290 " MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE ! " 



applications for shares, but when these were gone into it 

 was found that with scarcely any exceptions they were all 

 for a i share, the idea having become prevalent that it 

 was a subscription limited to that sum. 



It was grievously disappointing, more especially as 

 Lord Randolph, who never troubled to inquire what the 

 financial response had been, sent for me and asked me 

 to arrange to start a halfpenny paper in Birmingham. 

 I thought of the motto, "Forti nihil difficile," and said I 

 would at once do what was possible. 



Now I knew a great supporter of the party, who had 

 done many public services and had twice contested some- 

 what hopeless seats at the request of Lord Abergavenny. 

 He was a very rich man and to him I went. Having 

 explained to him what Lord Randolph wanted, I said I 

 did not see how less than 30,000 would be any use for 

 such a project. He asked if I thought it would pay as 

 an investment, and I said that was very doubtful, but it 

 would carry a paper well through a General Election. 



On that he told me he was inclined to entertain the 

 idea, but he should like some assurance that if he did this 

 thing his services would be recognised ; if I could procure 

 him any such assurance, I should have 20,000 down 

 and 10,000 in three months. 



Now this perfectly true story is very interesting. I 

 went to Lord Randolph and told him exactly how the 

 matter stood and that the necessary money would be 

 forthcoming for the Birmingham paper ; but he at once 

 said : ' ' No ; as long as I have anything to do with the 

 government of this country I will never be a party to 

 anything of that kind. I am sorry, but we must do 

 without the paper." 



This was a case where the capitalist was a man who 

 had done enough good work to really deserve a peerage 

 vastly more than many who have received that honour, 

 but Lord Randolph's attitude on such questions was 

 very clearly defined then, and that, too, when the service 

 wished for was one for his own political benefit in his 



