men of invention and industry-第41章

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was　the　intention　of　the　Post　Office　to　discontinue　the

mail…coach　whether　Bianconi　took　the　contract　or　not；　he　at

length　sent　in　his　tender；　and　obtained　the　contract。



He　succeeded　in　performing　the　service；　and　delivered　the　mail

much　earlier　than　it　had　been　done　before。　　But　the　former

contractor；　finding　that　he　had　made　a　mistake；　got　up　a　movement

in　favour　of　re…establishing　the　mail…coach　upon　that　line　of

road；　and　he　eventually　induced　the　postage　authorities　to　take

the　mail　contract　out　of　the　hands　of　Bianconi；　and　give　it　back

to　himself；　as　formerly。　　Bianconi；　however；　continued　to　keep

his　cars　upon　the　road。　　He　had　before　stated　to　the　contractor；

that　if　he　once　started　his　cars；　he　would　not　leave　it；　even

though　the　contract　were　taken　from　him。　　Both　coach　and　car

therefore　ran　for　years　upon　the　road；　each　losing　thousands　of

pounds。　　〃But；〃　said　Bianconi；　when　asked　about　the　matter　by　the

Committee　on　Postage　in　1838；　〃I　kept　my　word：　　I　must　either

lose　character　by　breaking　my　word；　or　lose　money。　　I　prefer

losing　money　to　giving　up　the　line　of　road。〃



Bianconi　had　also　other　competitors　to　contend　with；　especially

from　coach　and　car　proprietors。　　No　sooner　had　he　shown　to　others

the　way　to　fortune；　than　he　had　plenty　of　imitators。　　But　they

did　not　possess　his　rare　genius　for　organisation；　nor　perhaps　his

still　rarer　principles。　　They　had　not　his　tact；　his　foresight；

his　knowledge；　nor　his　perseverance。　　When　Bianconi　was　asked　by

the　Select　Committee　on　Postage；　〃Do　the　opposition　cars　started

against　you　induce　you　to　reduce　your　fares？〃　his　answer　was；

〃No；　I　seldom　do。　　Our　fares　are　so　close　to　the　first　cost；　that

if　any　man　runs　cheaper　than　I　do；　he　must　starve　off；　as　few　can

serve　the　public　lower　and　better　than　I　do。〃＇3＇



Bianconi　was　once　present　at　a　meeting　of　car　proprietors；　called

for　the　purpose　of　uniting　to　put　down　a　new　opposition　coach。　

Bianconi　would　not　concur；　but　protested　against　it；　saying；　〃If

car　proprietors　had　united　against　me　when　I　started；　I　should

have　been　crushed。　　But　is　not　the　country　big　enough　for　us

all？〃　　The　coach　proprietors；　after　many　angry　words；　threatened

to　unite　in　running　down　Bianconi　himself。　　〃Very　well；〃　he　said；

〃you　may　run　me　off　the　roadthat　is　possible；　but　while　there

is　this〃　（pulling　a　flower　out　of　his　coat）　〃you　will　not　put　me

down。〃　　The　threat　merely　ended　in　smoke；　the　courage　and

perseverance　of　Bianconi　having　long　since　become　generally

recognised。



We　have　spoken　of　the　principles　of　Mr。　Bianconi。　　They　were　most

honourable。　　His　establishment　might　be　spoken　of　as　a　school　of

morality。　　In　the　first　place；　he　practically　taught　and　enforced

the　virtues　of　punctuality；　truthfulness；　sobriety；　and　honesty。　

He　also　taught　the　public　generally　the　value　of　time；　to　which；

in　fact；　his　own　success　was　in　a　great　measure　due。　　While

passing　through　Clonmel　in　1840；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　S。　C。　Hall　called

upon　Bianconi　and　went　over　his　establishment；　as　well　as　over

his　house　and　farm；　a　short　distance　from　the　town。　　The

travellers　had　a　very　pressing　engagement；　and　could　not　stay　to

hear　the　story　of　how　their　entertainer　had　contrived　to　〃make　so

much　out　of　so　little。〃　　〃How　much　time　have　you？〃　he　asked。　

〃Just　　five　minutes。〃　　〃The　car；〃　says　Mr。　Hall；　〃had　conveyed　us

to　the　back　entrance。　　Bianconi　instantly　rang　the　bell；　and　said

to　the　servant；　'Tell　the　driver　to　bring　the　car　round　to　the

front；'　adding；　'that　will　save　one　minute；　and　enable　me　to　tell

you　all　within　the　time。'　This　was；　in　truth　the　secret　of　his

success；　making　the　most　of　time。〃＇4＇



But　the　success　of　Bianconi　was　also　due　to　the　admirable

principles　on　which　his　establishment　was　conducted。　　His　drivers

were　noted　as　being　among　the　most　civil　and　obliging　men　in

Ireland；　besides　being　pleasant　companions　to　boot。　　They　were

careful；　punctual；　truthful；　and　honest；　but　all　this　was　the

result　of　strict　discipline　on　the　part　of　their　master。



The　drivers　were　taken　from　the　lowest　grades　of　the

establishment；　and　promoted　to　higher　positions　according　to

their　respective　merits　as　opportunity　offered。　　〃Much　surprise；〃

says　Bianconi；　〃has　often　been　expressed　at　the　high　order　of　men

connected　with　my　car　establishment　and　at　its　popularity；　but

parties　thus　expressing　themselves　forget　to　look　at　Irish

society　with　sufficient　grasp。　　For　my　part；　I　cannot　better

compare　it　than　to　a　man　merging　to　convalescence　from　a　serious

attack　of　malignant　fever；　and　requiring　generous　nutrition　in

place　of　medical　treatment〃＇5＇



To　attach　the　men　to　the　system；　as　well　as　to　confer　upon　them

the　due　reward　for　their　labour；　he　provided　for　all　the　workmen

who　had　been　injured；　worn　out；　or　become　superannuated　in　his

service。　　The　drivers　could　then　retire　upon　a　full　pension；

which　they　enjoyed　during　the　rest　of　their　lives。　　They　were

also　paid　their　full　wages　during　sickness；　and　at　their　death

Bianconi　educated　their　children；　who　grew　up　to　manhood；　and

afterwards　filled　the　situations　held　by　their　deceased　parents。



Every　workman　had　thus　a　special　interest　in　his　own　good

conduct。　　They　knew　that　nothing　but　misbehaviour　could　deprive

them　of　the　benefits　they　enjoyed；　and　hence　their　endeavours　to

maintain　their　positions　by　observing　the　strict　discipline

enjoined　by　their　employer。



Sobriety　was；　of　course；　indispensablea　drunken　car…driver

being　amongst　the　most　dangerous　of　servants。　　The　drivers　must

also　be　truthful；　and　the　man　found　telling　a　lie；　however

venial；　was　instantly　dismissed。　　Honesty　was　also　strongly

enforced；　not　only　for　the　sake　of　the　public；　but　for　the　sake

of　the　men　themselves。　　Hence　he　never　allowed　his　men　to　carry

letters。　　If　they　did　so；　he　fined　them　in　the　first　instance

very　severely；　and　in　the　second　instance　dismissed　them。　　〃I　do

so；〃　he　said；　〃because　if　I　do　not　respect　other　institutions

（the　Post　Office）；　my　men　will　soon　learn　not　to　respect　my　own。　

Then；　for　carrying　letters　during　the　extent　of　their　trip；　the

men　most　probably　would　not　get　money；　but　drink；　and　hence

become　dissipated　and　unworthy　of　confidence。〃



Thus　truth；　accuracy；　punctuality；　sobriety；　and　honesty　being

strictly　enforced；　formed　the　fundamental　principle　of　the　entire

management。　　At　the　same　time；　Bianconi　treated　his　drivers　with

every　confidence　and　respect。　　He　made　them　feel　that；　in　doing

their　work　well；　they　conferred　a　greater　benefit　on　him　and　on

the　public　than　he　did　on　them　by　paying　them　their　wages。



When　attending　the　British　Association　at　Cork；　Bianconi　said

that；　〃in　　proportion　as　he　advanced　his　drivers；　he　lowered

their　wages。〃　　〃Then；〃　said　Dr。　Taylor；　the　Secretary；　〃I

wouldn't　like　to　serve　you。〃　　〃Yes；　you　would；〃　replied　Bianconi；

〃because　in　promoting　my　drivers　I　place　them　on　a　more　lucrative

line；　where　their　certainty　of　receiving　fees　from　passengers　is

greater。〃



Bianconi　was　as　merciful　to　his　horses　as　to　his　men。　　He　had

much　greater　difficulty　at　first　in　finding　good　men　than　good

horses；　because　the　latter　were　not　exposed　to　the　temptations　to

which　the　former　were　subject。　　Although　the　price　of　horses

continued　to　rise；　he　nevertheless　bought　the　best　horses　at

increased　prices；　and　he　took　care　not　to　work　them　overmuch。　　He

gave　his　horses　as　well　as　his　men　their　seventh　day's　rest。　　〃I

find　by　experience；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　can　work　a　horse　eight

miles　a　day　for　six　days　in　the　week；　easier　than　I　can　work　six

miles　for　seven　days；　and　that　is　one　of　my　reasons　for　having　no

cars；　unless　carrying　a　mail；　plying　upon　Sundays。〃



Bianconi　had　confidence　in　men　generally。　　The　result　was　that

men　had　confidence　in　him。　　Even　the　Whiteboys　respected　him。　　At

the　close　of　a　long　and　useful　life　he　could　say　with　truth；　〃I

never　yet　attempted　to　do　an　act　of　generosity　or　common　justice；

publicly　or　privately；　that　I　was　not　met　by　manifold

reciprocity。〃



By　bringing　the　various　classes　of　society　into　connection　with

each　other；　Bianconi　believed；　and　doubtless　with　truth；　that　he

was　the　means　of　making　them　respect　each　other；　and　that　he

thereby　promoted　the　civilisation　of　Ireland。　　At　the　meeting　of

the　social　Science　Congress；　held　at　Dublin　in　1861；　he　said：　

〃The　state　of　the　roads　was　such　as　to　limit　the　rate　of

travelling　to　about　seven　miles　an　hour；　and　the　passengers　were

often　obliged　to　walk　up　hills。　　Thus　all　classes　were　brought

together；　and　I　have　felt　much　pleasure　in　believing　that　the

intercourse　thus　created　tended　to　inspire　the　higher　classes

with　respect　and　regard　for　the　natural　good　qualities　of　the

humbler　people；　which　the　latter　reciprocated　by　a　becoming

deference　and　an　anxiety　to　please　and　oblige。　　Such　a　moral

benefit　appears　to　me　to　be　worthy　of　special　notice　and

congratulation。〃



Even　when　railways　were　introduced；　Bianconi　did　not　resist　them；

but　welcomed　them　as　〃the　great　civilisers　of　the　age。〃　　There

was；　in　his　opinion；　room　enough　for　all　methods　of　conveyance　in

Ireland。　　When　Captain　Thomas　Drummond　was　appointed

Under…Secretary　for　Ireland　in　1835；　and　afterwards　chairman　of

the　Irish　Railway　Commission；　he　had　often　occasion　to　confer

with　Mr。　Bianconi；　who　gave　him　every　assistance。　　Mr。　Drummond

conceived　the　greatest　respect　for　Bianconi；　and　often　asked　him

how　it　was　that　he；　a　foreigner；　should　have　acquired　so

extensive　an　influence　and　so　distinguished　a　position　in

Ireland？



〃The　question　came　upon　me；〃　said　Bianconi；　〃by　surprise；　and　I

did　not　at　the　time　answer　it。　　But　another　day　he　repeated　his

question；　and　I　replied；　'Well；　it　was　because；　while　the　big　and

the　little　were　fighting；　I　crept　up　between　them；　carried　out　my

enterprise；　and　obliged　everybody。'〃　　This；　however；　did　not

satisfy　Mr。　Drummond；　who　asked　Bianconi　to　write　down　for　him　an

autobiography；　containing　the　incidents　of　his　early　life　down　to

the　period　of　his　great　Irish　enterprise。　　Bianconi　proceeded　to

do　this；　writing　down　his　past　history　in　the　occasional

intervals　which　he　could　snatch　from　the　immense　business　which

he　still　continued　personally　to　superintend。　　But　before　the

〃Drummond　memoir〃　could　be　finished　Mr。　Drummond　himself　had

ceased　to　live；　having　died　in　1840；　principally　of　overwork。　

What　he　thought　of　Bianconi；　however；　has　been　preserved　in　his

Report　of　the　Irish　Railway　Commission　of　1838；　written　by　Mr。

Drummond　himself；　in　which　he　thus　speaks　of　his　enterprising

friend　in　starting　and　conducting　the　great　Irish　car

establishment：



〃With　a　capital　little　exceeding　the　expense　of　outfit　he

commenced。　　Fortune；　or　rather　the　due　reward　of　industry　and

integrity；　favoured　his　first　efforts。　　He　soon　began　to　increase

the　number　of　his　cars　and　multiply　ro