John Nixon; Pioneer of the Steam Coal Trade in South Wales (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...prices as he might be able to obtain from the French consumers, and that for a term of three years he should pay to Mr. Nixon ninepence for every ton exported to the west of France, and sixpence for every ton exported to Havre, or to any port to the eastward of Havre. There need be no hesitation in saying that the bargain was highly advantageous to Mr. Powell. He took no risks, and Mr. Nixon, on the face of the agreement, took a great many. If no coal at all had been ordered, Mr. Powell would have been not a pin the poorer than he was before, save perhaps for a few hours expended to no purpose in conversation with Mr. Nixon. The latter, on the other hand, practically undertook to act as commercial traveller, and to plant a new article of commerce in a district where it was unknown, and in which a very tolerable substitute for it was in constant use. He was to go out as a missionary, so to speak, to preach the virtues of Welsh steam coal, and Mr. Powell was to reap the lion's share of the profit. He was to go out at his own expense; he was to receive no salary, but merely a very modest commission; and when the term was over the commission would end, and the customers secured by him would be Mr. Powell's customers, and no commission at all would be payable to him. As matters turned out, it proved that Mr. Nixon had to run far greater risks than appeared in the agreement--that he was called upon to show courageous enterprise, to risk his own money to the advantage of Mr. Powell, to show untiring industry and energy in pushing the trade in Welsh coal, and that in the end he was what is commonly called "done" by Mr. Powell. The sequel will show us that when the time for payment came Mr. Powell contrived to escape from his liabilities, and, to put...