In the late
eighties he returned to his native island, settled at Peel, and became a
magnate there.
One afternoon early in the year 1889 two gentlemen from the Isle of Man
called upon me at my office. They were Mr. Mylchreest (the "_Diamond
King_") and a lawyer friend whose name I forget, but I remember they
informed me they were both members of the House of Keys. Mr. Mylchreest
was anxious to do something to develop the little port of Peel, his
native town, and a steamboat service between Peel and Belfast, Bangor or
Donaghadee, seemed to him and his friends a promising project. What did
the County Down think? Would either Bangor or Donaghadee be better than
Belfast? If so, would my company join in and to what extent? We had no
power to expend money in steamboat enterprise, but I assured them we
would do all we could to help in other ways, and that Bangor was the port
to select. My directors heartily approved and other interviews followed.
Once, I had hurriedly to go over to Peel to meet Mr. Mylchreest and his
lawyer, on a certain day, as some hitch had arisen, and by this time I
was desperately keen on getting the steamboat service started.
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