The family of Burnett of Leys, with collateral - Electric Scotland

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THE FAMILY OF BURNETT OF LEYS.
Approbation of these Projects is a mark of Insanity, and cannot fail of exposing
him to the Ridicule of all Europe. That of establishing a Bank here is one of
the most absurd. Cazabigi was the first Projector, and a Plan was published in
the Month of November last, of which I sent you a Copy ; the ill success of that,
his first Attempt, has not discouraged ; he said its miscarrying was owing to the
Ignorance of the Berlin Merchants, and to the little Love and Affection they bore
to their Country, for instead of forwarding and promoting it, they did every Thing
in their power to discredit it. He took frequent Opportunities of expressing
publickly his Dissatisfaction and Discontent with the Behaviour of the Merchants
in this Capital, and of declaring that they should find he could erect a Bank
without their assistance. One Worm (who passes for a very considerable
Merchant in Hamburg, but who I believe is an Adventurer) thought Castor's
present Indisposition and 111 humour with his own subjects was the proper
moment for offering a Scheme to establish a Bank here ; accordingly he wrote
directly to Castor, who relished his Proposals, at the same Time that he shewed
great Diffidence and Mistrust, for he thought them too advantageous and
considerable to come from a Hamburg Merchant of any Character and Note,
especially as he was sensible that it was not the Interest of the Hamburgers to
encourage any Scheme that could tend to promote and increase the Trade and
Commerce of Berlin ; He therefore sent his Oracle Cazabigi to Hamburg, pour
reconnoitre le Terrain. To use the old Proverb, Birds of a Feather flock
together, the Report Cazabigi made was favourable, and he received orders to set
out with Worm for Potzdam. On Worm's arrival at Potzdam he had several
Interviews with Castor, in which, by the help
of the instructions he no Doubt
received from Cazabigi with regard to the character of the Man, he soon gained
his confidence, and his Proposals met with our Royal Approbation. Things
being thus far advanced, the knowing ones, viz. : Worm, Cazabigi and Michel,
were desired to set their Heads together, and to deliberate on the Measures
proper to be taken for carrying the Project into Execution. After many
Conferences and Consultations they, at last, drew up a Plan to Castor's Liking,
and I hear it will very soon be printed. This Affair has been managed with so
much Mystery and Secrecy, for fear of its being again rendered abortive by the
Merchants here, that I have not hitherto been able to get any satisfactory
was much
knowledge of the Plan, only I have heard from Knyphausen (who
pressed by Castor to take upon him the principal Direction and Management of
this undertaking) that the Plan is absurd, quite inconsistent with the Nature of
the Trade and Commerce of the Prussian Dominions, and in one word
impracticable, that it is to be a Bank of Transfer, much on the same plan with
that of Hamburg, that in order to facilitate its Operations, there are Bureaux de