Northcliffe admired the master political journalist, Garvin, the Napoleonic newspaper proprietor. Garvin felt that Northcliffe was surrounded by his rivals, jealous Carmelite House men who envied his semi-independent status and his wholly independent ways. Northcliffe and Garvin's holdings of ordinary shares were reduced in proportion and the preference shares allocated to Northcliffe. The lost election brought their partnership to a rough end. After the first of the two British general elections the Canadian Prime Minister had lost hope of getting a preference for Canadian wheat in Britain. Northcliffe telegraphed asking Garvin to come to Elmwood 'before anything definite is done'. Perhaps Garvin realised that he and Northcliffe had come to the parting of the ways and did not want to mar their personal friendship by a painful scene. The Mail had brought joy to every German journal that feared Chamberlain's policy. Canada had not abolished the preferences it gave to British goods. The Northcliffe years were over.