384 BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 



St. Petersburg firm seemed condemned to lose its po- 

 sition of importance. As about the same time Charles's 

 wife began to ail, and a change of climate appeared 

 urgently necessary for her, Charles transferred his 

 abode to Tiflis, and undertook the management of the 

 branch founded there, as well as of our Kedabeg 

 mine, which had already grown to considerable propor- 

 tions. Unhappily however the condition of his wife 

 grew continually worse, a prolonged residence in 

 Vienna and Berlin equally failing to restore her health. 

 She died in Berlin in the year 1869, leaving Charles 

 with one son and two daughters. I now proposed to 

 Charles to stay in Berlin for good, and to take part 

 in the management of the Berlin firm. We were even 

 planning, as we were both widowers, building a house 

 for joint occupation, when William came forward with 

 the wish that Charles should settle in London. Charles 

 accepted this proposal and till the year 1880 managed 

 the business of Siemens Brothers & Co. in conjunction 

 with William. He showed himself in London, just as 

 in St. Petersburg, a far-seeing man of business, an 

 able organizer and manager of large undertakings. 



O o O O 



The factory at Charlton near Woolwich was con- 

 siderably extended at his suggestion, the cable works 

 especially much enlarged, and a gutta-percha factory 

 set up. But after several years residence in England 

 Charles's health, formerly always very good, began to 

 show signs of decline ; he could not bear for long the 

 damp English climate. Moreover an irresistible longing 

 manifested itself in his children for their native country 



