agents did not wait
for the conclusion of the unpleasant communication, but took advantage of
the door being opened, and threw in their papers, which broke the passage
lamp in their fall. They were thrown back into the street. When the
door was again opened, again went in the plans, only to meet a similar
fate.

"In the whole, upwards of 600 plans were duly deposited."

CHAPTER XXVII.

Collapse of the Railway Mania--Sheriff's Officers--Hudson, the Railway
King--First "Ethiopian Serenaders"--The Nigger Minstrel
Craze--Commencement of Irish Famine--"The Battle of the Gauges"--Railway
Surveyors--Suicide of Haydon, the painter.

Although the collapse of the Railway Mania really began in 1845, its
effects were not fully felt until the commencement of this year, when 10
per cent. on Railway Capital had to be lodged with the Accountant
General, within seven days from the assembling of Parliament, which in
this case meant the 29th Jan. It really received its first serious wound
when the Bank of England rose its rate of discount on 16 Oct., but it was
only when the calls had to be paid, that it was found how rotten the
whole concern was, as the Marquis of Clanricarde, in a speech, plainly
exposed. Said he: "One of the names to the deed, to which he was anxious
to direct their attention, was that of a gentleman, said to reside in
Finsbury Square, who had subscribed to the amount of 25,000 pounds; he
was informed no such person was known at that address. There was, also,
in the Contract deed, the name of an individual who had figured in the
Dublin and Galway Railway Case, who was down for 5,000 pounds, and who
was understood to be a half-pay officer, in the receipt of 54 pounds a
year, but who appeared as a subscriber in different railway schemes to
the amount of 41,500 pounds. The address of another, whose name was down
for 12,200 pounds, was stated to be in Watling Street, but it appeared he
did not reside there. In the case of another individual down for 12,500
pounds, a false address was found to have been given. Another
individual, whom he would not name, was a curate in the parish in Kent;
he might be worth all the money for which he appeared responsible in
various railway schemes, but his name appeared for 25,000 pounds in
different projects, and stood for 10,000 pounds in this line. Another
individual, who was down for 25,000 pounds, was represented to be in poor
circumstances. A clerk in a public co