BRINGING GOLD TO THE BANK OF ENGLAND.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 9004, 18 November 1907, Page 4

BRINGING GOLD TO THE BANK OF ENGLAND.

The precautions widen are taken i to guard gold despatched from the ■, mines of Australia, America, or | South Africa to the Bank of Lug haul i —which for years past lias acted as the distributing agency for all purchasers in England—are cmito simple, yet thoroughly safe. Everything is done quietly, although in no way secretly, and without the slightest -fuss. Detectives watch the shipment of the gold, and also the unloading at the docks there; but the idea that two or three or them take it in turns to waten the precious cargo during the voyage io quite an erroneous one. In rougli bars, ranging usually between 300 ounces and 1000 ounces,, the gold is packed in strong bullion boxes, which have the appearance of solid blocks of wood bound with iron, placed in the strongroom | which every vessel of importance possesses, and which is usually ruder the saloon, fully iusuivo. and f cont across the sea unattendi.... ine [ man who is responsible for t -O golu [while it is on the vessel is the wpt.iiu who signs for the same anti holds the key of the specie-room It- is a stringent rule, however, that the captain must not visit the _ room except in the presence of a witness. There is also another rule rigidly enforced. When the vessel reaches i the docks the gold must not bo uu- ! 1 ,aded unless it can bo taken direct Ito the Bank of England, Suppose, lor instance, a shin with bullion eu board arrives at Tilbury Docks on a Saturday night. The vessel wound bo considered on voyage until tee Monday morning, and no leave would bo granted. The captain • leeps on board as long as _fchc specie is there, and the same strict watch kept as if on tho ocean. Jlf Die Monday was a Bank Holiday it would bo just tho same, tho gold, being lauded on tho Tuesday morn-

i n gt. The London office of tho company to which the vessel belongs having boon duly informed of the arrival ot the vessel at the docks; a clerk is sent, whoso duty it is to bo present whenever gold comes in. Two or three detectives are also at hand—in all about halt-a-dozou officials. The boxes are counted as they are brought from tho strongroom, packed : u trolleys, and, closely guarded, arc hurried awav to the bullion truck in waiting, to ho convoyed to tue station. . . , , A bullion truck is about 1-1 teet long, lined with iron, and looks very much like a miniature barge_ on wheels. It is about three feet high,, has double locks and is always 'placed between tho engine and the guard’s van, so that both, too guardian of tho train and the custodian of the engine may keep an eve on it. Such a truck costs anyj tiling between £IOO And £3OO to build. . . After tho gold is entrained tho clerk sends a telegram to tho head office, informing the owners wind rime the train left tho station, and the hour it may be expected to arrive in Loudon, whore a van is ready to receive it. Tno gates of tho Lotnburv entrance to tho bank welcome i all such deposits of gold and silver, j which enter only to h; hidden away

for a. time in the wonderful vaults bolovr. Several iron have to bo passed ami many questions pat by the gorgeously-attired beadles of the bank to bo answered before tho van with its treasure conies to a standstill at the entrance to the vault. The gentleman who superintends the packin'? of gold in the vaults furnished the writer Mini some interesting particulars. _ “We have all sorts and all pisses of boxes come In,"’ lit' said. maiix of them holding £IO,OOO, whilst others will be hardly an inch square, and contain hut an mince of gold. The charge for storage per packet is just the. same, be tho parcel small or great, an ounce or a hundredweight—mat is. Is Iff a bo.v 01 naked bar of gold and ssilvor per month, and after the first, mouth i* is reduce 1 1 to a Me never see the contents of tho boxes, unless, perhaps, wiien the Customs oilicer opens two or three out of the consignment ami runs his Angers through •he golden pieces to see if there is any contraband hidden beneath.’' But there, is another brunch, and a verv interesting and important one. connected with the Loudon gold traffic. .Wo refer to tho conveying of tho precious metal to and from the Continental depots by the railway companies. How nine!', is sent to and from simply depends on the rate of exchange, and_ it is principally done as a speculation by large* houses such as Messrs Rothschild ana Messrs Baring Brothers. Supposing Messrs Rothschild wanted to send £.10,000 to Paris, This could bo sent either in bills of exchange or in gold. If tho 'rate of exchange made it cheaper to send in gold, gold wonln go and vice versa. Tho Great Eastern Railway Company often bring as much as £IOO,OOO from Harwich—their denot where the Continental boats discharge—whilst another day mav see tho arrival of only £IOOO. This company owns a number of bullion trucks, and their scale of-charge will give one a very good idea as to the cost of bringing gold to Loudon by rail. The rate varies from Is 3d to 10s Gd per £IOO, tho latter sum being charged for such small parcels as £4oo° and so tho scale varies to Is M per £IOO for parcels of £IO,OOO and upwards.

“Have followed tho shearing season through New Zealand and all over Australia, ” says Mr B. L. Mcßcan, Duutroon, New Zealand, “and the change of water and tucker always brings on an attack of diarrhoea and the only relief I fan obtain is from Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera, and Diarrhoea Remedy. Every shod now has some shearers who use this wonderful medicine, and always carry a bottle with them.” For sale by 1. 1-L Bred in, Co-Op. Stores, Mar ton, and D. Wilson, Rougptoa.