Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-25
Miseellaneu,.s 8sadins.
RoTHscHILD's WATERLOO COUP
Story of Little Trick That Won Cool
Million.

Story Of Little Trick That Won Cool
Million.
In commemoration of the centenary
Of the death Of Mailer Amschei Roths-
child, the founder Of the fortunes Of
the great financial house that still
bears his name, Herr Ignaz Balla has
written a book, entitled "The Roths-
childs," which gives a graphic account
of Nathan Rothschild's famous coup at
Waterloo.
Nathan Rothschild, the London rep
resentative of "the five Frankforters,"
rendered the cause of the Allies inval-
liable services during the Hundred
Days, and had amassed huge profits
for the Frankfort firm. But Napoleon's
dramatic return from Elba confronted
him with the prospect Of losses no
less enormous, and there were rumors
that even the Rothschilds, whose cred
it even then was looked upon as firmly
established, would not be able to
weather the storm If the war were to
go against them.
is a fact that he stood to lose every
penny he possessed. In fever of ap-
prehension he hurried across the
Channel to follow Wellington's army.
When, on the edge of the forest Of
Soignes, he found all the preparations
for a pitched battle, he could no longer
master his excitement, and, though es-
sentially a man of peace, he took up
betimes a position in the field whence.
with every nerve tingling, he could
watch the issue of the day.
Long before Napoleon had called
upon the Old Guard to make their last
desperate attempt to break the British
lines, the financier was in full retreat.
He had seen enough to convince him
that the fate of the First Empire was
decided and his nerve was restored.
Riding post haste back to Brussels, he
set off for Ostend. He now had cam
paign Of his own to attend to.
Here the fortune of war seemed to
have declared against him, for 1t was
blowing a full gale in the Channel, and
not a skipper would put out. In vain
he offered 500, $3.50, even 5000. Not
man held his life so cheaply. In the
end the young master Of smack came
forward and offered to attempt the
passage on condition that his fare paid
s40O to his wife before the started.
The financier gladly clinched the
bargain. He reached Dover half drown
ed after a terrible crossing and re-
warded the plucky skipper handsome
ly. From Dover he posted to town
without a minutes delay.
Early on the following morning he
was at his accustomed place, leaning
against a pillar on Change. His face
was deathly pale; he looked like man
who had aged ten years in single
night.
The tension in the city was very
high that morning. Even iron nerves
were beginning to feel the strain, for
every kind of ugly rumor was on the
wing. Reports that Blucher had been
disastrously defeated and that Well
ington himself was in full retreat
passed from mouth to mouth.
A sudden wave Of panic swept over
the house. Not even the soundest Sc
curities were proof against the general
sense of alarm and uncertainty. They
were caught and swept in the current.
The pale faced man, propped up
against his pillar, was an object OF
sympathy to every one who could spare
him a thought. He was watching, they
imagined the crumbling Of the for
tunes Of his house. What he was watch
ing was his confidential agents acting
under secret instruction, buying up
sound securities at panic prices.
On the following morning the OFF,
cial news came through of Blucher's
success at Ligny and Of the crowning
victory of Waterloo. Prices rose as
rapidly at the opening Of the markets
as they had fallen on the previous day.
The battle of Waterloo, it is estimat-
ed. was worth over a million sterling
to Nathan Rothschild, so whatever his
fare for the Channel crossing may have
cost him it was cheap at the price.