He rushes at obscure transactions, and lends to Peru, or Guatemala, or Tierra del Fuego, or some shaky place he knows nothing about.

The insular maniac overlooks the continent of Europe, instead of studying it, and seeking what countries there are safe and others risky.
Now, why overlook Prussia?
It is a country much better governed than England, especially as regards great public enterprises and monopolies.
For instance, the directors of a Prussian railway can not swindle the shareholders by false accounts, and passing off loans for dividends.
Against the frauds of directors, the English shareholder has only a sham security.

He is invited to leave his home, and come two hundred miles to the directors' home, and vote in person.

He doesn't do it.

Why should he?
In Prussia the Government protects the shareholder, and inspects the accounts severely.