In Scotland a railway manager was rarely worried by outside interference
in the management of his men. Well intentioned people either credited
him with the possession of good sense and decent feeling, or, themselves
resentful of any inter-meddling in their own affairs, refrained from
meddling in his. But it was different I found in Ireland, even in
Belfast where Scottish traditions and Scottish ways were not unknown.
Exceeding good nature, I suppose, is largely accountable for the
readiness with which people in the sister isle espouse, often with little
consideration, the cause of any railway employee who has or fancies he
has a grievance. A rather ridiculous instance of this occurred soon
after my installation at the County Down. One of my first duties was to
examine the line and the employees at each station. At one small station
I found in charge a station master in poor health and well advanced in
years--in fact quite beyond his work. I learned that he possessed a
small property in land and was quite willing to retire if given a few
weeks in which to make his arrangements. This, of course, I gladly
granted as well as a little parting gratuity. He was well pleased, and
wrote me to that effect. But, to my astonishment, not many days passed
before a long and numerously signed Memorial to the Board arrived
beseeching the Directors to stay the hand of their General Manager in his
harsh and unfeeling treatment of a faithful old servant. He was indeed a
faithful old servant; but he was quite ignorant of any memorial on his
behalf having been sent to the Directors. Apparently the memorialists
did not consider it necessary to consult him.

To be now my own master, subject only to the control of a reasonable and
businesslike Board of Directors, a Chairman who resided in Dublin,
visiting Belfast once a fortnight only, to have the command of men and
the working of a railway, and to be free to move about the line as I
thought fit, was a pleasure indeed and made Ireland a pleasant place. I