BRITAIN'S MILLIONAIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1917, Page 5

BRITAIN'S MILLIONAIRES.

LORD PIfilUE, THE STEAMSHIP KING. The incomes of Britain's captains of industry are often a mutter of interesting speculation. lixaetly what amount Lcrd Pirrie, for instance, pays income tax upon is, of eourso, known only to himself and t.lie revenue authoiif.es Scmt people have estimated it at two millions per annum, and when one considers the vast shipping concerns which Lord Pirrie .-ontroli*, it is easy to believe that the:e is not much exaggeration in the figure. In any case, ho is among the first of Britain's millionaires, and. if anyone has earned the coveted titlo of '■The Steamship King" it is Lord Pirm. Not only is he head of the great shipping' firm of Hariand and Wolff, but he is one lof the biggest owners-of shipping shaft's in the country. i MERIT TELLS. One of the bigg.:-st deals was the purchasing, a few years ago, of the Jiiormous undertakings controlled by the late Sir Alfred Jones—the Elder Dempster and the Elders and FyfTes Line:'. l!y this deal Lord Pirrie acquired a pre.it measure of coiurol over a combined fleet o f 250 ocean steamships, owned by companies possessing /i total capital of about £.10,000.000. Sheer merit and ability have been the secret of Lord Pirrie's success, and he is a man who believes that merit, absve everything eU'\ tells. 'The writer remembers his saying not long ago: "I am happy" in thinking that merit is becoming 'more and more the only determining feature in life, so that today the invitation to the youth «f the world is 'Go in and win!'" Lord Pirrie's connection with the fimcus shipping firm of Hariand and WollT began at the age of fifteen, when he was apprenticed to the firm. Even thus early in life he seems to have shown wonderful determination. He secured lodgings close, to the works and was at his post first in the morning, remaining till last at night. So completely did he master all the details,of the undertaking that in 1874, when on.y twenty-seven years of age, he was made a partner. GUNT LIXERS It was on the death of Sir Edw.wi Hariand that' Lord Pirrie assumed control, of the big-shio designing, and the business owes its phenomenal development to his personal enterprise. In pre-war davs it was computed that the wages paid by Hariand and Wolff amounted to £20.000 a week, 10,000 1-ands being on sn average employed at the works. It was under Lord Pirrie's direction that the largest and fastest ships afloct have taken shape. The White Star liners alone-tlie Majestic, the Titame. (he Cymric, the Oceanic, the Celtic the CedrieY the llaltie, and the Adriatic, form a scquonce that tells a wonderful tale of progress of latter-day navigation. Lord Pirrie was. responsible also for the greatest ships of the Atlantic Transport, Hamburg-American, Royal Mail, and' Union Castle Lines, it is claimed, indeed, that he is represented by a ship on every navigable sea in .he world.