Sketcher.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 426, 23 June 1904, Page 7

Sketcher.

GUAEDING THE TBEASUBE VAULTS ?£Sf£s MILD Bensatioa was created in ©£r|<S London Borne time ago by a man SKBg who aaaerted that he knew of an underground passage by which the vaults of the Bank of England could be surreptitiously entered, and a robbery carried out. Seeiag, however, that on previous occasions alarmists had come forward with similar ideas, it is aofc sue-

risiHg that people did not give credence to the statement and their confidence in the safefcy of the ' Old Lady of Threadneedle Street' remaned unshaken.

As a matter of fact, the writs of the Bank of England are practically impregnable, and indeed he would be a wonderfully ingenious and daring thief who could successfully rob them. The vaults are so situated, and built in such a manner, that it would be impossible to reach them by underground tunnelling, while the system oC guarding them above ground is suoh that no authorised person could possibly get near them, either during the day or night. As most Londoners are aware,;the Bank of England is guarded every night by a detaohment of House* hold troops from Wellington and Chelsea Barraoka. These arrive at the Bank at six o'clock every evening, when sentries, who are relieved every hour, are posted throughout the building. A peculiarity regarding the guarding of the Bask of England is the faot that a thief who managed to get within its walls would not be challenged by word of mouth by the sentinel who happened to see him. The gnard would &imply stamp his foot in a peculiar manner, which is only known to himself and his comrades, and in that way the alarm would be raised. As may be supposed, the fiank is encompassed by an elaborate system of electric alarm bells, while detectives and policemen, of course, are always on the alert both inside and outßide the building. In Fkanck. The Bank of France adopts an even more elaborate system of guarding its wealth. An interesting fact, by the bye, regarding the rules of guarding the deposits in the Bank of France from robbery and fire, is that they were drawn up by Bonaparte when First Consul, and were only slightly modified during the last century. The vaults are protected by floors and walla over six feet ia thickness, made of stone, Roman cement, and steel, while a oompany ef infantry, in addition to a special corps of custodians and watchmen, are quartered night and day in the building. There is only one entranoe to the famous treasure vaults, and this is by way of a email winding staircase, at the bottom ct which is a massive iron door with three separate locks and keys, which are kept by three different functionaries. This door leads to a first cellar, which is provided with two additional doors, each of which has thrse different locks, O&e of these doors leads to a second cellar, and by an ingenious contrivance oan only be used for entrance to it, and not for exit, while the other door, likewise provided with three locks, can only be used for exit from the second cellar, and not as an entrance to it. Every cellar is arranged and protected in this manner, while electric burglar alarms are attached to all looks—to those of the doors of the cellars as well as those of the iron money chests. The precautions against fire include a system for inundating the specie vaults with water, and for inundating the vaults reserved for bank notes with tons of fine sand, in order to avoid the it-jury that paper money might sustain from water. American Methods. The Treasury of tbe United States at Washington, whicii contains an immense amount of gold and silver coin, is guarded by both men and mechanism. Evary vault is connected with an electric alarm so sensitive that the slightest touch of the hand will sound a warning as the office of the guards, and in the police-stations of the city of Washington. False alarms have occasionally sent aimed men hurrying to the Treasury. A signal allowed to continue would bring out the troops at Fort Meyer, three miles away, Besides these mechanical safeguards, seventy-two men under a captain are engaged in watching the Treasury. Of theae, onefifth are detailed for day service and twofifths for each of the two watches of the night.