Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-20
THE MASTER OF TRANBY CROFT.
Vast shipping Interests of Arthur Wilson
aud Ills Brother.
pan MI Dt7,eg


aud His Brother.
Pal Nal BUdgst.
The Wilson's are to Hull very much
what Bismarck was to the Germans be-
fore his fali-Something to be wondered
at, something to be proud Of, something
which seems TO Dear the charm of sue
cess: often diSliked for its overbearing
roughneSS, often admired for its heroic
audacity, and always standing out as
an interesting and gigantic study Of
character. No two people agree en-
tirely in their solution of the problems
which the public life of the Wilson's
suggest. The rise Of Hull has at least
conceded with the rise of the Wilson's,
and so far the town is proud of the two
brothers, who have been the Largest
private ShipownerS in the world" own
ing close upon hundred steamers, and
carrying all before them.
The baccarat case has recently
brought Mr.. Arthur Wilson into prom
inence before the world, and a good
deal OF photographic instruction has been
given rs to the ancestry and present
habits OF the family. Many unkind re-
marks, based on insufficient knowledge,
have been made about the social aSpira-
tiOnS Of the master OF Tranby Croft,
ana the Prince Of Wales has, no doubt,
profted greatly by the lectures which
have been read to him on the text that
"evil communications corrupt good
maDuers.' II it were not so exclusively
a matter for the Prince himself TO de-
eide with whom he should cOnSort, one
would be tempted TO comment upon
the impertinence Of those who
assume that the son Of a
small keelowner is necessarily unfit
company for d Prince. 1t is matter
Of common knowledge that the late
Thomas Wilson was man of very small
beginnings His sons, Arthur and
Charles. who now practically hold all
the business bc5wcan them, Joined him
before he had made very much, and IL
was the advent of steam which made
their fortune, IS it made that Of many
another euterpfiSing man. Once be-
gun. IL is easy enough 20 conceive how
the business accumulated. Smaller
competitors can be ran down and
bought up; a large firm can offer
through rates TO trades which were
formerly in ;he habit Of conSiguing
goods 10 be traEShipped and trans
fcrrcj 10 other bottoms. a large
firm OF ShipOwnorS can, moreover, make
lis own arrangements with railway
and dock companies who viii compete
eagerly for its business, and 1t can also
undertake its own insurance. Ia these
ways has the Wilson tirm grown (ai-
though II is perhaps unjust 10 say that
Lhey have run down competition In Hull
I'm the same rcmOrSelcsS way rs chat in
which they have tackled foroigDerS),
and, given a strict attention TO business,
together with a thorough knowledge OF
the markets of the world, it is unneces-
Sary u assume any preternatiOual astute-
ness 90 account for their phenomenal
success. In a recent favorable year
the brothers were said probably with
/ eNagCeratonl 10 have divided million
between them; shortly afterwards they
formed themselves into a company, with
/ q capital of two millions. q sum which
certainly does not exceed the value of
the ships themselves. Every third
/ ship which is registered Is due in Hull
this week is "a Wilson liner. II you go
10 the railway dock at Han, you see il
full OF splendid yeSSels-the Angelo,
Romeo and the iike--wth green hullS
and red marked tunnels, and names
ending In o. all Wilson liners, diScharg-
ing timber or general cargo, or pasSen-
gers from Norway. In the Albert dock
are the Gothcnberg boats, and in the
AieNendra dock at the east end Of town
the magnificent American liners, the
| Buffalo and the rest, discharge their
cargoes of wheat The two brothers
WHO own this wonderful fleet are, SO
far as their public appearance 90,
reckoned as one. Arthur indeed calls
himself UuioniSt. while Charles sits as
q Liberal member from West Hull; but
they never oppose one another, and al
ways Act together.
The WI sons possess many private
virtues. They are very munifcent In
their gifts 10 public institutions, and do
not think that the duties of charity are
limited by the writing of u check.
Whatever may be their style of living,
they are extremely simple in their man
ucrS; they do not forget people who
have claim upon them; and they are
not only generous in grantlig favorS,
but also attentive in remembering their
promises and following them up.