PROGRESS OF THE LONDON FIRM SINCE 1864. 343 



I will now take up my account of the develop- 

 ment of the businesses established by us from the 

 point where I described the changes, which our London 

 house had to go through after the unsuccessful cable 

 undertakings between Spain and Algeria in the year 

 1864. The firm of Siemens Brothers, from that time 

 separated from the Berlin business, had quickly and 

 regularly developed under brother William's direction, 

 both as manufacturing and contracting concern. As 

 William had also at the same time great success in 

 the engineering business carried on by him privately, 

 and his time and energies were thereby very much 

 taken up, the desire arose at the end of the sixties 

 that brother Charles should undertake the special 

 management of the London telegraph business. Charles 

 consented, as since the expiration of the Russian 

 maintenance contracts he no longer found any consider- 

 able sphere of activity in Russia, 



Halske's resolution to retire from the Berlin firm 

 was taken about the same time, and we three brothers 

 decided accordingly upon an entire reform of the 

 business - connection of our different firms. A joint 

 business was formed which embraced them all. Each 

 firm retained its independence as regards administration 

 and financial methods, its profit and loss account however 

 was carried over to the joint business, of which we 

 three brothers were the sole proprietors and partners. 

 The St. Petersburg concern was placed under an able 

 manager, whilst Charles went to England to undertake 

 the special management of the London firm. 



