The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-11 00:00:00

ME GROWING IN AUSTRALIA.

There is nothing more interesting to watch than
the changes which have come, or are coming, over
the English race in the various regions where it has
settled and taken root. Canadians, citizens of the
United States, tropical planters, and settlers at the
Antipodes have all assumed, or are in process of
assuming, their several characters. Climate, insti-
tutions, occupation, and mode of life, have their
share in producing these differences ; but the first
is the most potent agent. Americans and Austra-
lians are Englishmen with a sunny sky. That they
should fail to receive more warmth of temperament
more quickness of feeling, and perhaps more deli-
cacy of taste, from the bright light and pure air in
which they live would be surprising indeed. But,
wide as may be diversities, there are still some ge-
neral characteristics which never alter. The Anglo-
Saxon is always enterprising, self-reliant, domineer.
ing over men of any other stock, an indefatigable
planter, builder, and trader. These are his great
or good qualities. On the other hand, he carries
with him one fault to every region of the globe. In•
temperance in drink is practised as much under the
scorching suns of Southern States, or amid the hot
winds of the Australian wilderness, as in our own
moist and foggy atmosphere. Temperance socie-
ties, teetotal societies, and Maine liquor laws, are
unable to eradicate the evil, which lessens only
inasmuch as society becomes every day more
humane awl civilised. It would be a strange
thino• to find in any part of the world men of our
race deserting the ardent alcohol of their fathers fur
the milder drinks of the European continent. Yet
we cannot but think that such a result will be
brought about by the lapse of time. Our people
may never become as abstemious and as undesirous
of stimulating beverages as the Italian or the Orien-
tal, but it is quite probable that, under the influ-
ence of a warm climate, their tastes may be con-
tented with drinks less exciting than those to which
they are now accustomed.
For instance, the Australians, our youngest off-
shoot, are now seriously turning their attention to
the culture of the vine, not with the wish to imitate
any particular European growth, but as a natural
and permanent production of the country. In
Arn-rica, the thing has long been talked of, and in
certain districts practised ; but the same obstacle
to success has intervened as will probably impede
the Australian experiment. Wine-growing is the
pursuit of a poor and laborious peasantry, content
with little, and able to give up their whole time to
the culture of a small area. The husbandman and
his wife, in a good vineyard, are always watching
the shoots, carrying earth up the hillside to re-
place that which has been washed away by the rain
or parched into dust by the sun, clipping, pruning,
and digging, and must of:on be content in the end
with a narrow and precarious return. This will
not do for a pushing people in an empty country,
awl wine is not generally gro am in the States, simply
because the average production is not remunerative
at the average price of lab sur. However, the Am-
tralians appear, from the tone of some of the news-
papers, to be sanguine of success. Samples of
their wine were sent to the Paris Exhibition,
were pronounced excellent, and honoured
with a medal. Why, then, should not the pro-
duction be attempted on a large scale ? Why
should Australia be dependent for its beverages on
Loudon firms, who send out bottled ale and andy
more or less genuine at enormous prices ? Aus-
tralia produces good wine, which the Australians
like so much that it is all bought up, and there is
none to be had. In a few years, with enterprise
and industry, the country may not only supply
itself with wholesome drink, but make large profits
by exporting the surplus to Europe. We are glad to
learn that there are farms in New South Wales
which actually produce from 15,000 to 20,000 gal-
lons a year each, and that there is sufficient induce-
ment for new farmers to invest capital in vine culti-
vatioa. It is not impossible, therefore, that the pre-
sent generation may see our greatest dependency
the seat of a great production of the most generous
of beverages, and perhaps rivalling France and the
Rhineland in the quality and celebrity of its growths.
We can well anticipate that a supply of cheap
awl good wine may change the tastes of the Austra-
lians, who will find it more pleasant in their almost
tropical climate to quaff some Antipodean rival of
champagne or claret than to how-, their blood with
exotic ale, porter, and gin. Perhaps, in accord-
ance with the custom of Anglo-Saxon colonists,
they will transfer the the names of celebrated per-
sonages or places to their new vineyards, and this
newest of worlds will have its Clicquot and its
Johannisberg. We wish them full and speedy suc-
cess, not merely for their own sakes but for ourown.
There can he no doubt that the production of wine,
or at least of good wine, in Europe has positively di-
mini,hed of late years. The grape disease, in con-
junction with the unsettle:l state of the Continent
and the deficiency in crops vitally necessary to sub-
sistence, bas limited the supply, and there is no
immediate prospect of abundance. Even if the
cultivation extended, it would probably be unable
to keep pace with the increased demand. France
and Germany produced nearly as much wine fifty
years ago as they do now, and within that time
whole races have come into the circle of wine con-
sumption. In those days Russia and the United
States could hardly be said to exist as wine-drinking
countries • now they are dispose 1 to carry their
taste fur Ls luxury beyond even the old-established
countries. Of late yens the increase of wealth, the
spread of civilisation, and perhaps of vanity and
the desire of display, have immensely increased the
demand for the more delicate wines of all kinds,
and particularly those of France. We are, in fact,
threatened with a dearth of good wine at any rea-
sonable price. Why, then, should we not hail the
prospect of a supply from the Antipodes I There is
no reason why the bill sides of Victoria and New
South Wales should not produce a grape of as ex-
quisite a flavour as any that ripens from the Rhine
to the Atlantic. Geelong and Paramatta may one
day be household words among us. Under the in-
fluence of high prices and more temperate habits,
the importation of foreign wines has greatly de-
creased within the present generation, and the re-
duction of duty would confer but little benefit ;
but with an increased production of less fiery wines
than are at present consumed the question of a
more free admission would become worthy of the
attention of politicians.—Times.

THE ROYAL BRITISH BANK.

The defence offered by Mr. Stapleton to the
charges brought against him as Director, and sub-
sequently as Deputy-Governor, [of the Royal
British Bank, just amounts to this—that be was
not an active and conscious participator in that
series of abominable frauds and iniquities which.
has brought ruin and desolation upon so many
families. Even if this were true—we say, even if
this were true—in what position does he stand be-
fore his countrymen? Here is the case of a man
of mature years, a member of the bar, a member
of Parliament, who by his own free choice—for the
sake of adding to his income—takes upon himself
the responsibilities of the direction of a large com-
mercial concern, who allows fifty iniquities to pew
unchallenged under his immediate eye, and who,
when the crash has come and the ruin has fallen,
comes forward to claim a fool's pardon. That is
just the plea which Mr. Stapleton endeavours to
make out for himself. He was cajoled, deceived ;
he had much reason for complaint ; his colleagues
kept him in the dark ; he couldn't get at the ac-
count-books ; he couldn't judge of re value of the
securities. This went on for a time, and then we
have another phase of the defence. When he became
aware of the iniquities which were in course of per-
petration under his sanction and the sanction of his
colleagues was it for Mr. Stapleton to give the
alarm ? NO! The point of honour was to persevere
and be true to his companions. He remonstrated,
he made propositions which were rejected, but he
continued to hold his seat in the direction, and to
act even as deputy-governor. Enough was extracted
from Mr. Stapleton, although his examination was
conducted in a very merciful and tender spirit, to
show that for a long time after he knew the bank
was hopelessly insolvent he stood by and held his peace, if he did nothing more. Of course, when
somewhat presied—and he was never very hardly
pressed—upon any inconvenient point, he had
ready the stereotyped answer, " With regard to
that my mind is a perfect blank." It is not
the first time in the forensic history of England
that "Non mi ricordo" has been the motto of
a witness who feared the consequences to him-
relf of a more direct reply. In all such cases,
however, the value of the excuse is to be
tested by the contrast between the extreme pre-
cision with which the witness remembers even the
most minute facts which can tell in his favour and
his utter oblivion of whatsoever may prejudice his
own interests. With regard to the latter class of
incidents Lethe has passed over his brain, or his
back was just turned wheti something peculiarly
strong was in course of concoction. He remembers
well that his back was turned, or that he had just
stepped into the next room for a mouthful of lun-
cheon—he has not forgotten about the luncheon,—
and so on throughout the usual catalogue of shifts
and prevarications. The case of Mr. Stapleton is a
very bed one in this respect—that he was well
aware that his name and position were used as a
lure to attract other victims into the trap, and be
made no effort to undeceive eith,r them or the
shareholders, not even by the feesle measure of
withdrawal. Bit by bit, even according to his own
confession, the whole series of rascalities which had
been concocted and car, ied out by his predecessors
and colleagues was kunfolded before him but he
ti:l persevered—he still continued to lend what-

ever of assistance or repute might be derived from
the use of his name to this miserable bankrupt
concern, when he must have well known that every
successive day on which its offices were opened for
the transaction of business was a fresh outrage
upon the first principles of morality and common
honesty.
The first incident connected with the manage-
ment
of the Bank in which we find him in coin- 1
pany with his col'eagues was the visit to Sir James
Matheson. It will not have been forgotten that
Cameron had gone there too for the express pur-
pose of securing Sir James's accession to the I
concern. The letter from Esdaile to Cameron,
which i 3 now famous in the annals of the Royal
British Bank, was produced again on Wednesday.
as proof of the fact. Now, it is not a little re-
markable that Mr. Stapleton, the newly-made
Director, is found at the same time staying on a
visit with Sir James ; but "he knew nothing about
the letter at the time. He recollected Mr. Esdaile
coming to him, and telling him that Mr. Cameron
hoped he would induce Sir James Matheson to join
the Bank, and to become its chairman, and he quiim
laughed at the idea, as he knew that Sir James only
came to town to attend Parliament." We will,
however, grant that Mr. Stapleton may have only
been made a cat's-paw of on this occasion, and that
he had not at that time been initiated into the impure
secrets of the Royal British Bank, and the more
recondite mysteries of the green ledger. It appear-t,
however, that somewhere about the middle of Oc-
tober uneasiness was felt even among the Directors
as to their financial condition. They met and talked
matters over, but Mr. Stapleton had just stepped
out to luncheon, or bometh ir gof that sort. The
book showing the state of their account at the Bank
of England was on the table, but he never looked
at it. In November the state of Mr. Humphry
Brown's account was brought under Mr. Stapleton's
notice. " That rather startled and alarmed him,"
but he did nothing. Mr. Brown had promised
that he would see to the matter when he came to
town, and upon this satisfactory assurance Mr.
, Stapleton rested content. Did he take any pains
to inquire into the real position of the ships which
had been mortgaged to the Bank ? Oh, dear, no 1
"How could he inquire ?" "By searching the re-
gister." "He never did that." This gentleman, a
barrister of some 17 years' standing, a man of ma-
ture years, who had voluntarily, and for the sake
of gain, taken upon himself the responsible office
of Director of a Bank, did not even know how to
assure himself of the value of property which
had been mor:gaged to the concern t Mr.
Stapleton's next noticeable act was to sign the
certificate to the Board of Trade which repre-
sented—we know now with how much truth—that
the 30,000 shares had been completed and the 501.
paid up. Then advances had been made to the ex-
tent of 190,0001. to Mr. Brown, to Mr. De Tape,
and Mr. Rigby, and upon the welsh mines. This
being the state of affairs upon the 31st December,.
Mr. Stapleton was quite surprised to hear from Mr.
Linklater's mouth, for the first time, that the total
provision made on the day named for bad debts was
just 3391. 17s. The sth of February was a memor-
able day with Mr. Stapleton ; he then, despite of
all he knew and all he suspected, accepted the
office of Deputy-Governor. Then the green ledger
was no longer a sealed book to him, and he ascer-
tained the state of Cameron's account, but s;;ili he
held on. Then he became r, xare of the state of Mr.
Oliver's account—still he held on ; then of Mr.
M'Gregor's account—still he held on. Mr. Staple-
ton, it seems, was net without certain feelings of
self-complacency as to his knowledge of banking
affairs all this time, for he thus remarks upon the
conduct of a very wise person named Blacker, who
refused to take up shares which had been allotted
to him :—" Mr. Blacker was a very nervous man,
and I did not consider him a good judge of banking
affairs." Then there was the attempt to drag Deputy
Dakin into the filth ; proceedings were contem-
plated
against him ; and all this time Mr. Stapleton
was actively engaged at the board. Then it was de-
termined to pay a dividend upon the supposed prc-
fits of this miserable bankrupt imposture, and again
Mr. Stapleton was a party to the resolution. We
have not space to run even in a cursory manner
through all the particulars of this disgraceful story,
as brought out in the course of Mr. Stapleton's
examination on Wednesday last, but we cannot dis-
miss it without a slight allusion to the closing act
of all, for which the Deputy-Governor must take
his fair share of responsibility.
This act was a negotiation with the London and
Paris Bank. 'The Royal British Bank, ruined and
insolvent as its Directors and its Deputy-Governor
well knew it to be, was to make a loan to the Lon
don and Paris Bank. Mr. Linklater put this ques-
tion to Mr. Stapleton—" Was not that loan by the
Royal British Bank to be placed to the credit of
the account of the London and Paris Bank, in order
that they might go for their charter, and say that
the capital had been paid up ?—Mr. Stapleton ulti-
mately admitted that it was." This most vile and
scandalous imposture was the fitting close to the
proceedings of the Royal British Bank. It is, if
we remember the story aright, a misstatement on
Mr. Stapleton's part when he says, " The run on
our Bank came, and the two Banks went down to-
gether." Our recollection of the matter is, that
the London and Paris Bank never got beyond the
stage of inception, and never transacted business at
all, the shareholders retiring in time from such
rotten ground. Be this, however, as it may, can
any candid and unprejudiced person read fais
simple statement, as taken from his own lips, of the
proceedings to which Mr. Stapleton was a party,
and hold him to he iu a position one whit better
either than Mr. Esdaile or Mr. Pellatt 7 For the
first part of the res gestce which occurred after he
joined the Direction he asks for a fool's pardon ;
but we maintain that even this cannot be conceded
to him. Any professional man—let us say any
surgeon—is bound to bring to his business a cer-
tain reasonable amount of skill, failing which he
will he made answerable for any calamities which
may ensue. Is the Director of a Bank to be the
sole exception to this salutary rule ? There came,
however, a period in which Mr. Stapleton admits
that be was welt acquainted with the true state of
affairs, but still he persevered. Ruin to others
and dishonour to themselves were the consequences
of what he and his colleaelues were about, but they
held on their path and made no sign. Mr.
Staple-on now represents Berwick in the House of
Commons.—Times.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC .RETURNS.

TRAFFIC RETURNS FOR THE WEEK.