The Mysteries of London, v. 2/4Reynolds, George W. M. (George William MacArthur)
General
The Mysteries of London, v. 2/4
Reynolds, George W. M. (George William MacArthur)
London (England) -- Fiction; Penny dreadfuls
"This Railway is intended to connect the great cities of Algiers and
Morocco, passing close to the populous and flourishing town of Oran.
It will thus be the means of transit for passengers and traffic over
a most important section of the Great Desert, which, though placed
in maps in a more southernly latitude, nevertheless extends to the
District through which this Line is to pass.
"The French government has willingly accorded its countenance to the
proposed scheme; and the Governor-General of Algeria has expressed
his sincere wish that it may be carried into effect.
"The Morocco government (one of the most enlightened in Africa) has
also assented to the enterprise; and the Emperor, the better to
manifest the favour with which he views the project, ordered his
Prime Minister to be soundly bastinadoed for daring to question its
practicability. This proof of the imperial wisdom has filled the
Committee and friends of the enterprise with the most sanguine
hopes.
"The support of the principal tribes, and other influential parties
in Algeria and Morocco, has been secured.
"The Emperor of Morocco, on one side, and his Excellency the
Governor-General of Algeria, on the other, have signified their
readiness to grant a strong armed force to protect the engineers and
operatives, when laying down the rails, from being devoured by wild
beasts, or molested by predatory tribes.
"The ex-Emir of Mascara, Abd-el-Kadir, has entered into a bond not
to interfere with the works while in progress, nor to molest those
who may travel by the Line when it shall be opened; and, in order to
secure this important concession on the part of the ex-Emir, the
Committee have agreed to make that Prince an annual present of
clothes, linen, tobacco, and ardent spirit.
"It is with the greatest satisfaction that the Committee of
Direction is enabled to announce these brilliant prospects; and the
Committee beg to state that application for the allotment of Shares
must be made without delay to James Tomlinson, Esq., Stockbroker,
Tokenhouse Yard.
"By order of the Board,
"SHARPLY TWITCHEM, Secretary."
"On my thoul, there never wath any thing better—conthith, bwief,
ekthplithit, and attwactive!" cried Sir Cherry.
"Sure to take—as certain as I'm in Her Majesty's service—strike me!"
exclaimed Major Dapper.
"I think you ought to have thrown in something about African beauties,"
observed the Marquis: "they are particularly stout, you know, being all
fed on a preparation of rice called _couscousou_. I really think I must
pay a visit to those parts next spring."
"I will undertake to get one of the members of the government to
introduce a favourable mention of the project into his speech to-morrow
night, in the House," said Sir T. M. B. Muzzlehem: "but you must send
him a hundred shares the first thing in the morning."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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