Queen Victoria a number of decorations on some of the major contributors to the project. There were baronetcies for Daniel Gooch and Curtis Miranda Lampson (1806-85), and knighthoods for James Anderson, Richard Atwood Glass, Samuel Canning and William Thomson. Despite his very large part in the success of the enterprise, John Pender was denied an honour, and regular readers will know the reasons for this. However, it also appears that James Stuart-Wortley and Augustus Hamilton both refused the offer of honours. The next letter in the collection alludes to all not being well with this process, but tantalisingly gives no clear indication of what the problems might have been. On 4 October, Stuart-Wortley sent a letter of congratulation to Samuel Canning in anticipation of the honour to be bestowed on him. Having received no reply, he sent a follow-up note on 13 October. Canning replied on 14 October, apologising for not replying sooner, and concluded with the following note: ‘Although I am of opinion that from some cause or other the privilege of merit could not well be put in a more objectionable manner either to Mr Glass or myself. I have now to inform you that it is not my intention to refuse the distinction offered me by Her Majesty’. Unlike Stuart-Wortley, Canning was prepared to accept a knighthood, but clearly was not satisfied with how it had been offered. This may relate to the fact that his Chairman had not received his just recognition from the establishment, because of the unjust findings of the committee of enquiry into the 1865 Totnes election, but we cannot know. The Atlantic Telegraph Co now
entered a period of profitable business, working in concert with the Anglo-American, but relationships between the shareholders of the two companies were not cordial. The shareholders of the Atlantic Telegraph Co felt that as the pioneers they deserved the lion’s share of the revenue, and the shareholders of Anglo-American believed that it was only through their
Menu of the Gala Dinner at Liverpool, 1st October 1866
investment that the Atlantic Telegraph’s cable was working, and they deserved a share of this revenue. It was up to James Stuart-Wortley and Richard Atwood Glass to keep a lid on this powder keg. However, due to ill health, Atwood Glass was forced to stand down as Chairman of the Anglo-American in March 1867. He was replaced by Charles Edward Stewart (1806-68). Charles Stewart was a wealthy bachelor, who had joined the Navy as a young boy in 1827, rising through the ranks before joining the diplomatic service as
Financial Secretary and Treasurer to Sir Henry Pottinger (1789-1856), in Hong Kong during the second Chinese War (1856-60), playing an active role in the negotiation of the peace treaty that ended the campaign. As well as an investor in the Anglo-American Telegraph Co, he was also Secretary of the London and North-Western Railway Co. From about this time on it appears that the Anglo-American began to promote a merger between the two companies. There was a new battle for Stuart-Wortley to fight, but by now he was suffering a serious decline in his health. On 21 October 1867, the Morning Post reported that: ‘The Right Hon. James Stuart Wortley, who is at present on a visit to his relative, Lord Wenlock, at Escrick Park [Yorkshire], was on Friday suddenly attacked with a serious illness while in York.’ Despite his ongoing bouts of illness, he continued to serve as Chairman of the company. Towards the end of 1867, the directors of the Atlantic Telegraph Co were anxious to improve the position of the company, possibly by an amalgamation with Anglo-American, and the business conducted at an extraordinary meeting held at the London Tavern on 2 December 1867 was reported the next day by the Morning Post. In his opening remarks, after telling the meeting that the Board wished the shareholders to take action (which he later set out in a motion, outlined below), Stuart-Wortley continued: ‘For himself he had been ill for some time, and he was afraid that he should be obliged to consider the return of his illness as periodical.’
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