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CHAPTER XIV.


 * 1837 TO 1842.

§ 1, 1837. The Suspension of Specie Payments. The United States Bank of Pennsylvania in the Crisis. Its Cotton Operations. The Federal Treasury in the Crisis.

HE inflation in England reached a crisis in the course of 1836. In October, there was a run on most of the Irish banks, which proved fatal a month later to the Agricultural Bank, a great joint-stock association established about two years before, and having about thirty branches. The Northern and Central Bank of Manchester was compelled to apply to the Bank of England for assistance. It was only about two years old and had forty branches. The Bank of England, fearing that a catastrophe to this bank might occasion a panic in Lancashire, made large advances to it. In the advances that were made to the discount houses to rediscount commercial paper, a great mass of bills was uncovered which had been produced by bill-kiting between six houses in London and one in Liverpool, whereby some £15 millions or £16 millions sterling had been advanced to Americans by banks whose total means were not one-sixth of that amount. The paper of some of these banks was rejected by the agency of the Bank of England at Liverpool, and three of them failed in March, 1837. On account, however, of the ramifications of their transactions, the Bank of England was obliged to carry them until their affairs could be liquidated. Their names were Wilson, Wildes, and Wiggins, and they became famous as the three W's. These banks gave open credits to persons who went out to all parts of the globe to buy products. The agent of the bank drew a bill, the proceeds of which were to be invested in coffee, sugar, and other commodities, which were to