186
10 novemb [189]5
Il mio Sig.
Per quanto piacere io abbia allorché mi si presenta l’occasione di scriverti, devo confessarti che questa volta preferirei non farlo, trattandosi di cosa assai dolorosa. Il
Con tutto il bene che noi vogliamo al Sig Bossetti, non sappiamo davvero spiegarci la sua condotta e la facilità colla quale non tiene nessun conto, non dirò degli ordini, ma, dei consigli datigli in buona amicizia. Come mai egli possa scusarsi, io non lo so, perché il dovere del
D’incarico del
Quanto io sia desolato di avere dovuto scriverti in questi termini, facilmente lo puoi immaginare, tu che conosci la mia affezione pel Sig. Bossetti, nel quale poi mi riusciva sempre gradito di riconoscere e proteggere un tuo raccomandato.
Credimi con inalterabile affetto
Tuo sincero amico
p. Giulio Ricordi e C.
Eug Tornaghi
186.
pp. 378-381
CLET002051
10 November [189]5
My dear friend Tosti,
My Sig. Giulio would have wanted to write to you himself, but in addition to his usual heavy workload he is terribly preoccupied these days with the additional burden of a typographers’ strike.
Much as I am normally pleased whenever I have the occasion to write to you, I must confess that this time I would prefer not to do so, given the most painful issue involved. Sig. Bossetti, whom we all deeply appreciate for his service to the Company, seems for some time now to have inexplicably presumed that this affiliate has become his exclusive domain, and that therefore he has no need to report to the Home Office. You should know that our Branch offices are obliged to send a weekly copy of the so-called accounting ledger which contains all financial operations, with the introits and expenses listed. Well then, last year the compilation of the financial statement had to be delayed because Sig. Bossetti was greatly behind in sending the copy of the ledger. When we saw him here last winter, Sig. Giulio, Sig. Calabi, and I impressed upon him the absolute necessity of entering these figures daily and sending a copy of the ledger every week. Sig. Bossetti made a thousand solemn promises to us, which he then totally ignored, because as of today, 10 November 1895, we have not received a copy of the ledger since 12 November 1894!.... And this notwithstanding the fact that it was repeatedly requested, and that Sig. Giulio himself telegraphed him this past September threatening to close the financial statement for this year without including any figures from the London affiliate. We have now reached the point that tomorrow Sig. Giulio will present the financial statement for the period ending 30 June to the shareholders with nothing from this affiliate, which will certainly seem inadmissable to them and could be grounds for Sig. Bossetti to be penalized accordingly.
Given how cordial we have been to Sig. Bossetti, we truly do not know how to explain his conduct and his facile disregard of, I won’t call them orders, but friendly advice. How he could ever find a way to excuse himself I do not know, because it is Sig. Bossetti’s duty to have kept up-to-date with sending the ledger, even if it meant working evenings. The task itself does not require much effort; the main thing is not to fall behind. We have no idea here if this Affiliate has any cash reserve, or how much it may be. It was only thanks to my urging that, to limit the extent of this affiliate’s potentially steep debt on 30 June, it paid a promissory note of 500 pounds sterling. On 12 November 1894 the accounting ledger showed 1467 pounds sterling of liquidity: I’m quite convinced that the Company’s money is in good hands, but you understand that it is highly irregular to keep the Home Office completely uninformed for nearly an entire year of this affiliate’s finances! These things are beyond belief!...
I have therefore been charged by Sig. Giulio to ask if you might immediately communicate what I have written to Sig. Bossetti, making him understand how he would be absolutely deserving of the disciplinary measure that Sig. Giulio, as General Manager responsible for the Firm, might perhaps be forced to take.
You can imagine how sorry I am to have had to write to you this way, you who know my cordial feelings for Sig. Bossetti, whom I was always pleased to remember and protect as someone recommended by you.
With steadfast affection,
Your sincere friend
for Giulio Ricordi e C.
Eug[enio] Tornaghi