The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-26 00:00:00

BANKING INSTITUTE.

On Tuesday evening the first monthly meeting of
this institution was held at the London Tavern, and
was most numerously attended. J. W. Gilbart, Esq.,
was in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN congratulated the meeting on their
hiving got over the preliminary arrangements at-
tendant on the formation of the institution, and being
about to celebrate the first of their monthly meetings.
It was not a meeting for business, but for discussion,
and he would call on the secretary to read the report
of what had occurred since the preliminary meeting.
The Secretary then read a short report, which
stated that the honorary offices had been accepted by
several gentlemen of high character in the commercial
world, among whom were Sir Moses Montefiore,
James Wilson, Esq., James Ilelme, Esq , J.
W. Gilbart, Esq., and others. Two hundred mem-
bers bad enrolled themselves in the society, and ar-
rangements had been made to open rooms at the Hall
o
commencingeaim theA N foaramidattihoeny
had m
Commerce by the Ist of January, and also for
ofalibreat tory.
The
discuss ques-
tions connected with commercial transactions, and
especially those connected
this might cause them
m with their own calling, and
toat
fienter on the consideration
of many suti-cts which
to have an immediate relatirst sight might not appear
but they would do so onlyasto banking pursuits ;
practical
endeavour to give all their discussions men, and
practical
bearing on the objects of their profes4i a
on. It was
probablu that they would have to discuss the question
of guarantees, of matters relating to the health and
comfort of those carrying on the business of banking,
as well as that of life assurance—all of which would
be considered in their order. In their proceedings
they would follow the plan adopted by the Statis-
tic.:) Society, the Society .of Arts, and others. The
chair would be taken by one of the officers of the
institution or a member of the council, and all the
arrangemets would be made by the authority of the
council. A paper would be read which had been pre-
viously submitted to the council, who would be re-
sponsible so far as that a proper subject was selected,
but not fur any opinions which might be expressed.
At the close of the lecture there would not be any
vote taken with regard to the truth or inaccuracy of
the opinions contained in it ; but a discussion would
follow, by which it was hoped that much information
would be derived, and efforts made to apply that in-
formation practically to the wants and requirements
of their calling. The •
essay that evening would be

LONDO N,

on the question, " How far is the security of bankers'
locks affected by the recent ingenious and scientific
experiments in patent locks 11" They were much
obliged by the attendance of gentlemen who were
the inventors of the best locks of the day.
Mr. DALTON, the secretary, then proceeded to read
a paper on the subject. Few subjects connected with
the Great Exhibition excited so much interest as the
great " Lock Controversy." It was reported that a
wonderful gentleman on the other side of the water,
named Hobbs, had picked all the locks in the world ;
but nevertheless Messrs. Bramah were much surprised
when that gentleman walked into their shop and
offered to open their lock with which they had so
long defied the mechanical skill of every other
artist in that line ; but having already
opened one of Mr. Chubb's, he went to work,
and succeeded in doing so in sixteen days. After
going at length into this controversy, Mr. Dalton
proceeded to say that the great security of locks de-
pended not so much on the complication of their con-
struction as on the perfection of their make, so that
they cannot be obtained so as to be depended on
from any one but the makers. Messrs. Chubb and
Bramah's locks had been picked by Mr. Hobbs, and
therefore the question arose whether the locks
usually employed by bankers were now less secure
than before. The resistance required by these
locks was twofold, viz. :—against force and
against fraud. Robberies in banks by violence in
this country were rare, although frequent in
America. In the case of the robbery at Messrs.
Rogers and Co.'s, it was no doubt effected by fraud,
the keys having been copied. The latest burglary on
a strong-oom by violence was effected by an instru-
ment called a Jack-in-the-box, which Mr. Chubb bad
sent this evening for inspection. (The instrument
was exhibited, and the mode in which it was used
explained.) This was now provided against by Mr.
Chubb. It was a question whether Mr. Hobbs
had picked Bramah and Chubb's locks under cir-
cumstances such as robbers might employ ; and
however that might be as to Chubb's (the defect of
which had been remedied), the fact of his being
sixteen days about Bramah's seemed to be an
answer to it ; besides which Mr. Hobbs was
possessed of very extraordinary powers of manipula-
tion peculiar to himself. On the whole it seemed
that both Chubb's and Bramah's locks were nearly if
not altogether impregnable and sufficient for erdisary
security. It had been suggested, however, that every
banker should have snore than one lock, each of a
different construction, on his strong-room door, in
order to complete their security. On the whole, in
answer to the question, " How far the security of
bankers locks was affected by the recent scientific
and ingenious experiments on patent locks ?" he
should says, that although the locks had been picked,
and could be picked, it had been done under circum-
stances not likely to occur on the premises of bankers.
Mr. Cairns and Mr. BRAMAH then exhibited and
explained the principles of several locks.
Mr. BRAMAH explaimed that the lock picked by
Mr. Hobbs had been made 50 years ago, and a part of
the mechanism, which was in the locks of the present
day composed of a different material, was made of soft
iron, capable of being bent. The challenge had been
accepted on the terms proposed, and Mr. Hobbs had
opened the, locklin sixteen days ; but if the trial had
been on one of those made in modern times it would
have taken him sixteen months, if he ever did open it
at all.

Mr. HOBBS next exhibited a lock made by Messrs.
Newell, of New York, the principle of which was that
the key was formed of moveable bits, which it was in
the power of the owner of the lock to withdraw and
replace in it, so that every one, in fact, made his own
key, the changes in which were capable of being
multiplied in the lock in proportion to the bits of the
key. It is thus secure against all impressions, and
even against the maker himself. Among other pro-
perties possessed by this lock was a contrivance by
which it resisted any attempt to blow it open with
gunpowder.
After a vote of thanks to the lecturer and the gen-
tlemen who bad exhibited and explained the princi-
ples of their lacks the meeting separated.

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS.
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN
THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, NOV. 22, 1851.
Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases ...*240
Diseases of Uncertain Seat ... 37

Tubercular Diseases ... ••• ••• ••• ••• 184
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses... ... 123
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels ... ... 57
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration ... •.. ••• ••• ••• ... 256
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs
of Digestion... ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• 51
Diseases of the Kidneys, &a •• . ••• ••• 8
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &e. ......8
_

Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and "Muscles ... 9
Diseases of the Skin, &o. ... 2

Malformations... ... ... ... ... ... 3
Premature Birth ... ... .. ... ... 32
Atrophy ... ... ... ... ... ... 19
Old Age ... ... ... ... ... 53
Sudden ... ... ... ... ... ... •• • 5

Violence, Privation, Cold, and, Intemperance ... 35
Causes not specified 10

DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES ... ... 1,132
Population Deaths in corre- Deaths
Enemeraied, spending week in the
___

1851. of 1850. Week.
West Districts.— 376,332 . . 163 ... 157
North Districts.. 490,441 .. 176 ... 187
Central Districts 392,986 ... 148 ... 210
East Districts ... 485,336 ... 239 250
Smith Districts .. 616,545 ... 290 ... 328

T0ta15........ 2,361,640 ... 1,016 ... 1,132
Males ... ... ... ... ... 555
Femalas ... ... ... ... ... 577