228 Salmon Fishing. 



cussion with him on matters of mutual interest. 



One thing especially surprised him, which was 

 that the English preferred investing their money 

 in their own Funds at three per cent, when the 

 Government Bonds of his country, that paid 

 double, were neglected by us. 



As mild as milk was the reply I made, though 

 enough to convey to him the fact that, John 

 Bull's faith having formerly been rather rudely 

 shaken by a memorable money-mishap on their 

 part, many years, I feared, must elapse, ere his 

 confidence would be quite restored. 



We then touched upon the Alabama problem. 

 I told him at once that, if the matter rested 

 with me, not a farthing of money would they 

 ever get from our pockets, in the way of 

 compensation, and I gave him my reasons for 

 such a determination. Had the arbitration not 

 been accepted by us, he was convinced that 

 a war must have followed sooner or later. The 

 majority of Englishmen, I said, hated war, not 

 less than I did, but, if driven into it, I had no 



