship, were as nothing before him. He was the
sole navigator; he alone knew whither she was drifting,
and in what port she was destined to find refuge.
When I returned to my office on the day that
Captain, owners,
officers,
Keep
He
this
then
it
sell
r'
they will
line.
sell
it
as soon as
you
;
it
for
can.
have
it.
I do not think
be compelled to keep
I expect to
will
152
CHAPTER XXIV.
WHO
IS
ENTITLED TO A COMMISSION
responsibilities
murder.
Oriental
Zachariah Pearson
to
his
destruction, whilst
they
service.
It was in
them upon my own affairs
E. Gurney freely my opinion.
my
lips
Descends
Quo
dii
I'oreillc
verite,
153
vessels, that
sels,
and large
ves-
Messrs.
Danube, a
tieet consisting
left
me, in the
sels.
work
was Zachariah Pearson, who had
Here, then,
not a regular
line,
here
It
position.
Some of the
It was a mad project.
were too small to cross the Atlantic, others
were of too mediocre a steam power, and some others,
when loaded, drew more than seventeen feet of water.
of the
flotilla.
vessels
a signal failure.
Some
of the vessels
were captured, others were stranded, and poor Zachariah Pearson, driven to bankruptcy, was stripped of his
154
curity for
long before
failed
But
the steamer Emmeline
so our security
was
valueless.
Dear
Sirs,
We
we hold
3000, and,
as
Emmehne.
"We
Yours
truly.
Co.,
Thomas E. Johnson,
He was a
the
name
of his aunt.
It is the
key
to the
high
seas,
he did not
know how
many
to steer clearly
shoals on the
He had
this
;
;
155
opportunity of buying this
Dangerous
of credit.
facility
especially if
to buy them
" Oh, you need not pay
you eighteen months or two years to pay for
them, proA^ded you give us bills, which we will renew every three
them
for
we wiU
What
months."
give
temptation that, to
He succumbed
few months afterwards the convenience of the arrange-
it.
ment
was obvious
gentlemen
known
so well
and
in the City of
London
as
There was the Patras, the Indian Empire, the Modern Greece,
law.
all
those
ships
that
we have heard
of in connexion with
few 'months
sold to the
The Commissioner
Did Overend
and
Gurney
him the
sell
ships ?
Mr. C. E. Lewis
Yes.
who
know
that the
men
naged
own
affair,
to
put the
profits
pockets.
It
was
after
my
156
to the steamers.
also
"
I take
Every one is entitled to his commission.
commission, Barker takes commission, the Gurneys
cannot work
may
for nothing."
take commission.
We
157
CHAPTER XXV.
MY FOURTH
FINANCER.
country
is
When
forgotten.
ferred six of
my
steamers to the
name
of Zachariah
Pearson, they, no doubt, thought that I might imitate their breach of faith,
was
the
first
by informing
You
I,
will like
my
to
me
an
office.
decided on
Mr. David
"
!
said
Mr. Chap-
158
said nothing; I
nor dissatisfaction
it
was no use
to
speak to them.
terrupted
it,
me
abruptly by saying
" If
when he
you don't
in-
like
go out altogether."
"
by
others,
your
affairs to
few days
my office,
made
his
letter
As
constantly required
is
appearance in
Mr. G. B. Carr
bringing with
him a
time at which
Pearson,
it
is
my
when
the
official
159
assignee prepared this
me
from
little
now
It
was
he simulta-
notified to
me
that they
own
treasury.
trophe too.
was a
act
and precise in
his activity
He
He
was remarkable,
his age.
years before to
now be one
instead
of being
was Mr.
my
office
How
diiferent
He
160
under the name of Messrs. Carr, Hoare, and Co.) to
attend to, he would devote one hour every day to our
affairs.
In
ditions
imposed on
me
one of the
first
con-
and Co. v^^as, that the British Star should not in future
appear as part of the estates of my steamers. They
also resolved to strike a balance-sheet of the past,
and
me
sent
was not
me
as I desired
it,
it
to pay,
The
should have
and Carnegie,
Overend,
in Galatz,
We
office
when
gave Theologos
credits
on Messrs.
quantities of grain.
were
lai'ge
my
great.
The sun
On
it
Mr. Carr's
161
He
was radiant with joy.
thought with me that we had sighted the promised
land.
We were quickly deceived. Theologos unvenerable countenance
expectedly
soon
arrived
London
in
Carnegie followed
after.
my
is
Now, from
his way he wants to know everything.
1857 to 1861 that is to say, during a period of five
years^I was most careful not to allow any one, most
:
particularly Carnegie
and Theologos,
to
know
the
my
and
Co., nor
40,000,
to
knew nothing
of
my transactions
know
When, about
personally.
He
first
my
first
time,
thought
I told
162
him a portion
of the story.
What
I told
was
sufficient
163
CHAPTER XXVI.
REMORTGAGING THE STEAMERS.
Messrs. Overend, Gurney,
books
London
Company
tion
I do not
know whether
London
Messrs. Theologos
In
my
loss incurred
The
mere
trifle
but
it
so
se,
as
happened,
m2
104
ing
They
the journal.
stances, to
who
ouglit,
But
Their policy
may be
They sometimes
and
trifles,
They
gravity.
as frequently
worm
and
latter
dictatorial
qualities
cases,
others,
in
especially
who
Benevolent in some
graces.
niqal
to
fell
man who
As
it,
oil
and
and
classes
men
of
murky demons.
in
To
trifles.
To
volcanic
their moral
angels
and
disruptions and
delibe-
rate fraud.
dwarfs or
spotless
the world
166
shadings of moral stature that
men
of
constituted,
so
iiotico.
lie
success.
of their
But
have digressed.
The
agents.
I shall return to
my
Galatz
much
turn to
affairs.
They were,
Upon
this point
between
my
The
my
date
had
What
is
more surprising
M. Hadji Andreas
their
steamers,
five
this
which
months in
commands of my
was a bankrupt.
But the most deplorable part of the transaction
clerks,
166
was, perhaps, the
mode
in
several
London.
times sold in
done in
Immediately on the
way.
this
was
It
arrival in
my agents at Galatz
me
then charged
profits, &c.,
&c.
They
bills,
as
my
agents.
gi'eat
accommodation
for
me.
My
grain was
of the cornfactors as
now
as completely in the
my money had
been a
Henry Barker.
little
My
hands
while
property,
in both cases,
done
to
me
by the
sacrifice of
the
167
was perpetually going backwards and forwards
between Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co. and Messrs.
Coventry and Sheppard. The letters respecting these
transactions, Nos. 28, 39, and 41 in the Appendix,
grain,
tell
on me.
Man
tio
is
not a
work and
effects.
bills
on
my
together.
In
1
became
was in a
quarrelled
1 no longer recognized
unmanageable.
in short,
myself
fact,
with
provocation.
my
My
state of constant
best friends
irritation;
upon the
slightest
And no wonder. In
mismanagement of the grain alone 40,000 was
wasted in England, and 40,000 in the principalities
Some of the grain was warehoused,
of the Danube.
against my wish, then was blighted.
The warehouse
expenses, double commissions, interest, and material
differences in a
nominal
sale,
brought another
loss.
who were
which I have
just named, show that they were very hard pressed
Another transaction which I am going to
for money.
mention will make the terrible position of the " Corner
House " apparent to the most limited capacity. They
began to remortgage the remainder of my steamers to
Masterman's Bank, to the Bank of London, and others,
those of Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co.,
hopelessly insolvent.
The
transactions
168
and made
my
London
for taking
up these
bills
before maturity,
The
made me
sign.
1C9
CHAPTER XXVIl.
A SECOND BEEACH OF FAITH.
I AT last saw that
was useless
it
for
me
to
work
so
hard, sacrificing
family.
my
One
death.
of
my
my
and
family in case of
some
negotiations, I
faith, to
* In equity and
to Messrs.
strict
Leonidas
it
to
On
per month.
the
good
policies in
insurance.*
3000
West Hartlepool,
register
for
with
1100 guineas
and during
and
Co.,
to the builders of
170
my
credit in
the general
account.
of faith.
to try
it.
My
my
solicitor
life.
recom-
my two
I received a letter
from the
In three days
my
life.
It
was plain
the steamer, who, after having received half the price agreed on
whilst she
when
means
finished,
of meeting the bills for 8000, but they collected the freight
my
calculations,
have
7000.
paying,
too, such
heavy
annum
profit
I made
it
cost.
171
that the 10,000 risk and the vomited blood frightened
another
I applied to
them.
office.
make
an insurance doctor.
I
had
purse.
still
my
private
some cargoes of wheat I had sold in the commencement of the Italian War, to which I have already
I resolved to do some business on my own
referred.
private account, and buy an estate, Petersham Lodge,
near Richmond, which happened to be in the market.
I did so, and Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co., for the
first
time, gave
me
me 1700
on security,
Poor Mr. Carr, who advised
them to afford me this little accommodation, travelled
miles backwards and forwards between the two parties
by lending
and
showed
folly
The meanness,
unfairness,
me
much longer
in con-
men
them
As long as
of colossal
transactions.
and
become
their
;
but
172
when
discloses itself in
position,
acts
ridiculous.
They
and Co.
men who
David
the depositors'
fast
money
Mr.
squandering thousands of
in luxury
his favourites
were
daily initiating
Lombard
she was
fast drifting
towards
tive necessity
satisfied
compelled
me
to yield,
With
grum-
my name to a
An impera-
but I was
dis-
173
they were dissatisfied with me.
We
were mutually
desirous of separation.*
* Messrs. Lascaridi and Co., crippled so long, at last stopped
payment
in 18G1,
lost considerable
snms of money.
Their
to
make
Co.,
and these
now
to
The reader
Mr. Edwards
to
sign the contract of the 1st of August, 1860, except the release
of Mr. George Lascaridi from such claim should be inserted in our
partnership deed.
174
CHAPTER XXVIIL
A THIRD BREACH OF FAITH.
HAD long been dissatisfied with the relations existing between the great money-dealers and myself, when
an occurrence took place that deprived me of all confidence in them. You remember, reader, the Trent
affair.
Out of that business there sprang up a sudden
demand for steamers as transports. For a moment it
was believed that England was on the verge of a war
I tendered two of my
with the Great Republic.
steamers, of 1200 tons each, for a time-charter, at
30s. per ton per month, and for four months certain, to
take Government stores and ammunition to Bermuda.
I
to
concluded,
Thompson
would
muda
entail a
heavy
loss.
The
A time-charter
and
4000 on
each.
always
safe,
is
all
other
Edwards's
It
exoffer
was on
I was
'
175
driven to madness
when
and Mr.
summoned Edwards,
upon
me
sent
2,
1862, ad-
(See
consequence of
illness,
It
was too late and too bad. The quarrel between the
mortgagee and owner put an end to both charterparties,
and
Mr. David
I lost another
Ward Chapman's
favourites.
ment by Edwards,
friends,
was most
There
as
their
" Corner
representative.
House
consequently
held the
"
letter to
London
Street,
them
at once
Fenchurch
Street,
Gentlemen,
The
of
my
act of
credit, is
my
grace that you give to this unfortunate burlesque, the Greek and
176
Oriental Steam Kavigation Company.
go any
my
fui'tlier
solicitors
So I
am
determined not to
and yours,
Gentlemen, 1
would
refresh
it
forgotten.
"When I
first
the controversies,
all
that, if I accept
like a horse
it,
will take
round the
mill,
my
by
me many
and
money
lost
years to pay
it off,
working
without either
this line,
their goods.
I organized
to transport
22 steamers
11 large and 11 smaU, the small being only for the use of
viz.,
the large.
carry out our engagements, and that I have lost above 10,000 tons
of goods, equal to 17,000, these last three months, not having
first
me
Why ?
every day.
Because
itself,
to replace
them.
it
months longer
the 1861
viz., all
and
so in the
to twelve
arranged with Messrs. Lascaridi and Co. for giving you the letter
responsible for us for aU the 1861.
However,
you adver-
that
tise
the
Shijojnng
Gazette
the
total
my
fleet
for
sale,
through
you trumpeted
receive
me
witli
177
you supply me with funds
Of
me
tell
know
last,
come
My
to another
nothing to you.
is
You judged
six steamers.
sell
profitable business.
for less
my
At
our daily
you made a
for
that
cost, therefore
making a
Was
But
lioavj^ loss.
it
G. P. Lascarich?
March, said
Gurney
Lascaridi to
modation
to
my
to
and,
office,
bills
so.
Was
of '12,000 ?
his balance
me
to do
is
to
not you
it
Why am
who
appointed Barker
I to be responsible for
due to us?
my
Barker had
not do
so,
my
bills
You
that day.
might, against
to
who
my
ordered
He
wheat
Was
loss?
never came
him 500
to
be
sold, cost
a year.
If
it
Why, then, am I
you who appointed Mr.
it
not
not
it
what
protest
Edwards
my
recollect
Was
you, gentlemen,
did
if I
its
now
we
paid
us at least 70,000.
Docks
for six
Meanwhile,
steamers
to
make them
to
and
my
secret enemies
stores,
how have
honourably with
in the Vic-
lose
money
to load the
struggling, in
me fighting
many unknown
to
your interests by
to protect
to deprive
myself
178
my
mend
to
house,
when
certain
(a.)
must have a
any farther in
better
this zig-
clear procedure
by contract, with
work upon.
to
you 5 per
as I give
as
your
you
make
it
as
like.
If, after
left to
The mortgage
one of your
The accounts
,5000, you
above
remainder to be
if
money
to sell
you may
profit,
left
(e.)
it
As long
any
you
(d.)
know
(c.)
moment
conduct to this
to proceed
(6.)
my
if
are in a position to
mean
The bases
to
We
of Damocles.
and you
I do not
am an
forward ways.
Now,
others
of that
with
tries
take half of
me
to carry
line.
to
of
of the steamers
entirely to
name
ment
and the
it,
on the repairs
me
and
The manage-
to
may
(g).
In case of
my
according to
my
wiU, to go on for
my
benefit, as
179
(h.)
balance of .10,000 to be
(/.)
left
to
a person
London
in the
offices
lost,
27,000 each,
any of the
to be insured for
for
22,000.
If
let the
money
take
2500.
(?.)
You
will give
to
me,
if
not for
me were
now
only 8000.
in
London
selling it
to
bo kept in warehouse
prices,
when they
you can
sell it as
you
like.
Yours obediently,
Stefanos Xenos.
n2
180
fidential clerk,
upon
whom
There
is
Lombard
fxrj
Street
your portions).
hold
were in
But
complain.
bubble
often those
reality victims
is
ward and
Men who
Nay more,
who were
envied as favoured,
who dared
men even now, when
victims, too,
these
the truth.
They
come
not
the
for-
the
"No
181
shut his
office
we
to speak of
such things."
in searching
for
amongst our
capitalists
lamp
in despair
182
CHAPTER XXIX.
CRIMINAL OR NOT]
My
small
sufficient
employment
at Sulina.
though
my
attached so
little
Now,
importance to the
affair,
that
when
It
my
private
had come to
and
I did
them and
their
bills,
an instance of the
company was at that time coming out bythe-by, that same company afterwards became a great
one I was one of the directors; Messrs. Overend,
Gurney, and Co. signified to Mr. Carr that I must
I was comwitlidraw my name from the direction.
public
pelled to
do
so.
(See
am
183
naturally independent-minded, and here I found myself
sucli that
a giant.
ness
to reason with
my
the
crisis
put to
I saw that
which was to separate them and me was fast
approaching.
I was determined that they should not
crush me as they had crushed Zachariah Pearson and
others.
On
every occasion
when breaches of
faith
on the
me
my
solicitors,
Messrs.
of Mincing
man
possessed,
and energy.
strive to allay
there
is
besides,
talent,
He
sagacity,
my
excitement, and
recommend me
to
184
and the
Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company would
long since have been in the hands of the public but
whenever I broached the subject to him he would
smile, and give me no answer, probably thinking that
the idea was so absurd as not to merit one.
At the time when Edwards caused the above-named
loss, and consequent exposure and discredit amongst
my friends, I happened to have in my possession, in
cash principally, and bills of lading for cargoes of
grain to arrive (see Appendix, Letters 21, 22), the
tion, the history of the
connexion between
it
me
to
direct.
my
know
words
cannot at
I
used in
and not then for the first time, that Messrs. Overend,
Gurney and Co. were insolvent, that they had taken
possession of my property, and charged my account with
every possible kind of figures.
w^ere to
in
hand
bills
if I
tory contract
me
at
common
law.
me
to carry so
it
very
He
his
head on
fire,
and, putting
deep thought.
After
"
185
act 1 contemplated
was a criminal or
civil one.
"
it is
it is
an account current
But you
extremities
am
I to
do with such
ruined, and
is
men 1
" but
The property
am
is
what
nearly
nothing
is
no
use," I replied
me
to the inevitable
Edwards."
" I cannot advise you to take the step you are con-
in the meantime,
work I
"
where
but
shall I
if
"
he
On my
return to
my
office,
money
bills
I sent to
Messrs.
Marco
Bozzaris.
This was the fourth steamer which had
been lost, leaving a profit of from 4000 to 5000.
I may fairly say here that the Greek and Oriental
received from the underwriters for the
18G
profit in two
on the insurances of the four steamers lost, and
on the charter of the Powerful to the Government, of
50,000,* all of ^vhich was absorbed in this (3op(5opoc
years,
Before entering
breaking
off
into
particulars
regarding
my
which occurred
which took
not a
little to
complicate
my
position.
* Admiral Miaoulis
15,000
Powerful
General Williams
15,000
..
8,000
Leonidas
7,000
Marco Bozzaris
5,000
Total
50,000
187
CHAPTER XXX.
POLITICS.
many
to
be republican.
Its
denunciations
against
ciples
me
as successor to the
first start-
now
journal.
I received letters of
gratulation
188
He
policy.
to
tried to
if
offer
me
honours,
change
might be obtained without any expenditure on the
part of His Majesty, either of honours or appointments.
King Otho had only to change his ministers, re-esta-
its tone.
Mr.
Barozzi left
Within a
out
to have
The outbreak
at
They
went
so far as to
office,
in
order
open the
to
discover
with
whom
paper the
sent
was in
correspondence.
political articles
them enclosed
Beset in this
upon thin
of the British Star, and
I printed
in envelopes to Paris
and Malta,
At
expense.
The
they were
packed into
cases
having secret
Sometimes
189
the cases were
filled
You
Crimean
War the inhabitants of Constantinople and the Levant
were the last to learn the details of the campaign, and
the information that did reach them was through the
English press. The British Star was the only journal
in which the blockaded soldiers of Nauplia had a chance
of publishing an account of their petite guerre, and
are aware, reader, that during the
demand
breathed through
its
King Otho.
His mode of
Now,
had
members
nople
number of Greek
ladies
and gentlemen
repaired
and there
crowned a copy of the British Star with laurels and
This patriotic demonstration Mr. Barozzi
roses.
thought proper to construe as the germ of the Greek
revolution.
He
190
bitterness exhibited
projects.
the
transmission of
House of
The circulation
the
You remember,
Commons on this
of the British
3000 a
year.
moment when,
The
after
having entailed a
loss
of 15,000,
it
191
with which I had to contend.
and the
sacrifices I
made
became involved,
amongst the
to propagate
to
cuted,
the
British
Star would
praised.
He
misled.
tyrant, yet
he sanc-
He
and
was misdirected, and the time was wasted on trivialities which might have been employed in important
King Otho would pass a morning laboriously
affairs.
spelling over the documents laid before him, whilst
state affairs, involving the good of the nation, lay
neglected.
He was a moral man, but his was a
squinting morality.
He would never pardon a military officer or Government eiwploye convicted of a love
intrigue but he winked at the known fact of his
;
He would
and
192
but he would persecute unto the death
and their families who, supported by
missed employe
the
men
ay,
litical
his ministers,
moment
and he unwisely
the very
193
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE ELECTION OF PEINCE ALFKED.
I
HAD
intelligence in
London
of
King Otho's
de-
English public.
it
the
be their king.
I pointed out
many advantages
and amongst
election,
the
name
throne of Greece.
of
King Otho,
the
194
essay in a separate little volume, and distributed
it,
gratis
to circulate freely
through Greece.
demanded an exceptional
to
have come
An exceptional case
sacrifice.
London were
were
anxious to
fought,
coma
whilst
now threw
the great
battle
was being
followed
195
by their dependent brokers and clerks, suddenly
became thorough-going demagogues. We every day
see
It
must be confessed
Though
liberal
Per-
the movement.
named
several
members of Par-
who
knew
o2
196
our revolution, he said
Greco-Odcssian
added
This
selfish
founded.
We
me.
many
others
Emperor of
equally
well
narrow-mindedness provoked
we
to
make an English
Russia'?
emergency.
closed,,
But,
whilst
so
niggardly of their
action.
degenerated into
downright quarrelling.
Unfortu-
whom
;
197
on the question of Prince Alfred's acceptance of the
Greek crown, as if the question were in my hands.
Disgusted and disappointed, I withdrew from the
stifled
the development
immediately
this
set
committee an
sent out
to
Member
of Parliament I
In order to give to
ex-sub-
The mission of
gentleman was to explain to the Provisional Government the object contemplated by the Philhellenic
Committee, and to obtain an official authority for the
this
The anxiety
on account
combined with the annoyance
and irritation attendant on the perpetual thwarting of
my political projects, began to tell upon my health.
The irregular hours at which I dined, long fasting,
and eating when my stomach was quite exhausted,
had disarranged my digestion. There were moments
I
of my commercial
had
so long experienced
affairs,
when
after
ascending a ffight of
was
so
WTak
All
these dis-
dangerously
ill.
"
198
CHAPTER XXXIL
MY
I
WOULD
ILLNESS.
much
but
is
my
illness, as
most unpleasant
with the Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, the Philhellenic Committee, the Stock Exchange,
Having
my
to wait
be prepared, I
sat
down
I took a turn
and
across the
said
failing
I think I
I choke
am
going to
die.
My
"
!
All
I felt
is
199
it
My
as
though
time in
my
it
life
I felt the
live,
On
my
will in a
it
my
my wife on her
and went to bed.
Within five minutes I felt internally a consuming heat,
though my hands and feet were cold as ice. I thought
death now, indeed, was about to seize me. I sprang
brother, desired
him
to give both to
I undressed,
they brought
me
I swallowed.
open
air,
my
light a
means of
terror.
Now
that
dissipating
my
I returned
my
increasing sense of
I again
went
to bed.
pain
me
in two.
on cither
and
at last,
200
me.
He
quickly
all
my symptoms
palpi-
positively
He
digestion
in short,
I fancied
that, as
On
my worthy physician
told
me
from the
City,
and follow a
and
after a
its
strict
regimen until
former tone.
so
my
I obeyed,
much
better
rible feeling,
my
But the worst time was during the long hours that
lay awake at night, suffering from palpitation of the
201
heart and twitchings of the facial muscles. I sometimes
and
awoke in
I longed
terror,
tude,
want of
appetite,
and burning
You
thirst.
will
morning
without fancying that I had become the subject of some
The disease I most
fresh malady during the night.
dreaded was consumption
and yet sixteen years
before, when I really sufiered from hsemoptosis, no
possibly smile to hear that I never rose of a
my
Now,
mind.
my
my
if
gums, I
moral
my
At another time
it
all
was
began to fancy
that my property was in danger, and I contemplated
with horror the fate of my wife and children, and of
all l^who depended upon me.
I could not divert my
thoughts by reading. When I looked at a book or
fears that
shook
mind.
my
vision
abandoned my attempt to
read in despair, and returned to the gloomy occupation of self-anatomy.
I satisfied myself that I had
could not discern a letter.
my
frame.
all
the ascendancy in
my imagination.
Five physicians
over
202
threw that monster fancy.
Then
why
it
'?
I finally
came
to the conclusion
Two
my
mad
that
my
my
countenance.
I dis-
hair
when Mind
had a
secret
wh at
had
motion.
five
consecutive
203
of
my
clothes
was
I undressed,
intolerable.
went
to
all
my mind,
You will
shaking
my
strung.
still
floated
through
my
An
brain.
it was not a healthy desire for nutriwas a fever of the stomach, exhibited in
paroxysms of gourmandise that impelled me to take
more food than I could digest. The fears and fancies
then became stronger than ever.
Meanwhile the Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company remained entirely in the hands of Carnegie, who, as I have already said, had arrived in
London a few weeks before from Galatz, invited by
returned, but
ment
it
me
to assist
the
first
me
were to honour
Carr.
in the office.
all
my
cheques and
bills
drawn by Mr.
He was
the bearer to
me
an
offer,
for
204
post of Consul-General for Greece in London.
state of
The
my health obliged me to refuse the appointmy greatest mortification arose from the
ment, but
my country as
I proposed.
\_Translation.']
Extract from
tlie
Provisional Government
and
the Ministers
the
Menibers of the
22nd November, ^ ^
1862.
uT-n
ith December,
7
ment
of Greece."
this
decision
Affairs has
all
M.
Roirppos.
Th. ZaIMIS,
T.
ManGHINAS,
a. CoTJMOTJNDOTrKOS,
D. Callifkonas,
Ep. Deligeokis,
D. Mavromichalis,
B. L. NicoLorouxos.
N. Chatzopoulos.
This
.
is
a correct copy.
Athens, -^vtts
oth December,
'-l
The Minister
1862.
(Signed)
Department of Foreign
Affairs,
A. Diamantopoitlos.
205
If ever Greece needed the support of Philhellenes
The
it
moment.
country was begin-
was
at that
ning to be heard in her favour, but the civil dissensions that had broken out in Athens threatened to
my
vexation,
my
from serving
my
country.
my
The annoyance
illness
I felt in-
in fact, I thought
my
in
my
business.
As soon
from Petersham
my
assurances of Dr.
removed
from improving,
Spite
of the
my
illness,
still
believed
disease,
hypochondriasm.
I sent for
my
doctors.
They
told
206
me
my
to
my
was not
sufficiently
shoulders, along
through
my
my
down
paralysis or apoplexy.
At
inaction, I
spine
came
was about
to
to
my
heels,
my fingers.
be struck with
ness,
fore rallied
business,
my own
my
strength, determined
to
return to
207
CHAPTEE XXXIIl.
RELEASE OF PETEESHAM LODGE.
On my
return to the
the aspect of
office, I
affan-s.
and
Co., as if
he
felt
reappearance at the
My
office
disappointed, and
the deter-
me
in-
we
losing, instead of
'?
Now, what
profits could
own
convenience.
Did I not say to you, Mr. Carr, three months ago, that
50,000 would be wasted in mismanagement, misappropriation, and, in fact, downright robbery, by all
concerned in that grain business
to
down
to
my
account.
may
But
losses
I will
try
fair notice,
what
208
longer."
Carr,
He
of the grain.
had uttered
what
Co.
I only
know
made
to Messrs. Overend,
this,
Gurney, and
with others
me by
their
commercial
had bought that property out of my own private resources, with the
exception of 1700 advanced by Messrs. Overend,
Gurney, and Co., and which I had repaid. For that
letter, which now afforded me so much comfort, I was
mainly indebted to the zeal and good feeling of Mr.
Petersham Lodge.
estate,
Carr,
who had
to sign
had
it.
A few
days after
my
made
but
No.ll.)
when
me
Messrs. Overend,
209
trifling
amount of 380,000.
might be
losses
set
down
incurred
by
Out
of this, 280,000
others,
misappropriations,
my
fleet
and
&c.
freights.
my recognizing
some
bills
of lading to
to take their
cargoes."
Truth
to tell, I
was glad
to part with
theOverends
My
rights, against a
house of colossal
credit, of over-
210
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE INSOLVENCY OF MESSES. OVEREND, GURNET, AND
CO.
My
me
now
learn
what prevented
let
us return to the
me
my own affairs.
my
account.
he had ever
all sorts
of informa-
at the "
According to his
Corner House
story,
David
"
on
Ward
211
should have received
heard anything of
" Carr
all
Pray who
it.
and he
information before I
this
also told
mc
is
your informant
"
1
going.
1000
you
a year
more by
retire."
divined in
him an
accredited
ambassador.
Had my
game
But
my
against the
strain.
up of
and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
" let
and
it
be.
am
I cannot
him
the Greek
and
tell
now hope
to
all
my
modation
bills.
p2
212
to leave the
company
is what I
would rather throw the concern into the Bankruptcy Court, and let the public
judge the whole affair. The Overends are my sole
creditors, or, more properly speaking, they are my
never will do
never.
And
you I esteem
it
I can tell
insolvents."
" Insolvents
nonsense,"
exclaimed
Carnegie,
say
is
the truth.
of what I know,
laugh so heartily."
Carnegie became suddenly thoughtful.
was
In shipping
saw what
my
private
in shipping
to 40,000.
'?
my
irritation cooled
we met
again,
when
Carnegie,
were insolvent.
What
an idea!
Their credit
is
so
213
gigantic, their connexion so extensive, that, even if
may
"
They
will
payment soon," I
stop
crisis
said
At
themselves.
it
" yes,
the
You know
that a firm
may lose
may not
He
He
solvency
of
questioned
Messrs.
me
Overend,
my
" It
It is a great mis-
sometimes do.
some show of
to
have nine
revives at
expire
reason, be
lives,
and
the very
it is
compared
to a cat, that
dies slowly,
moment
that
a mistake, I say, to
it
is
said
and sometimes
is
make
expected to
command
vast credit
though actually
insolvent.
In-
denly submerged in a
crisis
they
fall
with a crash?
214
some mighty
like
come
who sought
shelter beneath
branches.
its
The
capital of the
Corner House
'
'
original
when
or 800,000.
I
It
is
retired
from the
payment to him of
assume that the
collected capital of all the partners amounted to
900,000, and deduct this 300,000, and 200,000,
the dead loss by Gordon's case, we shall see that the
capital, even in 1858, was reduced to 400,000 only.
" Now, in order to ascertain their real position since
250,000
to
that period,
300,000.
we must,
two points
tion
indulging
first,
personally
So, if Ave
in
may be
the
profits
only imaginary
making
money.
,
"Now
losses.
Did they
not,
Did they
by Gordon's bankruptcy, lose 200,000
not, by the Galway Company, lose from 700,000 to
"?
it
215
selves at least
100,000.
by
whom
they
"
From
Now
let
me
ask you,
216
they would
whom
with
would take
make accommodation
they have
bills
pecuniary transactions.
his property
They
Look
at this
company, the
bills
of lading,
factors,
Messrs.
amount
viz.,
and
in-
surance.
discretion.
"
my
capitalists,
men
"?
Have
men, lest
Bankruptcy Court 1 I
me
into the
But, in point of
as
fact,
much my debtors
as I
am theirs.
Have
my
six
Have
I not
been a loser by
in short,
by
by that un-
217
principled system carried on under a broad-brimmed
hypocrisy, a system under which
crushed
applied to
me
this
time
"
!
I here
Overends
little fleet
Had
my
native country.
occupy at Athens
Greece
These
And what
what
men
The
services
might
have broken
I defy
lesson taught
I not render to
me down
them
to
by the
physically
break
me down
fate of Zachariah
am
Here
which
I took out of
I announced
Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company was compelled to stop payment, because Messrs.
Overend, Gurney, and Co., my partners and capitalists,
could no longer supply the business with the necessary
in
that the
I appealed to the
By
it
218
Overend, Giirney, and Co. engaged to pay
all
the
day in
mj
favour,
it
of.
(fcc,
to
me
is
am
to
pay thereout
all
my
accounts for
payable.
I remain,
Yours
truly,
E.
all
this,
W. Edwaeds.
It
219
CHAPTER XXXV.
THE STOEM.
It was about the
time
this
conversation
occurred
me
sent
amount of 383,039
8s.
wonder
2d.
request
that
would
my
danced before
figures
eyes
at
ominous document in
length
my
stood
my hat
my steps
street.
there, leaning
"
What do
they
mean 1 Do
steamers,
making
8s.
Bankruptcy Court
2d. of them.
Surely
my
220
could
have
not
entailed
to the
losses
amount of
200,000.
them
to such a step."
my own
air,
under the
spirit,
my
I gradually recovered
tranquillity of mind,
office,
as
ill
By
by
time
the
my
had concentrated
whistle sounded I
commenced
my
the
signal
and
patience,
to
February
H. Edmund
1863.
Gttenet, Esq.
SlE,
and
loss of health,
had
am
What
'established.
is
very
is
done
now by
difficult to
cure
life,
others
but I
principal cause,
and that I
To condemn,
and you, I
Edwards
am
Sir,
office
made
You
appointed Mr.
accommodation
letter, to avoid
the repe-
221
bills of
was
left
surprise,
my
this,
saying
Co.,
my
against
tliat
will,
by
partners
?/OMr order,
had any
if
I objected to
were Lascaridi
took
my
and
and
the
there
I intended,
my
on
children, but
my
to
left
house
is
not settled,
stream.
Mr. Henry Barker financed the company, charging several thousand pounds for interests and commissions on accommodation
At
last
whom
faith
who
bills.
gentleman for
and anxiety.
You
will find in
my
always
my
There
is
two
office
it
was
years.
refuse
aff'air
and consequently I
lost
10,000 net
now
for
profit ?
The
deficiency of
182,000
you
to the
of
222
.95,000 interest and commissions are charged in your credit.
30,000
to
sale.
15,000 law.
my
20,000
loss
by the
2,000
loss
sale of
steamers to Pearson.
264,000
If the
capital
steamers for the trade, and had not to pay the above enormous
amount
losses,
of =264,000
for
cent.,
This
did
is
profits
the simplest
way
all
brought me.
to
it
now
is,
but the
many
without adding
by the intcrfereuce
and unavoided
commissions,
interest,
of others.
Sir,
our
affairs.
me
W. Chapman, in
handsome
And now,
for you."
handsome thing
after
is
to
Yours obediently,
Stefanos Xenos.
On
High words
time, repeated to
day said
to
him
I steadily refused;
ensued.
all
he
first
Carnegie with
regard
to
the
great
capitalists.
now
223
knew
Dead men
Meanwhile
was urged
On
to
tell
no
I understood
tales.
in a friendly
persuade
me
to
way
to sign
I persistently refused.
all
he could
He
said the
" Release
free
would give
me
a release from
all their
I laughed.
me
" I said,
what
am
than
I."
And
224
forward
to
the amount
of 3,000,000 or 4,000,000.
after glancing
What
do you
know about
housed"
colossal
mode
And
of doing business.
Now
I ask you,
was
And what
Company'?
really a loss of
did the
money go
even a part of
was
Lombard
to
is
'?
It
it.
I wish I
had
like
I didn't get
mode of domg
come from 1
it.
This
left.
is
the result
know
business.
to
profits
They
intro-
do
it
I don't know.
Gurney
is
it's
all
pure gold.
At
he quits the
City,
How
they
Edmund
half-past four
of the agreements
made during
work
the day.
"?
Not
to
Do
at all.
they
They
amuse themBut
225
the day will come
when
but
my steamers
to
When Mr.
it
Gurney transferred
when he gave
my grain could
too late.
Pearson
sell
advice.
I felt
see clearly
he knew nothing of
He
strings that
make
who
Edmund
will
Gurney.
be the victims.
I shall neither
know how
When
to act."
me
to sign
the accounts.
entered.
grave.
race in
And
tlio
it
me
to
my
career of a
226
knew the
value of
to the sacrifice.
prize
life
too well to
Besides,
After ascending
was
hills
innumerable,
saw
before
it.
But
money as a means,
would be a
pitiful frustration
not an end
and
I felt it
of an end to sacrifice
life in
227
CHAPTER XXXVI.
A CHALLENGE.
The
to threaten
to
my
was verbal
Company
was thereHaving
fore necessary I should sign the accounts.
delivered this intelligence, Mr. Carr drew from his
pocket a
slip
it
to transcribe,
slip of paper,
the following
with
my own
hand,
my
still
in
this
signature beneath.
my
possession
" Memorandum.
it
con-
The above
finally
8s.
2d.
q2
who was
the legal
228
adviser that drew
read
I said
it,
"
up
Do
Having
document.
this little
am
such
I never checked or
what is untrue
a muff
vouched or acknowledged these accounts, Mr. Can I
as to sign
"?
The
became
me
quivered;
moment, then
losing all
he looked
fiercely at
command
for a
said,
''
because I
Lay-
of this office."
Mr. Carr,
had
He
said.
but as
my
satisfied,
and determined
Now,
sir,"
dis-
Street,
was much
I took
crisis.
King AVilliam
I said, "
my
Carr.
office.
come with me
to
Lombard
On
Corner House."
Chapman
room
sir,"
the
I said, walking
observed
my
agitation,
and,
without
229
" I wish to know
gentleman
me
to
come
to
if
accounts
?'
Chapman looked
interrogatively atCarr
the latter
am
ready to
immediately said:
" I
am
so.
more.
If
more
it
sincerely.
Here
is
my
sorry, I say I
hand.
And
am
you
word
sorry too
so.
I say
now," I added,
looking
also,
must be prepared
have not suffered
You
all tliis
my
hands hundreds of
thousands of pounds.
with Stefanos
it, it
looked to
my own
Chapman was
if I
had
interests."
silent
and calm.
now
confess I
230
false position
sent to induce
Knowing
all this, I
locked them in
my
Finally, I hastened to
to see
my
shield of Minerva.
Lombard
Street, I
had arranged
bosom
friend,
Edwards.
has a heart.
I shall write
I shall test
I wrote a note, of
Mt
gift,
nor do
we
horse, without
my
"We
ride in the
remembering
Surely he
it."
is
a copy
231
your heart, as I expected, I
matter
am
left in
and health.
iiftccii
to a terminus.
who
will
you and
life is
call
on you as
to explain to
more precious
in the
lated
my
letter.
He
To
had
spirit
whose power
my
machinations of the
fallen.
to
cost, to
men into
232
CHAPTER XXXVIL
THE SETTLEMENT.
Three weeks
elapsed,
and
Harsh, ungracious,
it
At
zeal
this juncture I
was
and integrity
dis-
or
know my
all
my
clerks
came
expected future
masters.
solicitor,
who behaved
to
me more like
a friend than a
professional man.
This I did to
meant
really
Had
satisfy
to
come
this state
if
they
to a settlement.
grave.
became
I
have
returned
flesh,
doors in
The
all
summed up
overmastered me.
ofiice
my malady
weight and
pale,
which
of
I lost
my
King William
me
Street
made me
shudder.
regions.
It
was
finally
sell
the Greek
private
rence.
Out
Mr. Carr,
sell it
with
my
all
my
concur-
my
deficit, it
be put
should be given
to me.
bility,
to their account
if a surplus, it
and
agreed to
assist
me
them
from
all
me
responsi-
agreed to give
would
They also
234
steamers, to transport
upon going
have accommodation
I resolve
my
to that country.
for
my
I was also to
me
whatsoever on
me
King William
Street,
In consideration of your
settling
your
affairs
with Messrs.
Overend, Gurney, and Co., and their relieving you from all the
debts of the Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, and
to assist
Yours
truly,
Who
after I
had
retired
five
small
steamers
235
a small town, and the proceedings of the new st^amowners excited universal remark and astonishment.
is
But
my
not
ex-clerks
now began
precious
letter,
account of a
this is
in fact, to the
me
action against
200
bill for
amount of
or
in
London on
300, an acceptance of
which he
as indorser
action against
doned
me was
at the very
My
was compelled
The
to pay.
to trial.
my
1863, at the
Chambers.
office
of
I received the
King
Williar)i Street,
health, I
am
and
Company
to
my
honourable and
In thanking you
for
that
my
successor, as I
am
certain
236
CHAPTER XXXVIIL
IDLENESS.
I DO not
2500.
It
company
in
mean
upon hearing
sum
London
of
that I
I do not
now
it
as advan-
tageously as possible.
plicated circumstances
for
me
and Co.
official
rests
knew
of his employers to
man
my
rights.
been for
me
Had
I been
would have
all
my
But
I possessed a
free of
trated journal,
To
into Greece.
place
all this
at
moment
when
had just
issued
237
my
triumphant from
though rotten
To
folly.
with
law-courts
the
in
King
struggle with
political
enter into
firm
which,
through a
have been
On
thirty windmills.
his lance
Mr. H, E. Gurney,
house.
and duped.
had
knew
Knight of
he attacked the
no
really
that
ill-advised
so
own
position clearly.
But
my regrets were useless. I could not enter the Lombard Street palace, and tell the head of the firm what
My most earnest
I thought and what I apprehended.
wish was to get out of the
lire
before I should be
and accepting
bills for
And
let
me
here
public money.
on board
my
They were
The
bills
steamers were
sent by
I could do with
my
them
all
made out
agents direct to
as I pleased.
in
me
my
name.
pci'sonally.
238
The
were paid
to
me.
handed them
to
freights also
it
to
I fell
ill
to business.
On my
I
became
so
ill
it
my
last battle,
possible that I
life,
now
me
said to eat
moment.
during which
was abandoned
hypochondriacal visions.
fits
of indigestion,
to the
most gloomy
Sometimes, in that
low
state,
Navigation
Company
stole over
my
mind.
thought
sighed to think
how
239
when
on the opportunities I
had lost, and the sums of which I had been robbed.
All this time I was not without soi-disant friends,
I
shiuldcred
who came
I reflected
me, and
tell
rumour declared
my
pocket.
third
and
The
discussion.
my
literary
commercial
affairs,
my
produced on
my
was too
duced
me
to the state in
After the
first
which
I was.
"
240
Upon my
plainly
how
little
to deal.
241
CHAPTER XXXTX.
ANNOUNCING TO MESSRS. OVEREND, GURNEY, AND
CO.
THEIR INSOLVENCY.
intended,
my
debit in
my
company.
There were
noyances.
I only
Overend,
Gurney, and Co. and me, in which I was forced to
speak plainly to them regarding their insolvency.
On
in the Appendix,
Piraeus
11
242
May
20th, 1863.
G. B. Cake, Esq.
SlE,
How
of yesterday.
my
passed to
lloss,
witnesses, to tell
letter
instructions,
me
that
deny that I did not teU you nearly two years ago
to
my
Do you mean
by my
Do you mean
to say that
by me
Athens
1857-58 ?
to
in
viz.,
any
at once, without
other observation than that instead of passing the coals at 30s., the
price I asked, I
must do
so at
only
-268'.
The
letter
we
wrote to
Mr. Lucas RaUi at that time was after the clear understanding
m London, I told
my
know
If I
was
do with that
told
me
not
Clenzo
when
my fault
Eoss
that
is
no
first
him
back.
lioss is the
my
brother
He
it is
account accordingly.
man
coal.
me by Mr.
it to
to
office at
of the
him
so
when
night,
company
and Co.
Erom
me
whilst
243
You rcmcmbcx' your words when
" Your
desire
your mission
was
to see
am
a rich
you came
first
man
compelled, two
my
to
office."
years after, to
and
Co,
my
rela-
friends.
we were
them, that
fusion.
office
in
fulfilled,
taken place?
me
and I
I told them,
told you,
Time
Do you mean to
Did I not mention to you
it ?
youi' faithful
terrible con-
them that we
telling
of ,260 ?
bill
Was
was unpaid ?
bill
was a
and
and wrote
Ross
it
Did I
not, according
to
of
my
wheat
for the
bills for
Why
400 ?
viz.,
Powell's
Had we any
time I contracted ?
coals in
Malta at the
they could not get coals in Malta under 35s., and Houseden answer in
English not to buy any, as
we had made
a contract in London ?
Is
not that letter in our English letter-book at least fifteen days before
the final arrangements for
my
now
the
from them.
much
My
company ?
world.
me from
if
I can see
I have
am
accounts with
them
assistance in
my -power.
my veins, I
b2
am
as
them any
left
But,
mark
I shall give
this, as
my
long as I
character or
244
I declare, before
man,
to disprove
it.
and I
tliat
call
on you,
You
discharged
if
office
my
in this
when
all
relations,
you
of
leaving
father,
my
for
The captain
that.
Do you
opinion, which
so blindly, will
Public
all
Stepangs Xeitos.
who
wounded
On
reading
warrior, lying
on the
battle-field,
avert.
Greece,
though
my
I
sees
revolution of 1862.
I one day received a letter from Athens.
It was
from Mr. D. Mavromichali, the War Minister. He
* Several of the agents of the Greek and Oriental, in the different ports of the Levant, were my relatives, who rendered great
service, by their influence, to the company.
Immediately I left the
company the new managers took the agency out of their hands,
men who
245
painted in the darkest colours the political condition of
but
Committee,
aid
to
its
my
contents.
fretful.
crisis
thought
lain idle
thought of all
at
this,
I immediately
W
W
went up
,
to
Member
I
and distinguished Philhellene.
of
took the
begged him to aid my efforts. Mr.
to
his
exerowing
principally
affair in hand, and
tion the Philhellenic Committee was soon organized.
Parliament,
Greeks.
this
members of the
political world,
arising
246
consist in helping to develop the natural resources,
which
I shall
now
explain.
247
CHAPTER
XL.
The
very day
especially
Ionian
it
when
Isles
to
the
intention of transferring
Greece
the
now
enjoy a respect-
mentioned
my
commercial
the
Stock Ex-
resisted
its
shores,
temptations
the
I
had never
248
days before the event was
public, I
had received
known
the English
to
King Otho's
intelligence
of
What would
that information
dreamed of turning
have
said,
it
to
any monetary
I never
in fact, they
became
As
use.
Greek
for a short
credit
severe com-
With
"
this
Now
that
country
is
thrown
off,
why
These
were
it
pened
reflections
be leaders in Greece
who
hap-
were
silly jealousies
it
the
might have been permanently resusI saw and felt all this, and even during my
citated.
illness had, through the Greek press, tested the feelThe
ings of the Athenian public pn the question.
national credit
249
result
was disheartening.
new
generation had
whom
motives,
who
public debt.
my letters,
in the exist-
thinking them
furnished
my
and Greek
press,
I felt that
political
it
was,
any practical
must be ultimately the
man
sufferers.
disposition to con-
Greek bonds.
Greek
I also printed a
I earnestly
recommended
250
the Greek Government to profit by the opportunity
What
ment
Money-makers thought
had
left
My
of Mint.
the house
new
species
eff'ort
to
promote
my
my
I can
induced
being
interests.
being seated on the throne of Greece, the only advantage that the Philhellenic Committee could
offer to
establishment of the
new
the
committee
One
construction
and
politically,
serious
of
a railway from
the
Bay of Arta,
Raphti or
at the Pirseus.
The
advantage of exchanging a sea voyage for a comfortable land passage through two beautiful countries of
251
Europe
Italy
sea passage
as
was intended,
say, to the
Laconian Bay
Morea
that
is
to
Had
this
line
been constructed,
it
would indu-
traffic in
Vessels coming
from the Black Sea, bound for the Adriatic and the
Mediterranean, would pass through this canal to avoid
doubling Cape Matapan, and consequently Corinth
252
now
independence to
ment expense.
life
into a
for the
'torpid region,
we
facilities for
the
construction of docks required for the repairs and accommodation of vessels trading in the Mediterranean,
and so much needed in those waters.
I must say that, frequent as were the changes of
them slow
Cham-
land,
all
recognized the
M. Coumoundouros
financier of
our plans.
ablest
modern Greece
He prepared
Chambers that
it
not
session these
when
reigned in
London
crisis.
253
easier for
me and my
sup-
credit of
And
Government.
made me
It
But
my
my enemies.
how
ticklish
make
England.
Had
concessions marketable
in
into
it
be redressed.
were anxious
till
254
of Greece with the Ionian Islands, would, no doubt,
approve his acts, and pass it in the Chamber.
My
health was
now
visibly improving.
me away from
one of self-contemplation.
regaining
tone,
My
and I wished
External
the disagreeable
something more
for
stirring.
Months had passed, and the Philhellenic Committee had not succeeded, either privately or officially,
in coming to any arrangement with the Greek GoM. Coumounvernment touching the concessions.
douros had them in his portfolio, and was watching
(See his
the opportunity to pass them up to 1865.
In vain we represented
letter.
to the
panies in England
if
for public
com-
propitious, and,
return.
home
coolly,
affairs,
and
dis-
mined
side of
City.
my
try
my
chances in the
255
CHAPTER
THE STOCK
The
tali or tesserce
Horace
of the
XLI.
EXCHAJJfGE.
Roman
gambler, of which
was a blameless
noble
institution of
Here could be
and
esf
And
is cast."
^''
Jacta
swum
that
mysterious area in
aleatorial intoxication.
The
spirit
of
state
of
communism
mon
is
so
were
Profits
losses.
a demagogue
but there
is
this difference
between
not
traffic in lofty
abstractions
though
it
he always
be only waste
own
benefit.
There are times when these commercial
demagogues are wholly disregarded, and exercise no
influence on the public mind. Then there come times
256
We
tunities.
every day.
I
am
are
making
tliousands
able to balance on
my
of sovereigns
am proud
to say that
brains."
and
how much
been amused.
" How do you manage
world.
I have
made 6000
ing
a-^e-a^eae
between
Look
light-
it
out again.
in
here,
257
yon know that one of onr great Greek merchants will
become a director; they will surely go up 2 or 3
per share.
Sell immediately, and you realize your
profits."
"
Has
public
public r'
" Yes, I
tell
you
Watch
yes.
how firm
they
are.
They have
and merchants.
faith in them.
" I
in,
shares,
my
friend.
my
to
old trade
" Steamers
steamers'?
the steamers."
Nonsense
Take my
Who
advice.
Buy
cares
now
for
in
the
shares
the
first to
many
we shall be
Buy with several brokers, and as
you can. The shares are sure to go up
If anything goes wrong,
know
shares as
it.
Friendship
may
in a
exist,
few days."
though
rarely, in the
jealousy, I
West-
its
simple
258
essence, without the slightest admixture of friendship.
had known
a long time.
I had often given
him a lift on the road of life. I did not entertain the
slightest doubt of his sincerity. He was the only man
I have ever met in the City of London who would
I
making money.
"If you are so certain," I said, " I shall try.
us go round to the stockbrokers you know.
acquainted with only two
those that
Let
I
am
bought me
the
less
had sold
2500.
all
my
The proverb
not judgment."
says,
"
fool
may
it
attempt.
making a second
Chambers the concessions I have mentioned, but becoming infected by the company-mania, that proved
fatal to so many others, I remained in London, and
shared the
common
fate.
259
My friend M
Bank were
me
become an
Warrant
hahifue, assured
board.
animation in the
fly
to join the
warm atmosphere
of a well-hghted
it
is
finally
during
my
about
to roof
them
that I have
moment
remove the
in,
life
was
and
some
that I
scafiblding,
exhibit
my
trifling
my fine
would
the inaction induced by my
illness,
required
The
excitement, for
I can only
fire.
my first
lost
coujp
presence of mind.
But, in
prospects.
It
jumped
blame myself.
down. In less
the
became
obstinate.
my
bought
go up
s2
260
were likely to go clown. I was disappointed in both
This time the rhetorical prophecies of my
cases.
friend
were
utterly wrong.
my
Here
fire,
expectations.
terrible cross-
my
adventures
in
my misadventure.
My
friend
He smoked
Caught like
he said in his grief:
Milo in the
" M(t)pe
pected
tail,
tail strikes
"I
TraiBid
(foolisli
boys)
who
it 1
catch the
cleft oak,
is
you."
" So
me
it
blush.
261
case.
shares,
when
I lost
300
Bank
Bank
in Alliance
in the Scottish
and Universal,
There
of Mexico.
lost
is
money.
no use talking.
the cause of
they
made us buy
was only
Yes
pockets.
yes, I tell
it
see'?
it is so."
Then he added,
Now, my
eyes, Polypathis
position
you
Don't you
"
keep our
and pitch
It is
what'!we must do
lose
is
that.
Foolish boys
credit, for
My
ahead.
Foolish boys
we must not
Go
own
in a lower tone
to
or sell shares
their
fill
And
me
to
our troubles.
all
eyes, Polypathis
this infernal
go ahead.
Sell
oif,
marks of
of certain important
facts,
them
as the nucleus
facts
with
262
CHAPTER
XLTI.
COMPANY.
Their
When,
first
new
The success of
and
sell
this
shares in these
appear in the
arena in
concerns.
another
capacity.
These
to
500
for
induced to
I am, however,
were
all
bound
Greeks
263
secure a profits
With
Man-
It
The consequence
new company were often all
remember.
In
on specu-
way,
this
jfloat.
acquaintance,
all
men
fortnight's
An
merchant held no
less
He
From
inevitably
accrue.
In the
first
place,
must
the Greek
a profit
in
these
transactions by victimizing
their
Secondly,
sell,
first loss
264
As long
as
money was
brokers.
We
to that
concerned.
standing.
and
to
be
felt,
fell
towns.
Still, spite
of
all
was contentedly
by a
set
of unprincipled men.
265
to
The
had given advances sometimes more than double the value on the
What a medley the realiproperty pledged to them.
ties of that great pawn-ofiice would display
There
Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co.
were
papers
representing
steamers,
building-yards,
know not
were worthless, so much
turning their
own
firm into a
As
companies.
limited
Messrs.
Overend,
ments,
Messrs.
had recourse
XX
to their
who now
Not
who had
the
rolled that
brokers
old instru-
figured in the
who had
securities,
266
their brokerage or their commissions
no
but these
fellows
Lombard
On
promoters'
the
conscience was
service,
It is true
he hurled
all
the
families
benefits.
must here mention that, before the great Lombard Street shop was converted into a public bazaar
before its wondrous treasures, which the public rushed
before, as I
so eagerly to buy, were exposed for sale
say, these events took place, the elegant David Ward
I
Chapman
his
retired
from the
firm.
Some accounted
for
to
the
ofiicial
cause,
it
assignee, Edwards.
was evident
many
we
find
shelter, like
267
CHAPTER
XLIII.
Throgmorton Street
exhibited encounters unexampled in the annals of
history.
Under Titus, the Romans and the Jews
During
these transmutations,
all
time,
fairly
race,
whom
men
the East.
high place in
antagonists
society,
the
met
in
sharp
The terms
These
But now
Threadneedle Street,
endeavoured
Mark
pillars of Hercules,
they
locality.
268
during
years
fifty
After sus-
share.
left
them
over-
It
to
at Constantinople,
unexpected cessation of
hostilities,
What
of
They
been
said, "
enemy
shall
To keep
it,
out of a difficulty
beware of thee,
is
valiant."
It
was thus
is
They
They
2G9
For example,
rules.
if
bought
This explains
in the
list
at
at par, they
how so many
anomalous
sold at 3
premium.
prices.
For
my part,
I think
historian,
allotment
floated.
and
void.
By
much
mischief
concerns were
ulti-
many good
much
270
In virtue of these two Stock Exchange decrees,
many
solid
settle-
as "bears,"
some members of the great aleatorial mansion in their affairs, and so make them parties to their
speculations on the public credulity.
Things were in this state when the first roll of the
thunder was heard, and the electric current struck
with fatal force the Bank of Leeds, an old and muchThis was a warning correctly
respected concern.
interpreted by many, and might have been widely
recognized but that a few of the promoters contrived
to blind some of the monetary organs of the City.
As
general
rule,
the
writers
on
monetary
matters
in
the
a
to entangle
leading
are
London newspapers
men who
;
they
the times.
exceptional
speak was
opinion were
rest.
Symptoms of the
great
crisis first
The fever for bringing out public companies had somewhat abated the first symptoms of the fatal epidemic
subsiding
when a new
class of
men
suddenly sprang
271
up, and took the place erst occujned by the promoters.
were called
who
in to cure.
and either
cattle-
lose your
money or
ticket,
win something. I
of Baden-Baden I can even
else
fine, called
contango
Persons
a heavy
who
interest
on
are in possession of
make
result
And
a profit out of
it.
unenlightened public
fairly
outsiders
the
game
to hurl
who seem
faro, " to
can the
How
some fresh
likely, as
we
say
any autocrat,
edict against
when
pre-
any
playing at
What chance
272
before helped to
With
saddle you!
the
sharpest
The former
will
not
the
shares
money.
for
The
which you
in
good
faith paid
your
the Legislature.
273
CHAPTER XLIV.
THE ANGLO-GREEK STEAM NAVIGATION AND TRADING
COMPANY.
blishing a
new
July, 1864.
and
Co., they
embarked
in a perilous
of
making
it
and illegitimate
momentarily
satisfied
was
But,
strangely
line.
The
chef,
it."
This
is
274
line
it
rested on a large
and
lucra-
tive trade.
Com-
bered seven.
Of
its
close it
num-
a proof that
It
commercial existence.
had taken,
it
life,
Company
prospectus
when a
opposition
275
But
The more
endeavoured
to find directors
it
be feared as believed.
Steam Navi-
Company.
I know that Messrs. Overend,
Gurney, and Co., and their favourites, had not spared
me. I knew that they had not only hinted, but openly
gation
in
my
imagination
facilities
before converted
my
that were
it
into a monopoly.
Were any
of
there was
and you know,
a
acceptances did not pass through that
a damaging
great melting-house they were refused
a broker
City
scarcely
reader,
man whose
in
fashion.
One
t2
276
other, with a significant smile or wink, or
we know
What
it
was loudly
Xenos
Xenos
could I do
told here.
Still less
man
of
divinity.
under
all
and "
civilization."
statue on
we
call "
progress
"
the crocodile as a
no doubt posterity
will discover in
past generations.
but those their adorers did not see. They looked only
These terrible Gog and Magog ruled the
at the head.
money world. They could have crushed t\^ enty like
me.
On
my
letter of the
20th of
May,
the same day to Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co., I
told them that 1 hoped the Almighty, even if I should
be left penniless, would prevent me from ever being
forced to ask a favour from them, and that
my accounts
277
with them were dosed for ever in this world.
page 243.)
make up my mind to
establishing my new company.
sidered,
all
(See
things con-
way
"
Do you know
Chancery."
" What's to be done, then %
What do you advise"?
" Couldn't you see Carr, and try to come to some
"
^
speak about
yours."
began
office
to reflect seriously
of
Greek
gentleman,
shippers, in
who was
to join
me
278
new company,
limited,
me
new
in
England
England.
imported to
in the north of
England
which
Company was
as
goods.
to
Now
as to the working.
There are
in the
These towns are Odessa, Galatz, Constantinople, Salonica, Smyrna, Beyrout, Alexandria, Syra,
Each of these towns is, so to speak,
Patras, and Corfu.
ported.
when
there
is
For example
Hundreds
279
of small dealers are obliged to transport their goods
paid from
tion
is,
Smyrna
to
London.
is
often equal to
The mode
what
of opera-
it
discharges
Corfu
is
the commercial
those
Beyrout
Thrace, and
and
so
Upon
them direct to
Anglo-Greek Steam Navigation Company, with one through freight.
In London
the goods would be sold on commission, or on the
owner's account.
The money-advances on such goods
might be safely made in two ways; they might be
made in cash through the captains, supercargo, and
agents conjointly, or through the central banking
agency at Athens, after the goods were shipped on
board the steamers, and the bills of lading drawn to
the order of the Anglo-Greek Company in London
or the exporters could have direct bills of exchange
on London, or on the national bank at Athens.
It is quite plain that in this way we should not
only facilitate the transport of goods to and from
London, but we should also open fresh tracks of
or two-thirds of the value, and load
London, consigned
to the
280
communication with the interior of these countries,
new
and
the Piraeus on a
seaports
fixed day,
may be
asked
how
liberal a support.
mercial houses of
those that
I shall explain.
London
so
me
trade on their
would
this
would
own account
those that
give
me
their
with
all
and
in-lying districts
So
that,
under
whence they
all
My
281
the Anglo-Greek Steam Navigation Company,
solved to select six
London merchants,
when applying
doubts as to success.
solvent men,
With such
shares.
for
I re-
a board,
offers
of directorship to the
and Co.
was slandered, I knew that groundless prejudices were fostered
to my disadvantage, and I was compulsorily tonguetransactions with Messrs. Overend, Gurney,
My
position
knew
tied.
Frustrated in
my
my mind
Mr. Hollams.
they held.
282
Fonder
et
possessed
by
me
to
upon my
projects,
and the
difficulties I
me
had encoun-
and Co.,
if,
in return, I
would promise
Two
his
house at
new company.
had promised
set to
to see
work.
The
He
very protracted.
my new
company.
refused to give
or find
me
me
declined to
become a
me were
director in
directors
to take shares,
in fact, to sign
the contract
drawn by A. Carnegie, marked No. 29 in the AppenAll this parleying consumed time which was
dix.
283
was anxious to remove
all impediments that obstructed the coming out of
the Anglo-Greek, I signed, on the 25th of April,
all
to
three
causes.
company out
when
the public
and a
for,
And
be
raised.
it
reached maturity,
truth of
my
may be adduced
as a proof of the
predictions.
lamentable death, I
am
unable to produce
in the
it,
Owing
to his
284
the
Anglo-Greek
my
concessions'?
capitalists,
25,000
for
My
And
have
yet, of all
lost most.
Lodge
and
its
sacrificed
my
house
Petersham
pany.
My
conduct
Rolls,
and
I can confidently refer the reader to the official liquidator, Mr. Henry Chatteris, who with the solicitors of
Carr,
285
protest on the minute-books.
rity
owe
it
to the integ-
as of the learned
friend,
286
CHAPTER XLV.
THE CONSULATE.
to preside over
my
destinies
Everything looked
during the year of grace 1865.
everything resolved itself into
well, looked brilliant
;
my
exequatur.
I never
to be hoped, prove
it is
They may
call
also learn to
eulogiums
their "national
treat with for-
who have
paid
too
largely
to
287
man
pain.
my
The
refusal
when he
cramped with
of the British Government to grant
is
my feelings
it
found in the
my
Govern-
British Governeflbrts
proving
The
my
Mr. Spiro
what
I say
Valaoritis
\Trandation7\
1
fi
My
also the
copy
am much
whom
he had a
I advised
my Government was
not
able to obtain for him, from the English Government, his exequatur.
The English,
to refuse
288
or grant such,
clear himself
May
an opportunity occur
to enable
your son to
Your
friend,
Spiro Yalaoeitis.
(Signed)
The
mours
circulated to
my
persons,
too,
from whom,
if
e^dl-
Office.
my
they
suc-
the refusal of
In this
my
spirit, I
my
my memory.
my surprise
in the
ways of the
world, and accustomed to observe the thousand meannesses that disfigure even comparatively good characters.
bitterest
it
is
number of foreigners
as
man
289
expression of which should never be allowed to influence the
As
and spoke
East
I raised
my voice
against
the wild prejudices engendered by Panslavic teachings in fact, if I have sinned politically, it has been
through a desire to make Greece somewhat English.
I was the first who proposed that the crown of Greece
;
relations existing
And
make
is
my
excited slanderers
by
relations existing
line of action
convictions.
know how to
despise
who murmur
at the elevation of
must
men
patriots, because
their political
hend how
It is
290
'
demands the
I advised
inevitably arrive
it
when
that,
in
pleasanter than
it is
at the present
moment.
u2
\
LU
293
CHAPTER XLVI.
DEPEEDATIONS.
I SOLD the Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company on March 31st, 1863, for 2500; I bought it
back on April 25th, 1865, for 3723. (Vide Appendix, Nos. 42, 43, and 44.)
These two sums, put in an algebraic form, give the
following result
= -
2500 - 3723
This
little
sum
of
1223,
1223.
my own
Ward
51a), my
paid out of
Chapman
(Appendix, No.
Howover,
DEPEEDATiONS.
we have
problem represented by
to solve the
We
want
C.H.A.P.M.A'.N.s.
E d w a r d'.
E D d. and E
.
and marked
s.,
.
we proceed by
w.,
off the
two
and drawn a
line
we
Ed Dd
:
and the
relative proportions of
E.d.w.a.r.d'.s
C.H.A.P.M.A'.N.s.
294
That is, by multiplying the second and third terms,
and dividing by the first, we have the full altitude of
C.H.A.P.M.A'.N.s. thus:
C.H.A.P.M.A'.N.s
That
is
= E.d.w.a.r.d'.s.
Ed
C.H.A.P.M.A'.N.s.
X Dd
a r
.
d'
s.
295
CHAPTER
XLVII.
PIG.
liability of
in Birchin
of
the
and
his
new
estate in Basing-
296
warrants, that entailed no small
amount of debt on
Mr. Sargant,
another clerk of Messrs. Forbes, Forbes, and Co., who,
after
leaving
their
forgets
house, established
himself in a
West Ham,
J.
Windle Cole
against which
warrants Messrs.
297
Overcnd, Gurncy, and Co. had advancod to Cole Brothers upwards of 195,655; and that in the aforesaid
conversation Joseph
Chapman
Barclay
were
to
David
when he
said
means of doing
I might be the
it
to
injustice
but I will
to stay them.
ness,
It
who
parties, in the
means
motives of kind-
He
made
the
first
its
its fall.
Forgetting
all
these
Chapman
come
to light.
Ward, which he
" believes to
him by
He
David
be perfectly true," and
his dear
2, 1857.
298
adds that he thinks it his duty to speak upon a point
in which the " highest moral principle is involved."
We
repeat the
What
common Greek
saying
an admirable production
Tlavrov rd Travra.
is
Chapman by
(See
Appendix, No. 51a.) In that epistle Mr. D. W. Chapman summons the whole world into the presence of his
and Co.
David W. Chapman thinks it was necessary to keep
out of the Bankruptcy Court the dreadful accounts of
Lever, Mare, and Xenos.
If these accounts were really subjects for the Bankruptcy Court,
why
as
managers'?
Was
not Mr.
J.
Lyster
to
* I do not allude
to
Iron-Works Company may have received from the public when the
concern was converted into a limited company with 10,000 shares
and ,2,000,000
capital.
Mr.
J.
299
it
to the "
into the
and allowed
speculations
to
trade
I challenge the
my Maker, but
and
W.
of
Chapman
if
own
person,
When a
annum.
it
when he
the
300
thing worse
insolvent
is
or some-
D. W. Chapman says he had much difficulty in dissuading Edwards in 1861 from asking for a partnership
and Co.
would not be
board a
No man
of
Mr. Edwards
so great a simpleton as to
embark on
vessel that
whirlpool.
D.
W. Chapman
may be
and he adds
that,
satisfactory;
so or not, his
many most
culpable
but of disloyalty
to the
house, never.
Eminent writers on
are
many
D.
W. Chapman
talks of
me
my
depredations.
am
I have told
it
as
letter (see
ready to defend
Why
my
blood.
did not Mr. D. W. Chapman,
occasions,
use the word " depreof
these
on either
drop of
my
301
dations
me 1
/ne
aXX'
O TOTTOC.
stake,
much
moment, when
is
at
is
so
at the present
of the DEPKEDATIONS.
follies "
No
matter
partners.
conducted
all
now put
kept
rela-
my word not
my contract
observed
to
trouble them.
I religiously
I faithfully
paragraph of No.
viz.,
seriously injured
302
hoods propagated by their unprincipled favourites and
satellites.
Mr. D.
W. Chapman
country an adventurer.
made by my
my
The name
Greece, a position.
the history of
country,
I bear
by the
is
still,
in
identified with
patriotic sacrifices
For myself,
my
me
member of their patriotic committees, and have received many flattering testimonials from the Panhellinium, as well as from different Governments of Greece.
It was a dark page of my destiny that opened to me
an acquaintance with the Overends. On that fatal day
I was arrested in the midst of a prosperous career, and
ruin
didly declare
become
tools in the hands of unscrupulous and daring men, to
whom, in an inauspicious hour, they had granted their
confidence men who, at the eleventh hour, knew how
to evade the impending catastrophe.
But to return to the conscientious letter of D. W.
Chapman. He is astonished how the new firm could
manage to lose, during its short term of duration, the
are greater victims than
I.
latterly
sum
of 1,500,000.
I shall
endeavour to enlighten
fable.
303
back, and feasted luxuriously, without the poor pig
being at
all
being committed on
its
body.
At length
the rapacious
fat,
way
presence of the
DEPREDATORS.
knew
instinctively
scampered.
to the
it
was time
Some returned
to
be
off.
So away they
took
Meanwhile
though
the poor
freed from its enemies, was past
recovery, because the wounds inflicted by the crafty
rats had penetrated to the vital organs, and, spite of a
pig,
it
very
soon died.
Eastern fables sometimes serve to illustrate Western practices.
304
CHAPTER XLVIIL
CONCLUSION.
My
upon me.
thrust
name was
incidentally intro-
duced into courts of justice, casting upon me a darklyshaded notoriety. My concerns were bandied about in
newspaper columns
mythical existence.
win
to laugh, I
who
as
If
must say
had only a
legitimate in those
it is
not at
all
who
pleasant for
me
to
lose
to
be laughed
at.
difficulties.
had
self-
them
since
that, if I
unsaid.
18G3
dragged
much more
have died
left
warmth
out.
me
when
into print.
now
305
my
trial,
and though
have
My
injured public.
vindicate
my own
first
character.
may be permitted
to repeat, as
Gurney and
much
men
It
is
find themselves
examination.
to be
should
who has
suffered
much
The following
line
ii.r.
TONS.
COMBD,
2000
250
General William
Admiral Miaoulis
2000
2200
700
Palikari
Mavrocordatos
2200
GOO
Scotia
2200
500
Asia
22U0
500
400
400
450
Admiral Kanaris
1500
Modern Greece
1200
Powerful
1200
Marco Bozzaris
Petro Beys
Lord Byron
'.
GOO
400
1000
1000
1000
1000
400
400
400
Leonidas
Tzamados
500
120
Botassis
452
100
STEAMERS.
Bobolina
THE
PRESENT DAY.
The City of London is the great university where the
human heart and the human countenance may be
studied in their most striking varieties.
vast school of moral anatomy, w^here
laid bare,
It
is,
human
in fact, a
nature
is
to the eye
what your
all
is,
He
what
struggles
may
these
how
And
What
work-
not be discovered
structural capacity.
of.
And
dual, are
still
x2
object.
And what
308
is
that
Money
the great
is
man who
'?
to say.
be sure
be marJcetahle.
it
is if
lean virtue
fat
it
make
Talent
a more sorry
is
know, reader,
To
honoured.
appearance,
the
in
beside
City of
best
civilization is
expression,
all
Not
this.
at
all.
so
no wonder that a
on
stranger,
his
first
arrival
in
London,
is
easily
he has a
and
what he can
This
is
provided
this fierce
try
do.
little wit.
I have
order
to
a man's eyes
the contrary
a few hard
In the pugilistic
efi"ect
of shutting
up
conflict it is quite
wonderfully.
309
my
Mr. Andrew
some
observation.
had traded
but not
secure
great risks.
school.
to
brilliant.
profits,
He
grand
The
In short, he was a
attended
by
of the
old
man
of doing business in
different to that
the
City of
London
Many
is
is
very
years, or even
We
may be
observed,
trated despotism.
But
return to
my
The
who,
during his father's life, had been obliged to conform
to an old-fashioned regime, resolved, upon coming into
possession, to do a dashing trade.
His intention was
soon known, and a commercial man recommended him
as a head clerk, who knew how to do
Mr.
to
subject.
son,
He
Mr.
of the recom-
310
drew
bills
for large
sums, and
all
The account
right.
these liabilities.
at his banker's
the magnitude
life.
like a
show, very
sued,
and
with Mr.
money found
Andrew A
Mr.
poor
bankrupt.
little
its
way
became
was
this
like a phoenix.
had made
his money.
It is
drama.
The
original proprietor
office
became a clerk
in the very
gliding
brougham
to his
what
his
is still
And
more
name with
However, in
311
in
of the medal.
tlic
And
friends,
saw
the successful rogue, forget his craft, and gamble away his money
on the Stock Exchange and in a life of dissipation.
And when he in his turn became poor, the world, with
again
lift
his head.
He
rogue.
is
he can earn a
Mr. D
shilling a day.
,
pompous
swaggering,
a penniless,
1855, in Fenchurch
talker,
took a furnished
Street,
He had
of " Brothers."
as clerks,
He
had
office, in
who
five apprentices,
acted
salary.
He had
assurance
is
boundless.
the counting-house of
Greek merchant.
He proposed
a tremendous transac-
says, a relative of
Fortunately for
name
John
him he
his
Mr.
boasted to us
He commenced
and made
and several
negotiations,
and when
312
made
a commission of 1500.
This
mode
which
effrontery,
success,
him
Mr.
He
on.
is
his office
Two
and
keep
push
assumed an appear-
to
first
ance of business.
Mr.
After his
not original.
his
the broker.
It
first
respectable position.
barouche.
turn given
He
The English
firm
drives
a large
and
Co.,
Ch
is
deep-laid,
Our wolf
The schemer,
and requires
him
on
He
to his
tinues
for
his friend.
some months.
well dressed.
His
air, and
Mr.
Ch
is
always
313
He
He
man
But
of independent fortune.
appears to be a
all this
time the
He
Baltic,
"
in other places
them
Mr. Ch
how
does
And
is
end]
all
it
They
in private.
him.
band and
father.
for Paris,
and
Some
fine
starting,
Mr. John
He
member
well connected,
at the soirees of
Lady
ter.
is
and Morning
to
JPosf as a guest in
high
circles.
He
is
and
^viiters
on the
press.
There
is,
indeed, a misty
He
said.
he
is
respectable
weekly
official, to
visit.
But
whom
his
visit
fails to
pay a
disinterested.
He
he never
is
314
merely inquires after his
amusing anecdote, or
retails
an
a piece of astounding
He is
whom
tinguished acquaintances.
agrees in opinion with all
of no politics, and
he
visits,
no matter
He
him
to the committee,
stuff."
is
him.
When
to the
dignity of a
he
rises
Roman
archimandrite.
from table
to transfer himself
cardinal or a Constantinopolitan
Even the
Mr. John
strolls rather
he looks
like
it
some
than walks
fair
exotic
When
Mr. John
hurry over with the eager haste of a hard-pressed
man whose bills have arrived at maturity, and who
reaches a crossing,
he does not
315
has not the wherewithal to meet them.
John
Mr.
No.
somebody who
is
crossing at the
moment, graciously
Though,
if
Mr. John
should like to
know what is
way
is
is
so
so short-
every day
the City.
He
general society.
of the day, or
tells
says a
make
at the club or in
topics,
Mr. John
makes his round of City visits.
knows the hour at which his different City friends
lunch, and it is due to his discrimination to say that
he is well aware which amongst them keeps the
best wine in the office, as he also never forgets which
stockbroker smokes the best cigars after four o'clock.
But, reader, you will say Mr. John
leads a
Not at all. He does not practise at
very idle life.
Very true.
But he is engaged in trade.
the bar.
He
his
acquaintances.
trades in
That is a
Yes, sir.
branch of business of which you have possibly never
makes his periferia reguIf Mr. John
heard.
larly during ten months of the year in the City, it is
because the City draws him with the same cords that
it
draws
how
its
professed -habitues.
Mr. John
him an introducer.
to designate
unless I call
I really
's
do not know
actual occupations,
That describes
his
316
real business.
He
men who
In the
promised.
it
is
latter is
What
do you say to
this
Is not
London the
great
title,
You may,
if I
dare so ex-
A man
and
a respectable
profit.
What
then
'?
The
affair
he reaps
transaction
is
317
all ftxir
and above-board.
is
gentleman,
known
and begged
my
about an
advantageous to both.
man
to
affair that
might be made
me
too.
me
was about
to retire,
A ^projjos
His
know a
liabilities
amounted
to
some hundreds
318
He owed
165
for cigars.
Bodington
proud merchant
And
factor.
the
first
yet, so it was.
compromise, but he
1500
to
recom-
mence
business.
It
humble trader
it
known
that he
is
indebted to a
But
my
subject.
was about
to
tempters.
P
He was
Mr. Peter
safe trade.
who
who
for
many
men
and
are appointed trustees to the property of widows
a bill disand orphans. One afternoon, Mr. B
counter, stepped into his office, and coolly asked him
The merchant stared.
whether he wanted money.
"Because," said the other, "I have 3000 which I
wish to invest at 5 per cent. If you like, you can
are chosen as umpires in cases of arbitration,
have
it
ness,
and
for six
months or a
year, put
it
in your busi-
if
You
you wish,
319
and I
shall always
per
interest, 5
on
is
that he could
thrown into
men can
He
resist.
con-
up
in the affair, I
No
particulars.
Mr. Peter
the
all
bills at 3
's
and with
like success.
He
such transactions.
all
the
money
account.
In such cases
to his patrons.
He expected to
it is
easy
" do
"
to several unstable
When
when
Peter
He
will
pay them
's
first
bills
fell
money had
He
due
viz.,
at
and Peter
was informed by Mr. B
risen,
off.
that
What was
bills.
He
320
except at a great
of,
Mr.
tion,
so
After
loss.
summarily
much
dis
negotia-
was willing
to
terms.-
to
renew
at the
advised the
bank
rate,
bills, as
well as
the
As
passed.
dishonoured
Lombard
Street firm
M'ait until
the crisis
When
pay
's
still
per cent,
fell
in a
who
first
and anxious
But the
still
sol-
yet paid.
Avrote a letter,
who was
goods to Mr.
whom
he
all
along believed to
what Peter
It
was
at
that
bills.
off
was
inevitable.
Street.
Basint^-liall
sui>'ii:este(l
man,
death-struggle.
last extremity,
He
He
liateful.
still
still
end
it
carried on the
Driven to the
was
Mr. 15
All his goods were sold, and after the
his assignee.
creditors had received their dividend, Mr. B
compromised with his creditors.
pocketed the
rest, as
You
will tell
me
that Peter
was a
To be
sure he was.
first
fool to
instance.
That is their
secret.
A decade of years since, and they were hardworking paupers, and now they are the table comfor thousands.
panions of millionaires.
aeronauts
if
In
they rise
men
such
fact,
are like
and continue
rise and
by some misthe bag, and down
air,
they will
I frequently met, at
company of the
young man, of whose avocation in
late
life
A
I
knew
nothing.
He could be seen often in theneighbourhood of the Haymarket Theatre, and hanging about gaming-houses. I
lost sight of him for several years. Circumstances had
Y
322
made
advisable for
it
was
office.
him
my
to cross the
Channel.
In
Mr. Manley
now learned
his
name
bill discounted.
extensive shipowner.
Lombard
Street.
new
masters,
commenced
Mr. Manley'
office
was the
in the
sits
dumb
lawmaker.
named
is
more
Stanley, discovered
sherry.
company.
ties I recognized, I
capabili-
concern.
affair
wished to
assist
I really
came
to grief.
70,000
He
obliged to
the amount of
who
afterwards
in the pound.
holders
bills to
failed for
were
discounted
wind up.
lost a considerable
Wethat
is
the share-
323
pay Mr. Stanley a good price for giving up the manageMr. Stanley, at least, had lost nothing. But
ment.
fares,
when towards
It
go on
watch,
it
Five times
But these
mother
fact
laid
line,
dends to shareholders.
I have several times attempted to congratulate
my
obtain an audience.
mahogany door
in reply to
was
my
in court.
found a
tall liveried
his polished
footman, who,
informed
inquiries,
I returned again
I at length asked to
what
call
'
courts.' "
y2
That was
sufficient.
324
want of inquiring at
first.
We live in a free country, where everybody has
a right to do what he pleases with his own, and call it
by what name he likes.
I said I would wait until Mr. Jackson should be at
I was invited to walk in, and soon found that
leisure.
I was not alone " doing ante-chamber," to the ci-devant
wine merchant. Would you believe if? I saw waiting
If I had been misled,
it
was
for
know
not
I
all
At length
me
to
launch
my
little
one.
I further
learned that
Mr.
was
to
" melting-house
"
was
at that time
remem-
the great
on good terms
325
with Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co.
Stanley coming out, his hand full of
nasty fellow
And now
Ch
"That d
in his eyes.
;
,"
with tears
bills,
he
met Mr.
said, "is a
and
the acquisition of
civilization
you
AVill
money
is
modern
me what
of things.
In reply, I shall
commercial revolution."
Commercial, like
" a
admit that
not, reader,
political revolutions,
every
century.
article
clime,
is
mode
made
to
compete successfully with the old standard commodiThen may. be seen commercial Eobespierres and
ties.
Marats springing up in every branch of trade, wrest
ing power from ancient royalty, trampling
down
the
made
me
own
greatness.
give
326
About that
the trade.
into
few speculators in
to return to the
I must, however,
observe
that
the
commercial
revolution
the
toss-up
that
made
lant,
to rotten
Governments
327
ordinary amal<?amation, which you must remember, of
West-end
swells,
But that
not
is
One
all.
of the partners of an
The other
They were equally glad to get
responsibilities. The firm sold their good-
partners chimed
rid of their
Now the
will.
in.
The grand
a consignment of insolvency.
livre of the
He who
stands his
a good general.
He who
is
is
reputed a conqueror.
have
fell,
is
ascendant.
self, self
No
humanity
itself is silenced.
Friendships, family
large, that of
alone,
is
in the
quarter.
gotten
is
Then
Basinghall Street.
ties,
everything
is for-
What
human
known as solicitors,
The wounds and suffer-
We
The
more
The
still
presents the
great
it
catastrophe.
to the noble
mansions
still
same
alas
now
But, alas
The
eyes that
is all
mine."
knew
at Kensington.
crisis
of that year, I
329
The beau-
tiful horses
crisis.
Were
some of the
which came
under my own observation in the case of these two
families, you would certainly laugh, as I have done,
even whilst I sincerely commiserated the fallen family.
Easter was drawing nigh.
The Briscotts were fully
established in their grand mansion.
Passion week was
to them gay as the Roman carnival.
The mother did
not become familiarized as easily as the father and
daughters with her newly acquired luxuries. I know
it
I to go into
details
for a fact, that the first time she drove out in her
awkward in her
fine
330
itine-
fair.
But Mrs.
Briscott
trifles.
lot.
to stumble at
to enjoy the
Good Friday
good things
and
arrived,
accompaniment
When
in Belgravia.
were occupied.
who formed
and
of
much
all
the seats
High Church
beloved by the
tion.
pew-opener's hand.
fully displayed.
How
did
day?
To do them
justice,
they had
little
their needles
accustomed to touch
repairs
It is not to
were,
smooth
as they used to
Road
be supposed that
331
laughs so frequent and merry.
But
did
all
their
and the
best,
When
to
toil-pressed
and daughters a
accessories
ladies
little
he forgot the
The
knew nothing
of
these
inevitable
inconve-
nating odour of
zijthos (ale).
the
have
attained
gentleman tried
full-blown
weather,
to
matron.
and then
such
make himself
agreeable
could
portly
to
the
man
man
The
He
Polycrates has
poor
dimensions.
made a
whose genealogies he
It is evident that
conquest.
The
he
Mrs.
stout gentle-
is
a bachelor,
332
All this time, the lady, as she afterwards told
smile.
us,
man
aristocracy.
The
a clerk in a bank.
he
lady, but
is
is
whom
and presented
carriage,
his
This
it is
silent
offered.
man jumped
hand
homage
When
out of the
alight.
The
chanced to
finery.
shirt,
sit
not so fortunate.
She
purple waistcoat
a red necktie
a white
a steel watch-
put the blacksmith on such very good terms with himthat he attempted to be facetious with the lady.
self,
But Miss
lute.
Amy
She had
sat at
first
when
but,
him
in
The
He
When
scattered
The Corporation
official,
ODD
to
whom
as fast
name and
lady.
who thought
steeds,
of his beautiful
address-
melancholy mood;
left
Greenwich
We
left
Good
Friday.
appears in
She
strongest colours.
its
she
is
is
She
is
she
is
gauche
in her movements,
334
to be in a position to
is
now
annoyed
She
is
wishes
name
Member
at his
make
remaining
is
greatly
House.
dumb
also
him
to
Mr. Briscott
money.
his
make
legislator; she
She longs
a speech.
to see his
in the Times, under the head, " Impeeial PaeIf she were in his place, she tells him, she
LIAMENT."
would
let
the
House hear
and, no
my
imagination
I have described.
hang about
my office
with them
into
fall
with a
trying to
imaginary scheme of
men
rise again.
make
me
five
to
to
pounds' com-
promote some
You
me
Was
an
first
idle
The
fall
or rise
so
rapidly.
335
ing
its
a state of frenzy.
when
his head,
The prudent
rich
man
then
into
lost
having nothing to
field,
lose,
The mania
the
first
companies was
You
could no
bills
of ex-
earls,
admirals, commodores,
talists
naturally followed,
public
spirit.
as
they
shares,
and exchanged
They were
little
thought
of then.
companies."
To them
is
due.
The
They
first
gave the
shareholders showed no
companies.
alarmists,
The
Alarmed, they
and
left
them abundant
despatched
its
masked
spoil.
is
when
the law
OOl
know
had debts
to
Companies that
those debts
We
There-
his.
APPENDIX.
No.
1.
and beg
to inform
him
sell
Kanaris, and request that Mr. Xenos will withdraw his orders from
any other
parties
Lombard
whom
he has instructed to
sell.
Street,
31 Dec, 1860.
No.
2.
Gentlemen,
I have to request that you will advance
me
this
day iJ700
(say seven hundred pounds) for the purpose of meeting certain en-
and
in consideration of
you think
it
talists for
desirable hereafter to
my
power.
am,
Gentlemen,
Your obedient
servant.
338
No.
3.
and beg
he has an
from the
offer
ship-builders in the North for the two vessels, the Palikari and
same
at once, otherwise
Lombard
Street,
21 Feb., 1861.
No.
4.
and beg
clause giving
him
he will insert a
Lombard
Street,
21 Feb., 1861.
19,
No.
London
Street.
5.
and
will
of forming a company..
0., G.,
to-day, if possible.
Lombard Street,
25 Feb., 1861.
Cargo, dead weight.
Nature of engines.
Name
of maker, &c.
Number
Price,
of passengers.
minimum.
like to
have them
339
No.
G.
and beg
to say that,
till
signed, they
is
Lombard
it to
them.
Street,
19/H., 18G1.
London
19,
Street,
No.
7.
ATTEAIA.
eXei
Zrifxoaievdi]
BPETTANIK02 A2THP,
tcpyjfxepls lloXi-
^Kaarov (pvWov
'Ad}]vu)v, deXei
rrjs,
24 aeXiSuy
trvyKeirai e^
tiHv
l<pr]fxepi}sii)v
ruJv
/JLeru.
TreirvKvwfxivTjs vXtjs.
UpeTvaviKos
HifXTTTrjv,
da
'Aarrjp
ware vu areXXrjTai
e^ep^j^rai
els Trjv
tiHv
irieaTTipiiov
kK(jaaTr}v
XlKOV aTflOKlVl'lTOV.
To HoXltik 6y
Ta
o.)
KOfffXOV.
/3'.)
oXwv
Sid ttjv
Td$
y'.)
\u)pav
eis TO
3u'o/uej'a
KpeiTT(i)va
Kal
ret
tQv ay-
crvi^r}Tr](7eis
vd -^rjaip.evawaiv ws vwo-
efapfxoyrjv tov
Ti]Xeypa(pr]^aTa
'IrSiuJv, Kti'as,
Xonrov
Aov^r'o>' elrai
AyyXiKoy Xpovov
'AjuepiK'i^s,
2v)Tay^ards
TOv"Edvovs.
eld)'](7eis,
pwTTjjs, 'Af.ipLKfjs,
To
Ta
ttJs
Trjs
/
oXwv
AvcTTpaXias,
7/
Eu-
juaXXot' tL Xaji^dvei
vSpoyeiov afaipas.
e^jj/^ep('c>as, fioros
eceTvos
TOVTO.
To AiKacTTiKov
fjiuXXov
>/
fxepos
aiTiypadi'i twj'
KoiiwtiuJy
z2
to{>tu)v.
Tiis kcprifxtpiZos,
A(K; tov
ij
Erayoi/s
34a
'hiTpov ceiKi'uet K(u to
^le^ep^errOai
a.)
Ixhos, kccI
QeXei ce Siaipelffdai
j^iiuv CiKijy.
avy^poi'ios awovculoy,
iiaaKt)a(jrii:uyj kcu
Til
rou opi:b)THCov
'n-epiypcKpi) Oavj-iaaiu
tov av^vyiKov
o\oK\{]pOV
KTrr^noyiK)]
en
tov rojuov,
ayyXiKov
wv
filov, t^
ical
TT]S KoD'WJ'f'oS.
To ^iXoXoyiKoy
/xepos
aeis.
Kal
Trpo^ews,
ttjs
exaarov ttoXItov.
ti]S //yutpas.
Tuiy ^luCvyicoy,
A'l ct'icat
kw
dylCKvuis
KUKovpyiJixara,
ty avru 6a
ck'jtl
t^ai
7'.)
Tijjy, jjiepos
fi .)
rov
wpaias
Gvyypaji^aTwy,
Te')(^i'as, Trepirjyi'i-
/cat r?jV
dearpiKip' Kal
EJs TO
tQv
'Fj
fXTTopiKur
Twy
ftXe^peis
Kul Tray
e^TvopevfjiaTtoy,
eOyiKO. Si'ireta,
to, crvyaXXayds
/cat
Twy ayopiov
tus TrapaKaradi'iKas
6,ti
/cat
Trjs
ef^Ooj-iuSos,
Trpo-
vavTiXiav, to
rrjv
a(j)opa
AfxepiKrjs,
Trjy (ito^-qya^iuy,
Kal
efXTvopiov
Ei'pwTrrjs'
-rjs
Kal ra
JloLKiXa,
tcls
TeXeioTrou'iaeis tujv
ijfiepas,
TTcptXa/ijSaj'o/Ltej^
TtJv Tc^f^yivv,
ra ftionr]')(aviKdepya,
to TnaTr}fxoviKov jxepos,
reXetoTrot/'ytrcts
ecpevpeffeis, t
kpyoyeipa TuJy
to.
tovtuv, ras
ayeK^OTa
a-^oXeiu)r, Kal
rijs
TeXos
(TKOTids
/cat
ws o^eTOS Twy
yeiyrj
dXXov yd
e^
'El' TrapoCti)
(pioTioy
Tijs
KaT(i(JTij(7)j tuvti-jv
elcoTTowvi-iey,
fxeyrjs 'iL(j>r]nepilos,
?'/2>/
to
el/j-r}
rd
on
TrpiJjTCjy
avOis yj'woTJjV
irpos
TaKnKi]y
ei2(}/.twv
eKacTOS
els
tov
"EKaaToy (jwXXoy
vXijs
avTrjs,
fxiKpas
Jjs
Trjs
'E(^j/^ep/^os
deXei Treoie^ei
/cat
25
15-
eiKoroypacpias jjieyuXas
/cat
ey rw rd^w tovtm.
'H en]aia
irvvCpo^ii] rCJy
124S
ceX. Tys
341
^tuypiadr]
rpiujy TKvveu)v,
ui'tI
*/
Ai
Trjs
rpiiSi'
rov nputTOvcpvWov,
TrapaX(ij3r]i'
rt]t'
I'lTram
7r/j'
toIs TrpaKropeiois
TTpoTrXripioTeas Trpus
tTrtaroXJJs
ci
?*/
Street,
Fenchurch. Street.
pas UL,ias
Trjs
TrXrjpwfirjs tov.
'Ri'yoovfjiey
EV0e
HavToSvycifios vd KaTevolijcrr]
aTrayTa\ov
aXrjQe'is
ra (pepwj^ey eh
v ayopaeTrj
7)
Tr}J,
dW
vnep
eavTOu
2i'
^iXiKwv
ofdaXfiuiy /xey/orj;
TcHy
ijQiKuiv
Kul
Trjy ayopixv
/cat
ra rcKya
fiecrojy.
Kai e'lde ol
Gv^fepoyTwy {Tovyay-
Trjs
(jtiXa-
Toy epayoy
Tov.
TOV,
yprjjj.uTiKi) frj/i('a
(TVf.i(j)p6yTii)y
oXoiy
hia tu TrpwTa
Tuiy
KUTOiKwy
'AyaToXijs.
Tijs
'E0?;^ep2os,
STE*AN0S
No.
2,
;s:enos.
8.
Xenos, Esq.,
Dear
Sir,
On Monday
to prevent
any
annum, and
am
it
to be
an advance
to
if
and
to
may have
great success,
all
things.
belonging
interests
Trusting
Yours
truly,
A. Caenegie.
we
342
No.
9.
Lombard
Street.
Gentlemen,
I have to request that you
"will
advance to
me
the
sum
of
me
for ,1700, as
below
and in
hereby charge
my
bought, with the due payment of the said biUs, and agree to execute
any further document or deed that you may require, either by way
of mortgage or otherwise, to complete your security on the said
property
thereof, at maturity of
fit,
and engage
to
sell
pay any
deficiency.
Stefanos Xekos.
Dfts.
S.
Xenos, Esq.,
.850
May, 1862.
850
1700
No. 10.
29th of July, 1S62.
am now
my
furniture, as I told
My
my
me
to complete
books and other furniture are what I have collected the last 16
Navigation Company.
Gurney, and
343
men
me
will give
my
house,
they
the
name
of
my
shelter.
Company,
Life Insurance
my duty as a
for my family.
is
who have
father
am
and husband
suffering
to
having
from consumption,
make some
little
it
provision
ever treated
me
my
my
request.
Yours most
truly,
Stefanos Xenos.
No
11.
Loudon.
London, 15ih August, 1862.
Gentlemen,
I have to request that you will release
Petersham from
sum
all
of seventeen
my
my
house at
instant, in settle-
on
my own private
and
to receive
no
Company, and
accoimt, except
letters
to transact
my literary,
no business
hand
and
and in
all
such manner as
may be
agreeable to 3'ou
and
company
in
with reference to the said business of the Greek and Oriental Steam
Navigation Company, when called upon by you to do so.
344
No. 12.
[Private.']
London, 19
Dear
Aiu/.,
1862.
Sir,
ivitli
called
drawn by Messrs*
Com-
pany, and of your carrying out v^hat you undertake in your said
letter.
be to the advantage of
all parties
We
concerned.
remain,
Yours
truly,
No. 13.
Laurence Pountney Place,
17th Dec. 1862.
My
Co.,
is
which will
you
will live
an exaggerated notion,
if
set
50 years
yet,
and I do
taJce
reason-
With
best wishes,
I remain.
Yours very
sincerely,
G. B. Care.
S.
Xenos, Esq.
345
No. 14.
22, Basingliall Street,
9th3Iay,lS6\.
Dear
Sir,
The bearer
sent
me
of this
is
my
friend,
ment made
will repre-
me
money
facilities
as to the application of
and
him
I shall look to
to satisfy
truly.
W. Edwaeds.
E.
S.
management
in the general
Xenos, Esq.,'
No. 15.
The Greek and
London
Company,
Street.
Lombard
Street,
24
1861.
Mc(>/,
Gentlemen,
Eeferring to our verbal arrangement,
we now
write you
and beg
footing,
worked by
say that
to
five large
it is
it is
is
agreed that
it
will in future be
understood that
it is
of yourself
list
of
which
sliips arc
we have made
to you.
is
fully covered
by the
fair
further payments being made, the said ships are each one to be
released as the value thereof
is
346
each party
we
to
bo
left
without a
sufficient
Yours
faithfully,
The
fleet to consist of
"^
Scotia,
Asia,
Palikari,
large steamers.
Mavrogordato,
Leonidas,
CoUetis,
Colocotronis,
Eigas Ferreos,
smaller steamers.
George Olympius,
Londos,
No. 16.
Addressed
to
Dear
Aristides,
I
Oct.,
the 11th
do so
now
inst.
And with
my
and
you should
so far do
me
all
satisfaction I
the circumstances,
And
am
more,
my
my
only
per-
man
telling
me
plainly
all its
force.
In answering
347
you, believe mo, I have considered well
also
for, Aristides, if
there
is
all
you have
Baid,
and have
is
you have only your duty to your brother and the company to perform, and that is, to remove mo at once from Galatz as being alto-
me
is
and
lierctoforc,
my own
unjust ends.
me
no other course
is
open
left
I have always
me.
to
held out to both your brother and you that personal gain would
repeat,
honesty
when
is
to
all,
me
I have within
life
may
misinterpreted;
mind on
this
pendence of
my
Now,
what we
by the
to disabuse
me
a sacred matter, an
me
infinitely dearer.
answer we loaded
50
your
for,
have always
beg you
therefore, Aristides, I
be.
my
me
the privilege of
is
voyage than
is
proven
last,
whUst
then she had only 60 tons coals on board, and this voyage she had
160 tons
at least.
arrival in
voyage as now,
last
you
as, in fact,
filling
much water
made a
drew
will find
as
on her
London.
The Marco Bozzaris cargo cost more because the Tzamados and
Bobolina had to load three to four miles from Giurgevo (and this never
happened before
age.
No
in the
as
this,
Buy cheap
you
stufi'
in the
ea'
oporto
Are
up river?"
to
you from
in which I tell you the wheats will cost 32s. so early as the 16th
Sept.,
and you never answer, " Stop buying," but you answer, " Do
348
;"
and
Now,
Now, why
got,
20,000
to
qrs.,
no doubt, 8000
for
and then
8000
qrs. at 31s.?
10,000
October
30,000
to
We
qrs.
to us
we
autumn
them
from
qrs.,
;
no
the
test,
we
till
We
now 15,000
cleaned
how
Now,
is
But enough
of this, for
You speak
it is
assume
that, if
my
sacrificed
But
but I
me
let
is
own favour.
own relations.
judiced by being in
This
speaks volumes.
never
of this, and
little
itself
know
besides
37s. 6d. per qr., free on bo^ard here for these wheats.
story,
and
qrs.,
one steamer,
and
so
another.
this, is
qrs.
but
it is
an honour
could
qrs. for
then, Aristides,
is
we
and heavy.
sir,
and November
have
the wheats
all
" pay
will,
as
sacrificed at all
that,
on the whole, the very best has been made of the opportunities.
And
of this I
am
sure, I
came here
to discredit
and confusion,
now
For I prize the good name I hope I have, and the con-
my
is
not of yester-
now be
sorry
The
present gains
although I should
to leave Galatz.
You
much
as I respect
till
8 p.m., often
all
night,
we work,
not in
offices,
Erom
but out
o49
here and there, sumetime.s Sauliiui Roads, other times in the interior,
and more often loading and cleaning grain. And, Aristidcs, where
would the Smyrna's case have been in these gentlemen's hands ? Nowhere
Now, whilst
lost.
had
I only permitted
that case to liave been neglected, without any one ever being wiser,
same.
should
one witness to come here at the awful cost of S0, whilst he was a
British subject,
expense of
and travelling
.1 Is.
days I wrote
for fourteen
all
is
cost,
for
you
day in the
and
all
Whilst
me.
to judge, not
coui't
night at home,
searched out greasy old pilots, coaxed them and petted them
is
and
men
am
thoroughly
Aristidcs, if
satisfied.
examine
you can
an
at
liut that's
why
do you
and
less, so
to.
surely
satisfied,
now
and
be
to
the case.
You
say,
man
Enough
of this
in me.
wc can
is
and
all
if
we
ask
is
to
a proper
find not
tell
my
statement
satisfied
with
this letter,
A. Cahnegie.
350
No. 17.
London, 24th Dec, 1861.
S.
Xenos, Esq.
Dear
Six,
who
I remain.
Dear
Sir,
Yours most
truly,
E.
W. Edwards.
No. 18.
Dear Xenos,
I
letter
am
which
it
now
enclose
Yours most
truly,
E. "W. Edwards.
I strongly
recommend you
to call yourself
No. 19.
London, 2nd Jan., 1862.
Sir,
TJie Paliharl.
The
bearer of this
is
am
mortgagee.
illness, I
was unable
It
to
was unfor-
communicate
;;
:
351
Co. to tender the ship to the Government for the conveyance of
am
goods to Bermuda, as I
sure,
had
done
so, all
the unpleasant-
ness that has occurred, and which I regret extremely, would not
have occurred.
is
Sir,
Your obedient
E.
servant,
W. Edwards.
Comptroller, &c.,
Admiralty.
No. 20.
The Greek and
19,
London
Street,
Fenchurch
To the Bank
Street,
186
London, E.G.,
of London.
Sir,
fifty
you in those
letters of
company against
herewith
securities
16,000
Palikari,
Mavrogordato,
6,000
ZaVmis,
7,000
Colocotronis,
7,000
also a letter
fifty
fail to
do
so.
14,000
Leonidas,
G.,
and
Co.,
undertaking to provide
bills,
in case
we
552
No. 21.
The Greek and Oriental Steam
19,
ITavigatiou
London
Company.
2,
3,
1,500
4,500
3,000
18,000
This steamer having- been
and not
any ou|
to
lost, I
else, in
due course.
M. E. Maveogoedato.
No. 22.
The Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
19,
London
To the G. and 0.
S.
N. Co.
I remain. Gentlemen,
Your obedient
servant,
M. E. Maveogoedato.
No. 23.
Laurence Pountney Plate,
Saturday, 2Sth Feb., 1863.
Dear
Sir,
Your conduct
is
very annoying to
all
interested in the
in
fact, suicidal,
353
You
every assistance to getting in the assets 6f the company, and avoiding everything offensive to our friends.
my
once to
firm,
friends
whereas,
if
destruction,
own
whom you
interests, as
you
day or two,
in a
and kindness
to you.
to pro-
letters
them of the 21st Jan. and 28th May, 1861, and of the 19th Aug.,
1862 if so, read them, and then, if you are not mad, you will at
to
once
fulfil
I remain,
Yours
faithfully,
G. B. Caub.
Stefanos Xenos, Esq.
No. 24.
73,
New Bond
Street,
In reply
to
your
favoiu',
to
by Camp,
the carman, to his warehouse, I can only suggest again that you
it
out.
He
to
if
and that you had away everything which he removed, and it may
now that the appointment which you made a long time
be regretted
you
now
Camp
will
arrange with
A A
wiU
is
354
the top of Portland Street, in the
New
Church.
Your
to
my
Sir,
Wm.
Phillips.
No. 25.
16, Tolcenliouse Yard, B.C.
Re
Gentlemen,
We
firm and your company, showing a balance against you, with interest'
to the 31st
May
last,
which amount we
We
No. 26.
16, ToTcenliouse Yard, E.C.
We
Messrs.
beg
to enclose
and Co.,
Lascaridi
namely
also to
your debit,
We
General
account,
showing
May
last.
balances.
We
remain,
Yours
Sir,
faithfully,
No. 27.
16, ToJcenhouse Yard, E.C.
Be
Sir,
Wc
We
may have
to the
accounts
we
fur-
nished to you should be more specific than that which your letter
indicates.
which your
with
their
correspondents
may happen
to be agents
at
who
places.
reply,
We
ax'e. Sir,
Yours
faithfully,
Mark Lane.
No. 28.
1
London.
Dear
Sir,
We
have your
letter of
Guruey, and
Co.,
for arbitration,
6th
inst.,
We
us.
are, respectfully,
a2
356
No. 29.
The following conditions to be agreed on between Mr. G. B.
Carr and S. Xenos, for the purpose of bringing out a steam comMr. G. B. Carr to become a director of the new company,
pany
and take shares of the value of 5000 to o10,000 when paid up.
The boats Powerful, Asia, Scotia, PaHkari, and Mavrogordato, now
Mr. G. B. Carr's property, to be purchased by the new company
if so desired by Mr. Carr, within three months
for
:
from
Mr. G. B, Carr
this date.
five
sells
line of steamships to
hundred pounds
Mr. Carr
The
company.
company
at
cost
secui'e
usual wear
Two
new
line
S.
of
coals, store,
warehouses,
be taken over by
new
price,
for
the moral
new company,
and
to
office
Mr. Papandenopulo
new company
this
No. 30.
thirty-first
King William
Shipowner, of the
first part,
second part,
David
BiRKBECK,
Money
of
Lombard
and Robert
London,
who
for
or
title
of the Greek
for the
357
absolute sale to
him
now
And wnEREAS
hundred pounds.
sum
of
Two
thousand
five
said
parties hereto of the third part, in the course of his said business,
and upon the balance of account, if now made up, the said Stefanos
Xenos would be indebted to them in a considerable sura of money,
as appears
Edwards
have agreed
all
claims and
demands
in respect of
in
manner
^ntJ
become
hereinafter appearing.
in part performance of the said agreement, the
iui^treasi,
said Stefanos
Xenos hath, by
bills of sale
tioned, to be paid
in the whole to
money
therein
men-
sum
of
Two
thousand
five
hundred pounds),
and employed
and singular the appendages and appurtenances whatsoever thereto belonging, or in anywise appertaining to
the said Edward Watkin Edwards, or to his nominees, subject to
ness, together with all
performance
and
One thousand
five
hundred
before
is
lawful
money
Xenos
in hand, well
and truly
and
358
from the same, and every part thereof, doth hereby acquit, release,
and discharge the said Edward Watkin Edwards, his executors,
administrators,
and
He, the
by these presents.
furniture,
office
effects,
bills
and
securities
for
of a
so as aforesaid carried
of the Greek
title
on by him
and
all
title, interest,
claim,
and demand
notes,
and
all
also
wdth
full
for
administrators,
the said Stefanos Xenos, his executors or administrators, or otherwise, to ask, demand, sue for, recover,
releases
and
receive,
and give
or intended so to be.
all
money, goods,
own
said
chattels,
their
effectual
Axd
Edward Watkin
assigns,
for
his
and
Xenos
covenant and declare and agree with and to the said Edward Watkin
is
to
any
whereof he
act,
is
deed,
matter,
or
thing whatsoever,
by means
manner
aforesaid,
meaning of these
presents.
and
will, at the
request,
costs,
and according
and
to the
And furthee,
and administrators,
that
shall
359
Watkia Edwards,
do,
executed,
all
more
for the
such further
acts, deeds,
effectually assigning
to
make,
trators,
Watkin Edwards,
reasonably required.
may
bo
for
said parties hereto of the third part, for themselves, their heirs,
and
them
to
Xenos, his executors and administrators, that he, the said Edward
Watkin Edwai-ds,
or assigns, shall
and will well and truly and punctually pay and discharge the
several debts
and
liabilities
liabilities
mands,
costs,
all
and
in
that, in
pursuance of the
demands
said claims
and
all
and
manner
of actions and suits, cause and causes of actions and suits, claims,
and demands whatsoever, which they the said parties hereto of the
third part, or any or either of them,
now
or administrators,
might, but for these pi-esenis, have had upon or against the said
Stefanos Xenos, his heirs, executors, or administrators, under or by
virtue of such dealings and transactions as aforesaid, or otherwise
howsoever.
hi
iuttnc^:^
presents
have
360
hereunto set their hands and
seals,
first
above
written.
(Signed)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the ^
in
>StEPANOS XkNOS.
n
1
1
Illm,
i
field, clerk to Messrs. Thomas <fe
.
i.
HoDams,
Solicitors,
Mincing Lane,
London.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
"^
KDS,
Saml. Gtirney.
wards,
^
David Ward
'
.
-,
-,Tr
-1
ward Jones,
EOBT. BlEKBECK.
Arthtje G. Chapman.
Ed
Samuel Gurney,
by the
in the pre-
Fen-
church Street.
No. 31.
jBemOtaUtltUU
of
tiic
by Mr.
S.
Xenos
Company
Navigation
to
Messrs.
Overend,
Gtjenet,
and
Company.
1.
Mr. Xenos
to receive
Two
thousand
five
forthwith.
2.
Mr. Xenos
to
be at liberty
to
by the Asia,
free
3.
the
bill.
Mr. Carr
to
361
wheat
Any
as
surplus in respect of
Mr. Xcnos
be indemnified against
to
ties of the
all
liabilities
may have
to
(if
any) which ho
released from
all liabilities to
Mr. Xenos
concealed.
Messrs. Overend,
be
Gumey, and
Mr. Xenos
dering
bond
to give a
all
affiiirs
of
the company, and realizing the assets, &c., and doing nothing
to injure or
and
also binding
last, received
any
freights or
company not
disclosed
bills
by the
books.
6.
and
and
to give
to give a
up
all
power of
and
to
sue
name.
No. 32.
hv tl)C6C ^PtCScntS, that Stefanos Xenos,
of King William Street, in the City of London, Merchant and
Shipowner, lately carrying on business under the name, style, or
itinoto
all
title of
^QXl
divers good
company
or otherwise, to ask,
name
receive of and from all and every the persons or person liable to
now
all
;;
362
any such sum or sums of money,
to give, sign,
and
and discharges
and
also to sign,
for the
same
execute, and
and
as
and
he may think
fit
aforesaid business
and
to appear to or defend
or other proceedings to be
said Stefanos
commenced
Xenos in respect of
any
actions, suits,
judgment
to
expedient
the
name
and
for all or
suits, or
Bowness Carr
shall
seem most
aforesaid, to use
other pro-
more attorney
Bowness Carr,
to
nomi-
and
and execute
shall or
all
may be
ment
of the affairs
carried on
by him
manage-
aforesaid, in such
requisite or necessary
to act in the
fit,
manner
as fully
and
so
as the said
effectually, in
if personally present.
No. 33.
London, 31si March, 1863.
Mr.
S.
Xenos,
In consideration of your, at
of Attorney in
my
my
Power
other documents which have been prepared for transfer of the business and property of the Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation
panj', I
to enforce
or
Com-
any other
363
party thereto, of the
bill
payment
any) of
of the said
bill, witli
Yours
Ik'Il
and
interest thereon.
faithfully,
G. B. Care.
(Signed)
No. 34.
ILonUOU, to Wilt
I,
in
me under
incurred by
the
known
to
and
me
by contracts
And
company.
fifth
jorovisions of
An
in various
'
An
Act
more
for the
and
Majesty King
late
this
be true,
make
to
for the
more
to substitute Declara-
entire
Suppression of
make
"
SxEFANOs Xenos.
No. 35.
Received of Mr. Stefanos Xenos the following documents on
cargoes of coal:
Charter party
Receipt for
Two
15
bills of
Policy for
10s.
Lading
300
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do,
364
Two
Bills of
Charter-party ....
do.
do.
Two
Bills of
..
Charter-party ....
Policy for
Two
^510
do.
do.
Charter-party ....
do.
do.
2 per Ginsachard
700
Morning
320
PoHcy
475
per Unita.
do.
G. B. Caer.
No. 36.
The Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
36,
King William
Street,
Petersham Lodge,
Petersham, near Richmond.
Sir,
It
is
my
no
tons,
by your
orders, to
&
him
tons,
for
taken
coals
February
now
at
that port,
in
last year.
May
last,
when
in
London,
365
the sura of .180 123. lOd. on account of coals and advances per
Parthian, which has not been passed through the company's books.
must
retjuest
you at once
to set right,
meantime
I remain,
Sir,
Your obedient
servant,
No. 37.
G. B. Carr, Esq.,
Lombard
Dear
With
enclosed herein,
name down
even
you
Street,
Sir,
if it
we
are very
as a director,
was
much
which
is
name
is
it
company
withdrawn from
without
first
&
0.,
it,
and we
trust
and think he
subject.
We
remain.
Yours
faithfully,
No. 38.
KINGDOM OF GREECE.
Athens,
20 Janvier,
1865.
1 Fevrier,
Aux
membre du Parlement
Messieurs,
En
1864,
j'ai
mon
desir
366
de contribuer k la consolidation de I'association formee entre des
haut placees dans I'estime publique dans un but emiquelque soit Ten vie que j'eprouve de
personnes
si
nemment
utile a la Grece,
moment
il
m'est impossible, a
qui engagerait
lettre, et
officiel
mon
que vous
avant la responsa-
si
bilite ministerielle.
vrai
II est
cas ou
le
le
il
est
tion dans
un sens qui
peremptoirement
aucune
procbaine reunion
mais
I'etat
ou leur modifica-
I'inutilite
de
1'
engagement
sollicite.
deux
projets de
le poste de
si
a cette
ministre competent de
offi-ez
pour en de-
travail de sa regene-
personnes
'offrent des
comme
celui
que
lui
de
ma
consideration tres-
distinguee.
A. CoUMOtrNDOUKOS.
No. 39.
Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co. beg to inform the Greek and
Oriental
bills
to
367
Circassian, already landed, belonging to Messrs, Overend, Gurney,
and
Co.,
S.
Xcnos,
may
be imme-
Lombard
Street,
14 Juhj, 1862.
19,
London
Street, E.C.
No. 40.
The Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
London
19,
Fenchurch Street,
Street,
Dear
Sirs,
Since onr
19th, and 20th
We
ult.,
wc
last,
we can
many
of the
no
find
our
many
with
much better as
we can get for
less
We
and
learn from
effectually
if
to you, with
we
and
how
offer
shdUngs
we
itself,
and
we
are
shall send
to
in the
now
testing
it
your purchases, as
it is
yet unaccountable
shewn by
It has
machine has
we wish you
to be
as a
to be very cautious in
to us
the quality so
find it satisfactory,
you
is
here,
much
which more
this,
than ours.
being so
we
other merchants,
to
understand
is
This
not mere hearsay, but an actual fact
the invoices.
lately
come
to
This,
368
we must remind
we cannot
yt)u,
and
either wholly
allow,
company, or
the alternative.
Yours,
Stefanos Xenos.
No. 41.
The Greek and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
19,
London
Street,
Fenchurch
Street,
London.
Gentlemen,
Messrs. Coventry, Sheppard, and Co., the holders of
to sell,
when
we
tell
me
me
at various times
They
to
such
is
what
your decision.
am now
part, at 2/.
now
is
my
my
by you,
me
and I beg to
any further
is
drawn up,
Work
in which I can
all
my
life
(as T
For your
2000
viz.,
qrs.
3000
qrs.
qrs.
ex Colocotronis,
is
Co.
viz.,
sold even
Yours
truly,
Stefanos Xenos,
309
No. 42.
Stefan OS Xenos, Esq.,
To G.
15.
Carr.
Charges.
Housden,
25
370
No. 43.
Laurence Pountney Place,
9th October, 1865.
My dear
Sir,
I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your acceptances to Theologos and Carnegie '^ ,1000 at 3 m/d, and ,1000 at
6 m/d, from the 30th ult., also the Anglo-Greek Steam Navigation
Company's acceptance to A. lovanoff, at 4 m/d, '^ <1500, making
together 3500, being the consideration for the goodwill of the
Levant and Black Sea line of steamers, and for their furniture,
fittings, &c., at
No.
Fenchurch
9,
St., as per
our agreement.
G. B. Cakr.
S.
Xenos, Esq.
No. 44.
9,
Fenchurch
Street,
25t7i Oct.,
1865.
G. B. Carr, Esq.
Dear
Sir,
the
No. 42,
to
1600
viz..
be paid over to
you
me
or if
which I enclose
any
deficiency, I will
'with, interest.
Yours very
truly,
Stefanos Xenos.
to
371
No. 45.
(7/r7^
page 282.)
7,
May, 1865.
Gentlemen,
In consideration of
Limited, of
^32
each,
Company,
called
the river
Danube and
with the
directors,
terms to be not
hundred
which
less
shall
and guarautee
this
appointment
The
when
(Signed)
No. 46.
Messrs. Overend,
Gumey, and
Co.
May
10th, 1861.
Gentlemen,
I received your very esteemed letter of yesterday, and, in
answer, I agree on
my
part,
to
at the
make the
you that I
am
not
Yours
truly,
Stefanos Xenos.
bb2
372
No. 47.
Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co.,
Lombard
Street.
Gentlemen,
"We have to request that you will give a guarantee to
Messrs.
thousand pounds, in
for twenty-five
Hamburger and
we hereby
the SS. ships, and the mortgages thereon lodged with you, with
the due payment of the amount of the said guarantee, and undertake to pay you the said
sum
we hereby
you
pay any
fit,
authorize
and engage to
deficiency.
No. 48.
Iron Ship-Building Yard, Hehhurn Quay,
Oateshead-on-Tyne, IQth Now., 1860.
S.
Xenos, Esq.,
My
dear
Sir,
rubbed down.
am
to
my full
am much
satisfaction.
was out
pleased to inform
when everything
official
gets
number, and
run up.
I regret the
delay that has occurred very much, but the whole cause has been
for the engines.
If they
as promised to
me,
the vessels would have been with you by the middle of September.
I,
however, trust you will find them to your satisfaction, and have
Yours
faithfully,
Andw.
Leslie.
373
No. 49.
Lombard Sired, 13 March, 1801.
Dear
Sir,
"Would
for
tlio
6000, which
is
to-morrow.
Yours
truly,
William
Bois.
G. B. Carr, Esq.,
No. 50.
Lombard
Dear
We
on
Street,
24 Dec, 1861.
Sir,
acct. of
we
shall
letter
We
remain,
Yours
faithfully,
No. 51.
OVEREND, GtJRNEY, AND Co.
To
to
Sii',
Allow mo
received from
my
son, Mr. D.
letter, this
Ward Chapman, on
moment
his hearing of
and though
it
management
and I believe
it
him from
it to
be perfectly true
his share of
blame
in tho
374
from that which the ingeniuty of counsel, speaking in the interest
of his clients,
I
was
calculated to produce.
to the deep
affliction of
at such a
moment
as the present, to
add
more than myself; but on such a point, in which the highest moral
principle is involved, it would be a dereliction of duty to keep
silence.
I remain,
Sii',
Your obedient
servant,
D. B. Chapmak.
No. 61a.
Tours, Jan. 26,
My
dear Father,
I have received your letter of the 25th
man
It
to feel.
is,
me
it
inst.,
is
which I
possible for a
sympathy of the court and the pubUc for his clients, no matter at
whose expense ; but I can with a clear conscience, as if I were
about to enter into the presence of
my
smallest particular, to
my
my friends. With
was
offered
it
by himself
as a simple deposit at
5 per cent,
it
interest.
offer,
but
my
private
him never weighed one iota with me in my dealings for the house with him. The true state of the case was this
that after the commencement of the wild advances which resulted
transactions with
in the embarrassments
firm,
Edmund
375
with the sagacity which he thought was shown by Edwards, that
the end
oi'
At
the year he
made
dence.
stated,
and which in aU
payment
He
at the
found Edwards,
Kko
of the involvements of
to that
time no idea
difficulties
management
amount
who had up
of these accounts.
He had
and
to
keep him
(J.
him
H. Gumey) con-
my
to call
to
have forced us
to
sufficient
knowledge
if
Now, I
ask you what you would have done under such circumstances?
best
way you
will say
cordd,
myseK, that
any share that I might have had in the settlement vrith Edwards I
would repeat again to-morrow. With regard to his statement that
I have never accounted to him for the money, it is simply not true,
as I paid him the interest regularly, and considerable amounts on.
account of the principal and it was only at his own wish that I
;
him
Now
my
under
honourably
my
deed, he pre-
papng him
in case I
376
I neither began the accounts with Mr. Mare,
which resulted in the MiUwaU Company, iior with Mr. Lever and
the Atlantic Mail Company, nor with Mr. Xenos, all those three
people being
among the
of their looking
tions
and
upon me
as the person
who
were necessary
Bank-
if
we wished
to retain
our embroilment.
Eut
it
the power of the house, but also the extent of the assistance which
in time of need could bo brought in.
Let
me
sum
of 1,300,000
old firm
by transactions
by Mr. Harding
in
his evidence.
factory to
me
you
keenly of
but, whether
many most
whom
it is
he was deal-
may be
satis-
my conscience accuses
in my private capacity,
so or no,
culpable follies
D. "Wakd Chapman.
No. 52.
To
Sir,
The remarks
me
to ask
you
which seems
to
by Mr. Edwards
My
upon
my name
Lord Mayor.
menced in the
when
they requested
me
to take
property of Mr. C.
J.
Mare.
377
establishment
"with
exist,
to
my
knowledge.
I am, Sir,
servant,
Ltstek O'Beienb.
^^