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and industry all over the world developed that
historically unprecedented expansion which
so enormously multiplied the wealth of the
world, and gradually withdrew from London
its former financial power. Investors of all
nationalities used their newly acquired wealth
in the purchase of the stocks of their own
countries, thereby shifting the dominating
markets in them to their own Bourses, and
in this way the London Stock Exchange has
lost control over many stocks in which its
influence was at one time supreme.
A very striking example of this happened
recently in the case of Argentine securities.
These were formerly wholly in the hands of
English investors, and British trade depression
spelt inevitable reduction in Argentine values.
Now it is different ; and whilst during 1904
financial stagnation prevailed in England,
Argentine stocks were on the boom, and every
ship which left English shores for South
American harbours conveyed parcels of
Argentine stocks to a new domicile ; and this
has continued to the present day.
This loss of financial control is a sad fact
for the British nation as a whole, but
it is advantageous to every individual
British investor, as the number of stocks well
known to him and to his London stockbroker,