"The proposal to substitute a contingent and temporary interest in so
much stock of the Company for the 40 per cent. of profits now given to
the chief factors and traders, may assist you in placing your unissued
shares, in a mode leading to a very large annual saving, to be
accompanied by an evident increase of efficiency. For, able as your
staff is in general, there are many useless, and even mischievous,
persons under pay or profits; and the unfortunate propensities of Sir
George Simpson did not lead in his latter years, I fear, to the
improvement of the moral tone of your servants. There are cases of
favouritism and abuse not at all creditable, such as that of the
employment of Sir George's illegitimate son, and the retention of a
chief trader notoriously useless and drunken, for many years after the
chief factor of his district had reported his demerits to the local
governor. But the service is popular, and there can be no difficulty in
keeping up a staff fully able to cope with the sharp and energetic men
employed by the American traders,--your permanent rivals in business.
"It is perhaps unnecessary further to explain the reasons of my not
proceeding to Red River. As before stated, I had expected to do so in
company with Captains Glyn and Synge, without whom I should have
hesitated to undertake the more extended and responsible task at first
proposed.
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