and Co., of Calcutta, had largely embarked
in the B. B., and the officers of the two services and the European
mercantile body of Calcutta had been invited to take shares in an
institution which, to merchants, native and English, civilian and
military men, was alike advantageous and indispensable. How many young
men of the latter services had been crippled for life by the ruinous
cost of agencies, of which the profits to the agents themselves were so
enormous! The shareholders of the B. B. were their own agents; and
the greatest capitalist in India as well as the youngest ensign in the
service might invest at the largest and safest premium, and borrow at
the smallest interest, by becoming according to his means, a shareholder
in the B. B. Their correspondents were established in each presidency
and in every chief city of India, as well as at Sydney, Singapore,
Canton, and, of course. London. With China they did, an immense
opium-trade, of which the profits were so great, that it was only in
private sittings of the B. B. managing committee that the details and
accounts of these operations could be brought forward. Otherwise the
books of the bank were open to every shareholder; and the ensign or
the young civil servant was at liberty at any time to inspect his own
private account as well as the common ledger. With New South Wales they
carried on a vast trade in wool, supplying that great colony with goods,
which their London agents enabled them to purchase in such a way as to
give them the command of the market. As if to add to their prosperity,
coppermines were discovered on lands in the occupation of the B. Banking
Company, which gave the most astonishing returns. And throughout the
vast territories of British India, through the great native firm of
Rummun Loll and Co., the Bundelcund Banking Company had possession of
the native markets. The order from Birmingham for idols alone (made with
their copper and paid in their wool) was enough to make the Low Church
party in England cry out; and a debate upon this subject actually took
place in the House of Commons, of which the effect was to send up the
shares of the Bundelcund Banking Company very considerably upon the
London Exchange.

The fifth half-yearly dividend was announced at twelve and a quarter per
cent of the paid-up capital: the accounts from the copper-mine sent
the dividend up to a still greater height, and carried the shares to an
extraordinary premium. In th