A CITY SAFE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2531, 15 February 1877, Page 3

A CITY SAFE.

One of the most remarkable buildings ever completed, or even conjectured, was opened lately in "London. The solid looking building standing on the triangular, piece of.ground on the west of the Mansion House, that for so long was hemmed in with high- boarding covered with gaily-covered posters, is now opened as a gigantic safe, where much of the vast wealth of the City will doubtless be deposited.. To the visitor who is conducted through the subterranean pas* sages aiyl alleys underneath that triangular building, and to whom is explained the intricate ■ ramifications and extreme solidity of the sfcrucs tare, it ceases to be a wonder .that the building has been some time before completion, but the wonder seems how is was possible to complete it at all. The National Safe Deposit Company at present will only occupy the ground floor and. the series of vaults underneath, the upper floors being entirely distinct and intended to be let as offices. . The building stands upon an estimated area of 6,500-super-ficial feet. Excavations to the extent of 60 feet in depth were made, and;a solid wall, three feet in thickness, composed of hard blue Staffordshire brick, with an interior coating of fire bricks, lined JQ with 4-inch armor plating, enclosing ' the safe. Within this 50-feet excavation were built four floors, with inner dividing walls of two feet in thickness, composed of brick, similarly lined with iron. Under the vaults is a reservoir with seven feet of "water, jjvhich can be utilized in case of fire by means of hydraulic machinery, and, if necessary, ' sent up in a flood to a gigantic tank on the top of the building. We. shall probably give our readers a better idea of the building and its marvels .if we ask them to accpmpany us, and enter at the main entrance facing the Mansion House. We see several private offices for the officials on our .right, and notice that the . manager's private office is doubly guarded by extra doors, &c, the particulars of which we will explain presently. On the left also are a series of compartments, but in the centre, is the one for the entrance of the depositors or their 'accredited servants to the safe below. Upon the satisfactory evidence that the right man is about his-proper work,the turnstile is unlocked,- and we are conducted by an official of the company to our own compartment of this gigantic safe. We descend abroad circular staircase; and by the dim light through the gratings, and the necessary additional light of gas, we know that we; are already underground. Here are a number of small compartments fitted up as desks and boxed in, so that

after we have proceeded to our own portion of the safe; we may have leisure to examine or detach portion of our treasure. Through an aperture iv the threefeet wall we emerge into.a passage or gallery, where we perceive lights with reflectors at stated distances. Opposite these lights are iron-barred doors, through which the reflected lights shine, and discover numberless " safes "of various dimensions in alleys, all of which safes are numbered and closed, ranging on either side. There are eight of these " strong-rooms" on each of the four floors, with corresponding private offices for the use of depositors. All the safes are about two feet in depth, and contain iron trays for the convenience of removing papers, jewels, &c. They vary in size from about six inches to two feet square, anrl vary in price per annum from 50s to £30. There are 672 safes', of various sizes, in each strong-room ; and there, are, as before stated, eight strong-rooma on each floor. Each safe is provided with distinct keys, different from all other keys. .The safes are all of Milner's manufacture, and each safe is .divided by iron partitions. No one is permitted to open a safe, under any pretence, except in the presence of an officer of the company. At night each -of these rooms is secured by 12-inch steel doors weighing four tons each. These" are moved by hydraulic pressure into grooves, and. have a constant pressure on them of 160 tons, and , the passages patrolled night and day by watchmen formidably armed. It is said-that these doors have been tested by the most skilled experts in mechanics, but they retired from the 'contest discomforted. It is impossible to open them except by a similar process to that which closed them. At present, the second floor is the only one completely fitted. The under vaults,| are open fer all kinds of valuable property. On. the lower floor without the building are the various engnies which'keep the atmosphere wholesome by pumping in the fresh air, and also to send up a volume of water at a minute's notice. All the machinery is in duplicate, in case of any mishap, and, it seems to us, so far as human ingenuity and endeavour can possibly secure security, it has been accomplished in this case. It might be ' thought that, although all care and skill has been expended in defying burglars and fire, there has been no- thought of the possible treachery within doors. Even this has been thought of, and to a certain extent, prevented. In the manager's room,is a piece of machinery which can either close or open the ponderous doors where the treasures are to' be stowed. Without, a certain key, applied to this simple bit of mechanism, nothing short of a Prussian army could open those tight fitting, obstinate doors leading" to the strong-room.' The engineer cannot effectively -set his steam to work without the given consent of the manager or his accredited agent. Throughout it appears that the 'greatest pains have been taken to . ensure " security," from whatever source attack might possibly ' come. Doubtless the' freeholders of thaftriangujar portion of City land had known fall well what they possess, for its area is the most valuable little slice that there'is in the world, the rental being estimated at £15,000, exclusive of rates and taxes. It is not beyond conjecture that within that 6500 superficial feet of City land- there will be treasures to an amount that an Empire could not purchase.—City Press.