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absolute confidence placed in its management, it may here
be mentioned that when, in the early years of the XIXth
century, Swedish commerce had to pass through a severe
crisis, Mr Carnegie succeeded in obtaining a loan of
£20,000 from the Earl of Kelly,1 at a time when the
town itself could only raise a loan of 10,000 Riksdaler
by giving as security the building of the East India
Company. The great Carnegie breweries now give
employment to about one thousand workmen, for whose
welfare in the way of housing and old-age pensions every
thing has been provided in the most liberal and philanthropic
spirit.
Some time later than Carnegie, but still in the XVIIlth
century, William Gibson from Arbroath came to Göteborg
(in 1797), and founded another large business. He
commenced with a sail-cloth spinning-mill, but having been
joined by another clever Scot, Alexander Keiller,1 2 an
engineer, he opened mechanical works and iron-foundries
at Jonsered, which soon grew in importance. Like
Carnegie, he showed the liveliest interest in public
undertakings and filled many a post of honour, such as Director
of the Savings Bank. He died in 1857, seventy-four
years old. The business was converted into a
joint-stock company.
But it was Robert Dickson and his family who obtained
1 Probably through the influence of Thomas Erskine, who was a
distant connection of the EarPs. Cf. “ Från vår merkantila och
industriela verld,,, i., ii.
2 Keiller was a very energetic and far-seeing man. He erected
spinning-mills, iron-works, etc. (1804-74). Gibson built a church
and eight schools for his working men, and was constantly aiming at
promoting order, sobriety, and morality among them. W. Gibson’s
mother was Isabella Neish. She removed to Sweden to her only
remaining son, together with her husband, old William Gibson (born in
1742 at Arbroath), to spend the remaining years of their lives with him.
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