New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-18
THE ROTHSCHILDS.


lFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRmUNR.l
LONDON, June 6.-Baron Lionel de Rothschild
who died this week was "a person whose life might
have furnished an invaluable study 10 biologists.
Said one of the family TO me one day-a man who
was in the most intimate and constant relations
with him" He has lived for seventeen years by
sheer force of Will" used to be alleged that the
Baron had had paralytic stroke. He never had
anything of the kind. save ut the last, perhaps for
the papers describe the shock which carried him of
M internal paralysis; which | doubt. But for
seventeen years ne has been a cripple from
disease in the nature Of rheumatic
govt, affecting the joints of the lower
limbs During all that time he has seldom walked,
At first he able to about, bat the least eX-
ercise caused him SO much pain that he gradually
gave it up altogether. But he never gave up bust
ness nor relaxed the IRON control which belongs by
tradition to the head of the great house of money
changers. He was usually carried or supported
from one room 20 another by two attendants. On
his best days be would sometimes struggle along Tor
a few steps on his own legs, but these occasions or
late years rare; and the pam he suffered was
distressing He had 10 bear violent headaches also
He came down to breakfast sometimes saving he
had nor slept, and that rs his head was worse than
usual he thought he would into the City little
earlier than usual and would be lifted into his car
soon breakfast as uone lhdt vas hi'
idea of relaxation, or his notion of remedy for
his Ills Excepting on Saturday and Sunday, the
Jewish and Christian SabOatis, when all the busi-
ness of the house stopped OF such other holidays
as closed the Exchange. he was never once absent
from business during all these years of Illness and
misery He saw much company, hut latteriy 1t was
the two elder SONS, SIR Nathaniel and Alfred, with
whom the outer world came most often IN contact.
Whether it was paralysis which killed him NAV,
as said, be doubted 1t Is more likely to have
been the Khedive Of Egypt. The coupons due June
on the Dosa loan were passed A public notih-
cation was gwen that they would be passed Every
body knew that the failure Of payment was due to
the bad faith and shameless rascality OF the Iufk-
| ish Pacha who pundered Egypt with one hand and
the European creditors of Egypt with the other.
But such an incident In the history OF the
| house. and it bore heavily on the old mans mind.
/ He was in such state that few cared to APP
| proach him, and nothing is more likely
| than that the evaporation and WORRY
! and anger, acting on a system long since
! shattered proved too much for what strength re-
| manned to him.
The sceptre passes to his son. Sir Nathaniel de
Rothschild IL accordance with the rule of a family
governed by rules he becomes chief not only OF the
| English family but Of all the Rothschilds Of the
! Continent Until his fathers death he was not
/ even partner in the business. The partnership
\ question was raised at the time Of the Suez Canal
shares transac tion. when the Rohschilds acted as
/ brokers for ord Besconsfelds Government, at
! price which put St.2JO.000 into their pockets as
| direct commission. and perhaps twice az much
/ indirectly by means of that dealing ID
shares which their early knowledge OF the
business enabled them 10 carry on without risk Of
loss. Sir nathaniel being then as now a member of
Parliament it was urged that he had forfeited his
seat under a law which forbids Inc awarding of any
Government contract TO any partner in firm hold
ing seat in the House. II was found necessary 20
explain to the public one Of the family regulations
usually kept secret and it appeared that Sir Ma
tbaniel de Rotlschild was only bus fathers clerk.
He had nevertheless, an intimate knowledge Of tie
business. and may easily enough assume the control
Of it, and accept the responsibility Of those gigantic
| financial transactions which. IN one form or
| another the house is always engaged IN.
/ With the Rothschilds. with other great
governments the smooth and sure performance Of
multfariOus duties depends largely on their trained
subordinates Temperament secretaries and heads
Of departments in England answer accurately
enough TO the cashiers and other functOnares
| OF the houses Of ROthschd here and elsewhere IN
| Europe There is a well-knOwn story winch may
| serve as an illustrations A Swedish fnaucier pre-
serts himself 70 the Baron with project Tor the
/ working Of some fresh mines in his country. Ihc
| Baron touches a bell, summons to bis presencea
certain subordinate and saws 10 him, " Tell this
| gentleman what / think about Swedish IRON A
| story less Known think never printed-shOws the
other side the personal familiarity with the financial
and political condition Of Europe necessarily in
possession of the chief Many years ago when Lord
| Beaconsdeld was still Mr.. Disraeh, he approached
/ the late Sir Anthony de R0thschild with prelim-
nary proposal for a loan 10 a European State. The
circumstances were such said Mr. Disraeli. that he
could not communicate, even cOnhdentally. the
| name of the Power for which he acting, but he
desired To know whether the idea Of a loan, on eX-
| ceptonally advantageous terms, would be enter
tanned sir Anthony replied "a VIII tell you # you
| will answer three questl0ns VIZ, the amount OF
present Indebtedness of the Power you represent,
| the form in which it is held and the
rate OF interest" The three answers were given,
whereupon SIR Anthony at once said: The loan
YOU want is for the Two Sicilies we can have
nothing 10 do with it, In less than three months
Garlbaldi had entered Naples.
1 No one man, be his position what it
may can hold the keys to many
secrets as the ROthschiIds hold, and it is part Of
their success that they so closely united and
perfectly disciplined. 10 individual sets up has will
| against the will Of the family. No one house
takes line against the Joint opinion of all the
houses. They are, to all intents and purposes, a
clan, ruled by a chief and council and
are the standing exception to the maxim that
| councils Of war do not fight. Inside the London
family, the discipline IS said TO have BEEN if any
thing more strict than abroad. The Baron exacted
from his sons absolute, unqucsuoning almost ser
VILE submission--not merely ~ relation 10 business
matters but in every relation Of life. marriage of
one of the SONS against his will would have been
impossible. Anybody familiar with the gossip OF
society can give you striking instance OF this iiia
docllity And society is already beginning to