The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-26
NATHAN RoTHsCHILD.


lie made money even in specuations that turned
out bad, such as the English loan Of twelve mil
lions, for which nc became responsible in 1919,
and which fell to discount, but not before
Nathan had relieved himself Of all liza
bility. But his greatest successes were in
foreign loens, which he was the first 70 make
popular in England by introducing the pay
ment Of dividends, which formerly took place
abroad, in the London market, and fixing the
rate in the sterling money. Dating from about
the year 1919, the transactions of Nathan Won
Rothschild were spread over the entire globe.
He negotiated loans with the Car Of all the Rus
sias, as well as with the South American Repub-
lies aid made bargains at the same time with
the Pope of Rome and the Turkish Sultan. No.
thing seemed too gigantic for his grasp; nothing
too minute for his notice. But while investing
the profits of a bargain of ten millions, and pur-
chasing an estate of Ell5OOO with the
premium of single foreign loan, he
at the same time calculated TO penny
the wages on which a clerk was able TO live at
Cambcrwcll, say a clerk with wife and seven
children, and meat once week. 1t was charac-
tcristc of Nathan that he never paid his cm-
poyees farthing more than was necessary for
their bare subsistence; or nt least not tarthing
more than they could compel him to pay. This
meanness towards those who assisted him In
building up the cdihce Of his enormous fortune,
is q reprOach to the character OF the great imam
cier, from which even his warmcst adulators
have not been able to free him.
Notwithstanding his avariCC in ordinary life,
Nathan Rothschild was fond Of showing his
wealth in luxurious entertainments AMI sump-
tuous banques, TO hich he invited the aristoc-
racy Of rank and birth, though not that of
talent Peers and princes of the blood sat at
his table; bishops and archbishops bowed be-
fore him; and those who preached loudcSt
against Mammon were foremost in worshipping
the successful representative of the golden
guinea. At his grand entertainments, Nathan,
who was really very uneducated man, and
scarcely able 10 write, covered his Ignorance
by an affected brUSguerje of speech and manner
which, though 1t imposed on some, made him
extremely ludicrous in the eyes Of others. Thus
he was constant mark Of the satirists of the
day. His huge and sloyenly appearance; the
lOuI ging attitude he assumed when leaning
against his pillar at the Royal Exchange; his
rugged speech, with strongly marked Jewish
accent and idiOm, made caricature easy, aud
gave him up an helpless victim TO MS enemies.
OF these he had many-sOme Of them created,
no doubt, by envy-but also q large number Of
others whom he had ruined, or who iancied
themselves ruined by him. Few weeks passed
in the latter part Of his career without his re-
ctiving threatening letters, informing him
that unless he should deposit a certain sum Of
money at q given place he would be shot, or
poisoned, or, more HDCrAly, DlOWn up IN MS
| house in Pccady. These threats sometimes
| took such an effect upon Nathan ROthschild as
| to haunt him like nightmare. One day,
| two tall, mustlChiOcd mcn-it must be re-
membered that this was the anti-moustache
| period-werc shown into his private parlor at
| the st. Swithin's Lane cOunting-house. Ma
| than bowed; the visitors bowed. Nathan
, arose, and his bearded visitors moved up close
! to him, their hands fumbling about in the
| pockets of their great coats. Nathan saw iC at
| glance. The mustachiOed fellows had come 10
| shoot him. their hands searching for deadly
| weapons in their pockets. Quick as lightning
| Nathan took up the brass-bound ledger aud
| hurled it at the heads of the strangers, at the
| same time screamr "Murder" in parOXysm
| of fright The screams brought all the clerks
and poTters of the house into the sanctum OF
| the millionaire. Explanations took place
| when IL was found that the two moustached in
| dividuals were rich bankers from abroad, who
| with little nervous anxiety in the presence
| of the Caesar Of the Stock EXChange, had fun
bled in their pockets for letters OF inroduc
tiOn and other necessary credentials. "l on mus
be a happy man, Mr.. Rothschild," said once
gentleman sitting at Nathan's banquetng table
and glaDcing round at the superb appointment
of the mansion Oihis host "Happy me happy =
was the reply. "What happy, when just as yol
are going to dine You have letter placed in you
hands, saying IF you do not send me E5OO
| / will blow your brains out' Happy! m
happy" Instead of with mis- wife, Nathan fire.
qucntly slept with pair of loaded pistols by hi
| side. Poor Nathan.
In the year 1881, Nathan Pothschild did
stroke of business which, while il brought hiH
and his house immense profits, also heaped upo
them not n little oblGquy, freely expressed il
many English and foreign newspapers. IL is wei
known that the supply Of mercHry is eXceedingl
limited, being, in fact, almost entirely draw
from two mines, those of AlmadCu, In Spain, an
of Idria, near Adcls eTg, in Iilyris. The mine
OF Almaden, which were known to the Greek
seven hundred years before Christ, and which iul
nished E7OO,OOO annually 10 Rome during tl
Imperial era, fell somewhat into neglect o
account OF the Napoleonic wars, at the commence
ment of the present century, so cha. the Span
ish Government derived less profit from theI
than formerly. Under these circumstance
when the ministers of his Catholic Maiest
were hard up for funds, in 1881, they enter
tanned the application OF Nathan to turnis
them with loan, on condition of the Almadc
mines being made over TO him for number {
years as security. The bargain was strucl
and the house OF Rothschild entered in posses
sion Of the mines, commencing the bushes
by Immediately doubling the price of Almade
, / mercury. The commercial world, much astoI
ishCd at this step, addressed itself to ldria; an
then II was discovered that the mines of Idri
| had passed, likewise, very quietly into the hand
! of Nathan RuthSchild, who had settled nt cOurs
the price of the mercury on the same st.-le as th
of Almaden. by this little transaction, the hOus
| OF Rothsehild obtained complete monopoly
the sale of mercury, and Nathan was able
settle the price OF the article, Indispensable tt
many purposes, at his counting-houso, withol
ltHl VI COlnltlIlOls
This clever So oke of business-as profitable
il was cleyer-had one notable consequence Il
, the sick and suffering Ot all nations. Mereuri
4 | preparations, largely employed in medicine, a
. no more manufactured from the pure metal
| obtained nom the mines, but from the refuse
% other articles containing quicksilver, such as q
foil of Old mirrors ami looking glasses II won
be interesting, IL the statistics were given, to ga
| cuate how many pounds sterling the house
; | RotbsChild made the little mercury busincs
| and how many pa ons died in consequence
bad mercurial medicines.
, | he guiding principle in all the affairs OF d
house of ROthschild was the CO-partncrship Of
+ | members, CnjOined on his death-bed by Mey
| Anselm, the founder o. the house. To strcngtht
. | this bond of Union, Nathan conceived the idea
, ! establishing bloOd-aliances between the yaro
members OF his family, not only in his own, b
! in succeeding generations. Accordingly, in d
! | year 1885, he summoned a family congress
Frankfort -on-thc Maine, to deliberate on this il
, | portant addition 10 the laws of the house, and
= take measures for the development of the pla
= The congress was TO be iuauguTated by the ma
Tagc of two first cousins Of the family, namel
' the eldest son of Nathan with the eldest daught
of his brother Charles. Nathan arrived at Fran
fort in best health and spirits, exceedingly joyf
that this great plan, which placed the house
Rothschild ON the same basis as the Teignil
: families Of Europe, was so near its execution.
The marriage Of Lionel dc Rothschild with l
: cousin Charlotte took place with due pOmp
: the 10Th Of June, 1896, at the Frankfort Syn
y gogue, within a stones throw of the dark o
y dwelling In the Jew lane, the early residence