ABSTRACT
In the history of finance there are times and places at which a single bank might enjoy prominence, advantage and even fame. Location, market conditions, political climate and the quality of staff and services can come together to place a company ahead of its competitors in business and reputation. In overseas banking, examples of such good position in the field include the Rothschilds' success in government loans in Europe after the Napoleonic Wars; the acquisition of the Turkish railway concessions by the Belgian banker Baron de Hirsch ('Tiirkenhirsch') in 1869; the French banks' strong showing in Russia after 1887; and the Hongkong Bank's success in the commercial and industrial boom in Hong Kong after the Second World War.
