John Nixon Pioneer of the Steam Coal, Trade in South Wales a Memoir #267051

Mr. Nixon died, full of years and honour, before these pages were ready for publication, but the alterations required in the text have not been very considerable, for the probability of such an event was always present to me as I wrote. I may be permitted to say that the duty of writing this brief Memoir of a successful man grew more and more interesting as it proceeded, not merely because it consisted in tracing the progress of the yeoman's son and colliery overman from the status of three-and-sixpence a day to that of a millionaire, but because of the striking incidents of that progress. Mr. Nixon's bold venture at Nantes, which laid the foundation of his fortunes, certainly partakes of the nature of the romance of commerce. He staked his all and he won, for he staked wisely. For the rest I have been interested mainly in the development and the manifestations of a character which commanded success. Mr. Nixon had his share of good fortune, no doubt; notably when be secured money at the nick of.