A DAY AT LLOYD’S.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 February 1924, Page 1

A DAY AT LLOYD’S.

By an Underwriter in London Paper) It was a shock at iirst suddenly to he cold routed with the new s that in two years’ time, or a little more, 1 -hall go to my woik at Lloyd’s in Lime- treat, and no lunger hear the lioval Exchange bells ringing national tune- as I sit in my box or walk about the Room. Lloyd’s is moving east, and I shall move with Lloyd’s, but not without a pang. I have come to love the wide stairway at the eastern end of the Royal Exchange. A- I near (lie top ot llie stairs I hear the caller's voice intoning the liana - of nioinhers who are wanted at the harrier. I pass the harrier and, .turning -harp to my left, I look first at the Loss hook, wherein all serious casualties j,,-,. recorded in big. ilowing script. Lett again, and I see the Casualty hoard the "('handier of Horrors"— when fellow "iliuisios” till reports

of ve>s"ls in irouhle. reports of salvages and ol dock strikes, and such like inloriuation are posted.

Close by are notices of matters concerning luisine-s —notices ol articles io-'L and found in the Room, amt other

piuununeemeiiLs of interest. Then I go down the aisle between the underwriters’ boxes—very like the old City chop-house boxes, those, and reminiscent ol the colieo-house days. I reai'li my own seat, look at ..some papers, hear the news ol my lellowocciipant- id' the box have to tell, and then star! for the Captains’ Room. To get there 1 have to pass through the Reading Room, where all the papers are kept iu neat tiles. In this room are ketit the registers of vessels and their voyages ; here too is the i upturn-.’ Register, in which I can I race the career of any .Mercantile .Marine ollieer from the time lie was lirst i crliliealed. Here also are hooks ol reference, aliases, time-fables in filet, all that Hie marine broker or underwriter can desire in mlrer to keep well informed on mailer- which concern him. T -day I do not look at papers or eon-nil aliases. I have an appointmon ia ih, Capiain-’ Room, where in the morning we sit in boxes very ■ iiiiilar to t bos,. m u liieli w e work, and have colfce. lunch in Ihe middle of ih" dav. and tea before we go home, for th" room where iiierelianls, shipowner,, and captains Used to meet to II range [heir joint adventures is now Lloyd’s restaurant. I 100 -O mv talk and m,\ coffee and g,. hark lo mv box. I lore through the morning I am visited hy brokers, who, w il h i heir ea-es l ull ol slips, olfei me 1 1 " w liieb I accept 01 decline, as iav ii|ilv ‘in-uI dictates. If I accept. I put down the anioiml I am prepared to accept on the risk on tile slip ol paper which hears the particulars thereof, and this done 1 am hoe in I to the hargnin a- .surely as :| | had signed a -ealed and witnessed Then a l.roher .-..nics to me with a knotty linin'. Will I pay 7 Well ' lid al lei an amicable argumeiii we come lo terms. I lunch, and mv alternoon is much the -ame as the morning. I look at lie- 1.0- book each time I pass il. [ >t sidy I lie notices on the hoards. Throughout the day I hear iho caller’s Kliee i ailing names, Intt I notice nothing unic- - my own name i- called, and that I hear as plainly a- if it were the only one called during the day. Such i- the ease with all who frequent the Room, I am told. The dav wanes. I have lea: T go ii .me: end another day at Lloyd's is done.