men of invention and industry-第42章

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

the　number　of　his　cars　and　multiply　routes；　until　his

establishment　spread　over　the　whole　of　Ireland。　　These　results

are　the　more　striking　and　instructive　as　having　been　accomplished

in　a　district　which　has　long　been　represented　as　the　focus　of

unreclaimed　violence　and　barbarism；　where　neither　life　nor

property　can　be　deemed　secure。　　Whilst　many　possessing　a　personal

interest　in　everything　tending　to　improve　or　enrich　the　country

have　been　so　misled　or　inconsiderate　as　to　repel　by　exaggerated

statements　British　capital　from　their　doors；　this　foreigner　chose

Tipperary　as　the　centre　of　his　operations；　wherein　to　embark　all

the　fruits　of　his　industry　in　a　traffic　peculiarly　exposed　to　the

power　and　even　to　the　caprice　of　the　peasantry。　　The　event　has

shown　that　his　confidence　in　their　good　sense　was　not

ill…grounded。



〃By　a　system　of　steady　and　just　treatment　he　has　obtained　a

complete　mastery；　exempt　from　lawless　intimidation　or　control；

over　the　various　servants　and　agents　employed　by　him；　and　his

establishment　is　popular　with　all　classes　on　account　of　its

general　usefulness　and　the　fair　liberal　spirit　of　its　management。



The　success　achieved　by　this　spirited　gentleman　is　the　result；

not　of　a　single　speculation；　which　might　have　been　favoured　by

local　circumstances；　but　of　a　series　of　distinct　experiments；　all

of　which　have　been　successful。〃



When　the　railways　were　actually　made　and　opened；　they　ran　right

through　the　centre　of　Bianconi's　long…established　systems　of

communication。　　They　broke　up　his　lines；　and　sent　them　to　the

right　and　left。　　But；　though　they　greatly　disturbed　him；　they　did

not　destroy　him。　　In　his　enterprising　hands　the　railways　merely

changed　the　direction　of　the　cars。　　He　had　at　first　to　take　about

a　thousand　horses　off　the　road；　with　thirty…seven　vehicles；

travelling　2446　miles　daily。　　But　he　remodelled　his　system　so　as

to　run　his　cars　between　the　railway…stations　and　the　towns　to　the

right　and　left　of　the　main　lines。



He　also　directed　his　attention　to　those　parts　of　Ireland　which

had　not　before　had　the　benefit　of　his　conveyances。　　And　in　thus

still　continuing　to　accommodate　the　public；　the　number　of　his

horses　and　carriages　again　increased；　until；　in　1861；　he　was

employing　900　horses；　travelling　over　4000　miles　daily；　and　in

1866；　when　he　resigned　his　business；　he　was　running　only　684

miles　daily　below　the　maximum　run　in　1845；　before　the　railways

had　begun　to　interfere　with　his　traffic。



His　cars　were　then　running　to　Dungarvan；　Waterford；　and　Wexford

in　the　south…west　of　Ireland；　to　Bandon；　Rosscarbery；　Skibbereen；

and　Cahirciveen；　in　the　south；　to　Tralee；　Galway；　Clifden；

Westport；　and　Belmullet　in　the　west；　to　Sligo；　Enniskillen；

Strabane；　and　Letterkenny　in　the　north；　while；　in　the　centre　of

Ireland；　the　towns　of　Thurles；　Kilkenny；　Birr；　and　Ballinasloe

were　also　daily　served　by　the　cars　of　Bianconi。



At　the　meeting　of　the　British　Association；　held　in　Dublin　in

1857；　Mr。　Bianconi　mentioned　a　fact　which；　he　thought；

illustrated　the　increasing　prosperity　of　the　country　and　the

progress　of　the　people。　　It　was；　that　although　the　population　had

so　considerably　decreased　by　emigration　and　other　causes；　the

proportion　of　travellers　by　his　conveyances　continued　to

increase；　demonstrating　not　only　that　the　people　had　more　money；

but　that　they　appreciated　the　money　value　of　time；　and　also　the

advantages　of　the　car　system　established　for　their　accommodation。



Although　railways　must　necessarily　have　done　much　to　promote　the

prosperity　of　Ireland；　it　is　very　doubtful　whether　the　general

passenger　public　were　not　better　served　by　the　cars　of　Bianconi

than　by　the　railways　which　superseded　them。　　Bianconi's　cars　were

on　the　whole　cheaper；　and　were　always　run　en　correspondence；　so

as　to　meet　each　other；　whereas　many　of　the　railway　trains　in　the

south　of　Ireland；　under　the　competitive　system　existing　between

the　several　companies；　are　often　run　so　as　to　miss　each　other。　

The　present　working　of　the　Irish　railway　traffic　provokes

perpetual　irritation　amongst　the　Irish　people；　and　sufficiently

accounts　for　the　frequent　petitions　presented　to　Parliament　that

they　should　be　taken　in　hand　and　worked　by　the　State。



Bianconi　continued　to　superintend　his　great　car　establishment

until　within　the　last　few　years。　　He　had　a　constitution　of　iron；

which　he　expended　in　active　daily　work。　　He　liked　to　have　a　dozen

irons　in　the　fire；　all　red…hot　at　once。　　At　the　age　of　seventy　he

was　still　a　man　in　his　prime；　and　he　might　be　seen　at　Clonmel

helping；　at　busy　times；　to　load　the　cars；　unpacking　and

unstrapping　the　luggage　where　it　seemed　to　be　inconveniently

placed；　for　he　was　a　man　who　could　never　stand　by　and　see　others

working　without　having　a　hand　in　it　himself。　　Even　when　well　on

to　eighty；　he　still　continued　to　grapple　with　the　immense

business　involved　in　working　a　traffic　extending　over　two

thousand　five　hundred　miles　of　road。



Nor　was　Bianconi　without　honour　in　his　adopted　country。　　He　began

his　great　enterprise　in　1815；　though　it　was　not　until　1831　that

he　obtained　letters　of　naturalisation。　　His　application　for　these

privileges　was　supported　by　the　magistrates　of　Tipperary　and　by

the　Grand　Jury；　and　they　were　at　once　granted。　　In　1844　he　was

elected　Mayor　of　Clonmel；　and　took　his　seat　as　Chairman　at　the

Borough　Petty　Sessions　to　dispense　justice。



The　first　person　brought　before　him　was　James　Ryan；　who　had　been

drunk　and　torn　a　constable's　belt。　　〃Well；　Ryan；〃　said　the

magistrate；　〃what　have　you　to　say？〃　　〃Nothing；　your　worship；　only

I　wasn't　drunk。〃　　〃Who　tore　the　constable's　belt？〃　　〃He　was

bloated　after　his　Christmas　dinner；　your　worship；　and　the　belt

burst！〃　　〃You　are　so　very　pleasant；〃　said　the　magistrate；　〃that

you　will　have　to　spend　forty…eight　hours　in　gaol。〃



He　was　re…elected　Mayor　in　the　following　year；　very　much　against

his　wish。　　He　now　began　to　buy　land；　for　〃land　hunger〃　was　strong

upon　him。　　In　1846　he　bought　the　estate　of　Longfield；　in　the

parish　of　Boherlahan；　county　of　Tipperary。　　It　consisted　of　about

a　thousand　acres　of　good　land；　with　a　large　cheerful　house

overlooking　the　river　Suir。　　He　went　on　buying　more　land；　until

he　became　possessor　of　about　eight　thousand　English　acres。



One　of　his　favourite　sayings　was：　〃Money　melts；　but　land　holds

while　grass　grows　and　water　runs。〃　　He　was　an　excellent　landlord；

built　comfortable　houses　for　his　tenantry；　and　did　what　he　could

for　their　improvement。　　Without　solicitation；　the　Government

appointed　him　a　justice　of　the　peace　and　a　Deputy…lientenant　for

the　county　of　Tipperary。　　Everything　that　he　did　seemed　to

thrive。　　He　was　honest；　straightforward；　loyal；　and　law…abiding。



On　first　taking　possession　of　his　estate　at　Longfield；　he　was　met

by　a　procession　of　the　tenantry；　who　received　him　with　great

enthusiasm。　　In　his　address　to　them；　he　said；　amongst　other

things：　　〃Allow　me　to　impress　upon　you　the　great　importance　of

respecting　the　laws。　　The　laws　are　made　for　the　good　and　the

benefit　of　society；　and　for　the　punishment　of　the　wicked。　　No　one

but　an　enemy　would　counsel　you　to　outrage　the　laws。　　Above　all

things；　avoid　secret　and　unlawful　societies。　　Much　of　the

improvement　now　going　on　amongst　us　is　owing　to　the　temperate

habits　of　the　people；　to　the　mission　of　my　much　respected　friend；

Father　Mathew；　and　to　the　advice　of　the　Liberator。　　Follow　the

advice　of　O'Connell；　be　temperate；　moral；　peaceable；　and　you　will

advance　your　country；　ameliorate　your　condition；　and　the　blessing

of　God　will　attend　all　your　efforts。〃



Bianconi　was　always　a　great　friend　of　O'Connell。　　From　an　early

period　he　joined　him　in　the　Catholic　Emancipation　movement。　　He

took　part　with　him　in　founding　the　National　Bank　in　Ireland。　　In

course　of　time　the　two　became　more　intimately　related。　

Bianconi's　son　married　O'Connell's　granddaughter；　and　O'Connell's

nephew；　Morgan　John；　married　Bianconi's　daughter。　　Bianconi's　son

died　in　1864；　leaving　three　daughters；　but　no　male　heir　to　carry

on　the　family　name。　　The　old　man　bore　the　blow　of　his　son's

premature　death　with　fortitude；　and　laid　his　remains　in　the

mortuary　chapel；　which　he　built　on　his　estate　at　Longfield。



In　the　following　year；　when　he　was　seventy…eight；　he　met　with　a

severe　accident。　　He　was　overturned；　and　his　thigh　was　severely

fractured。　　He　was　laid　up　for　six　months；　quite　incapable　of

stirring。　　He　was　afterwards　able　to　get　about　in　a　marvellous

way；　though　quite　crippled。　　As　his　life's　work　was　over；　he

determined　to　retire　finally　from　business；　and　he　handed　over

the　whole　of　his　cars；　coaches；　horses；　and　plant；　with　all　the

lines　of　road　he　was　then　working；　to　his　employes；　on　the　most

liberal　terms。



My　youngest　son　met　Mr。　Bianconi；　by　appointment；　at　the　Roman

Catholic　church　at　Boherlahan；　in　the　summer　of　1872。　　Although

the　old　gentleman　had　to　be　lifted　into　and　out　of　his　carriage

by　his　two　men…servants；　he　was　still　as　active…minded　as　ever。　

Close　to　the　church　at　Boherlahan　is　Bianconi's　mortuary　chapel；

which　he　built　as　a　sort　of　hobby；　for　the　last　resting…place　of

himself　and　his　family。　　The　first　person　interred　in　it　was　his

eldest　daughter；　who　died　in　Italy；　the　second　was　his　only　son。　

A　beautiful　monument　with　a　bas…relief　has　been　erected　in　the

chapel　by　Benzoni；　an　Italian　sculptor；　to　the　memory　of　his

daughter。



〃As　we　were　leaving　the　chapel；〃　my　son　informs　me；　〃we　passed　a

long　Irish　car　containing　about　sixteen　people；　the　tenants　of

Mr。　Bianconi；　who　are　brought　at　his　expense　from　all　parts　of

the　estate。　　He　is　very　popular　with　his　tenantry；　regarding

their　interests　as　his　own；　and　he　often　quotes　the　words　of　his

friend　Mr。　Drummond；　that　'property　has　its　duties　as　well　as　its

rights。'　He　has　rebuilt　nearly　every　house　on　his　extensive

estates　in　Tipperary。



〃On　our　way　home；　the　carriage　stopped　to　let　me　down　and　see　the

strange　remains　of　an　ancient　fort；　close　by　the　roadside。　　It

consists　of　a　high　grass…grown　mound；　surrounded　by　a　moat。　　It

is　one　of　the　so…called　Danish　forts；　which　are　found　in　all

parts　of　Ireland。　　If　it　be　true　that　these　forts　were　erected　by

the　Danes；　they　must　at　one　time　have　had　a　strong　hold　of　the

greater　part　of　Ireland。



〃The　carriage　entered　a　noble　avenue　of　trees；　with　views　of

prettily　enclosed　gardens　on　either　side。　　Mr。　Bianconi

exclaimed；　'Welcome　to　the　Carman's　Stage！'　Longfield　House；

which　we　approached；　is　a　fine　old…fashioned　house；　situated　on

the　river　Suir；　a　few　miles　south　of　Cashel；　one　of　the　most

ancient　cities　in　Ireland。　　Mr。　Bianconi　and　his　family　were　most

hospitable；　and　I　found　him　most　lively　and　communicative。　　He

talked　cleverly　and　with　excellent　choice　of　language　for　about

three　hours；　durin