en so powerfully set forth,
that the company found they could not sell their lands, nor obtain, in
any other way, the money needed to carry forward the work. The
Government was obliged to come to the rescue, and, in the session of
1884, to grant a loan of $22,500,000 to the company. On December 1,
1883, Sir John Macdonald sent this telegram to Sir Charles Tupper, who
only a few months before had gone over to London to fill the position
of high commissioner: 'Pacific in trouble, you should be here.' Next
morning the characteristic reply was received: 'Sailing on Thursday.'
Sir Charles was as good as his word. With admirable courage, energy,
and resolution he fought the measure of relief through parliament, and
for a time at least all was well. But only for a time. Early in the
year 1885 we find Mr Stephen, the president of the company, writing Sir
John Macdonald:

{123}

[There is] imminent danger of sudden crisis unless we can find means to
meet pressing demands.... It is clear as noon-day, Sir John, that
unless you yourself say what is to be done, nothing but disaster will
result. The question is too big for some of our friends, and nothing
but your own authority and influence can carry anything that will
accomplish the object.... I endeavoured to impress upon him again [the
finance minister] that the object of the present application to the
Government is to save the _life_ of the Company....

I do hope something will be done to-day that will have the effect of
saving the life of the Company. I stayed over here [Ottawa] to-day in
case I might be wanted. It is impossible for me to carry on this
struggle for life, in which I have now been for over four months
constantly engaged, any longer. Although I have done my best to save
the life and the honour of the Company, I cannot help feeling that I
have failed to impress the Government with a full sense of the extreme
urgency of the necessities of the Company, and yet I do not know
anything further that I can say {124} or do to enable the Government to
realize the extreme gravity of the position in which the Company is now
placed. If the Company is allowed once to go to the wall, the remedial
measures proposed will be useless because too late. I shall be within
reach if wanted. Mr Pope, your secretary, knows where to find me.

The following is part of a telegram from the general manager to the
president:

Have no means paying wages, pay car can't be