the little were fighting； I crept up between them； carried out my
enterprise； and obliged everybody。'〃 This； however； did not
satisfy Mr。 Drummond； who asked Bianconi to write down for him an
autobiography； containing the incidents of his early life down to
the period of his great Irish enterprise。 Bianconi proceeded to
do this； writing down his past history in the occasional
intervals which he could snatch from the immense business which
he still continued personally to superintend。 But before the
〃Drummond memoir〃 could be finished Mr。 Drummond himself had
ceased to live； having died in 1840； principally of overwork。
What he thought of Bianconi； however； has been preserved in his
Report of the Irish Railway Commission of 1838； written by Mr。
Drummond himself； in which he thus speaks of his enterprising
friend in starting and conducting the great Irish car
establishment：
〃With a capital little exceeding the expense of outfit he
commenced。 Fortune； or rather the due reward of industry and
integrity； favoured his first efforts。 He soon began to increase
the number of his cars and multiply routes； until his
establishment spread over the whole of Ireland。 These results
are the more striking and instructive as having been accomplished
in a district which has long been represented as the focus of
unreclaimed violence and barbarism； where neither life nor
property can be deemed secure。 Whilst many possessing a personal
interest in everything tending to improve or enrich the country
have been so misled or inconsiderate as to repel by exaggerated
statements British capital from their doors； this foreigner chose
Tipperary as the centre of his operations； wherein to embark all
the fruits of his industry in a traffic peculiarly exposed to the
power and even to the caprice of the peasantry。 The event has
shown that his confidence in their good sense was not
ill…grounded。
〃By a system of steady and just treatment he has obtained a
complete mastery； exempt from lawless intimidation or control；
over the various servants and agents employed by him； and his
establishment is popular with all classes on account of its
general usefulness and the fair liberal spirit of its management。
The success achieved by this spirited gentleman is the result；
not of a single speculation； which might have been favoured by
local circumstances； but of a series of distinct experiments； all
of which have been successful。〃
When the railways were actually made and opened； they ran right
through the centre of Bianconi's long…established systems of
communication。 They broke up his lines； and sent them to the
right and left。 But； though they greatly disturbed him； they did
not destroy him。 In his enterprising hands the railways merely
changed the direction of the cars。 He had at first to take about
a thousand horses off the road； with thirty…seven vehicles；
travelling 2446 miles daily。 But he remodelled his system so as
to run his cars between the railway…stations and the towns to the
right and left of the main lines。
He also directed his attention to those parts of Ireland which
had not before had the benefit of his conveyances。 And in thus
still continuing to accommodate the public； the number of his
horses and carriages again increased； until； in 1861； he was
employing 900 horses； travelling over 4000 miles daily； and in
1866； when he resigned his business； he was running only 684
miles daily below the maximum run in 1845； before the railways
had begun to interfere with his traffic。
His cars were then running to Dungarvan； Waterford； and Wexford
in the south…west of Ireland； to Bandon； Rosscarbery； Skibbereen；
and Cahirciveen； in the south； to Tralee； Galway； Clifden；
Westport； and Belmullet in the west； to Sligo； Enniskillen；
Strabane； and Letterkenny in the north； while； in the centre of
Ireland； the towns of Thurles； Kilkenny； Birr； and Ballinasloe
were also daily served by the cars of Bianconi。
At the meeting of the British Association； held in Dublin in
1857； Mr。 Bianconi mentioned a fact which； he thought；
illustrated the increasing prosperity of the country and the
progress of the people。 It was； that although the population had
so considerably decreased by emigration and other causes； the
proportion of travellers by his conveyances continued to
increase； demonstrating not only that the people had more money；
but that they appreciated the money value of time； and also the
advantages of the car system established for their accommodation。
Although railways must necessarily have done much to promote the
prosperity of Ireland； it is very doubtful whether the general
passenger public were not better served by the cars of Bianconi
than by the railways which superseded them。 Bianconi's cars were
on the whole cheaper； and were always run en correspondence； so
as to meet each other； whereas many of the railway trains in the
south of Ireland； under the competitive system existing between
the several companies； are often run so as to miss each other。
The present working of the Irish railway traffic provokes
perpetual irritation amongst the Irish people； and sufficiently
accounts for the frequent petitions presented to Parliament that
they should be taken in hand and worked by the State。
Bianconi continued to superintend his great car establishment
until within the last few years。 He had a constitution of iron；
which he expended in active daily work。 He liked to have a dozen
irons in the fire； all red…hot at once。 At the age of seventy he
was still a man in his prime； and he might be seen at Clonmel
helping； at busy times； to load the cars； unpacking and
unstrapping the luggage where it seemed to be inconveniently
placed； for he was a man who could never stand by and see others
working without having a hand in it himself。 Even when well on
to eighty； he still continued to grapple with the immense
business involved in working a traffic extending over two
thousand five hundred miles of road。
Nor was Bianconi without honour in his adopted country。 He began
his great enterprise in 1815； though it was not until 1831 that
he obtained letters of naturalisation。 His application for these
privileges was supported by the magistrates of Tipperary and by
the Grand Jury； and they were at once granted。 In 1844 he was
elected Mayor of Clonmel； and took his seat as Chairman at the
Borough Petty Sessions to dispense justice。
The first person brought before him was James Ryan； who had been
drunk and torn a constable's belt。 〃Well； Ryan；〃 said the
magistrate； 〃what have you to say？〃 〃Nothing； your worship； only
I wasn't drunk。〃 〃Who tore the constable's belt？〃 〃He was
bloated after his Christmas dinner； your worship； and the belt
burst！〃 〃You are so very pleasant；〃 said the magistrate； 〃that
you will have to spend forty…eight hours in gaol。〃
He was re…elected Mayor in the following year； very much against
his wish。 He now began to buy land； for 〃land hunger〃 was strong
upon him。 In 1846 he bought the estate of Longfield； in the
parish of Boherlahan； county of Tipperary。 It consisted of about
a thousand acres of good land； with a large cheerful house
overlooking the river Suir。 He went on buying more land； until
he became possessor of about eight thousand English acres。
One of his favourite sayings was： 〃Money melts； but land holds
while grass grows and water runs。〃 He was an excellent landlord；
built comfortable houses for his tenantry； and did what he could
for their improvement。 Without solicitation； the Government
appointed him a justice of the peace and a Deputy…lientenant for
the county of Tipperary。 Everything that he did seemed to
thrive。 He was honest； straightforward； loyal； and law…abiding。
On first taking possession of his estate at Longfield； he was met
by a procession of the tenantry； who received him with great
enthusiasm。 In his address to them； he said； amongst other
things： 〃Allow me to impress upon you the great importance of
respecting the laws。 The laws are made for the good and the
benefit of society； and for the punishment of the wicked。 No one
but an enemy would counsel you to outrage the laws。 Above all
things； avoid secret and unlawful societies。 Much of the
improvement now going on amongst us is owing to the temperate
habits of the people； to the mission of my much respected friend；
Father Mathew； and to the advice of the Liberator。 Follow the
advice of O'Connell； be temperate； moral； peaceable； and you will
advance your country； ameliorate your condition； and the blessing
of God will attend all your efforts。〃
Bianconi was always a great friend of O'Connell。 From an early
period he joined him in the Catholic Emancipation movement。 He
took part with him in founding the National Bank in Ireland。 In
course of time the two became more intimately related。
Bianconi's son married O'Connell's granddaughter； and O'Connell's
nephew； Morgan John； married Bianconi's daughter。 Bianconi's son
died in 1864； leaving three daughters； but no male heir to carry
on the family name。 The old man bore the blow of his son's
premature death with fortitude； and laid his remains in the
mortuary chapel； which he built on his estate at Longfield。
In the following year； when he was seventy…eight； he met with a
severe accident。 He was overturned； and his thigh was severely
fractured。 He was laid up for six months； quite incapable of
stirring。 He was afterwards able to get about in a marvellous
way； though quite crippled。 As his life's work was over； he
determined to retire finally from business； and he handed over
the whole of his cars； coaches； horses； and plant； with all the
lines of road he was then working； to his employes； on the most
liberal terms。
My youngest son met Mr。 Bianconi； by appointment； at the Roman