Q. Are there particular corporations in which you have a permanent interest?
A. Yes; so as to have some control in certain large companies.
Q. What do you think of the attitude of the Government toward the Bank of France? That is to say, are they exacting more and more from it?
A. I do not think that they exact too much from it. The shares of the Bank of France are always very high in price; it has not hurt at all the development of the bank.
Crédit Foncier de France
INTERVIEW WITH M. TOUCHARD, SECRETARY[181]
Q. Is the Crédit Foncier a public institution?
A. Yes, it is a mixed institution; it is at the same time a joint-stock company and a society under the control of the Government by reason of privileges which the Government has granted to it.
Q. Who are the shareholders?
A. Any one; the shares are dealt in on the Bourse. The firm capital is at present 200,000,000 francs; the shares are issued at 500 francs.