The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-03 00:00:00

MONEY.

A correspondent of the Racing Times writes on
the above subject as follows :
Can there be any more attractive title than this ?
The commodity is easier in the City, by which is
meant that fools will be enabled to get rid of sur-
plus capital, and the numerous family of sharks are
already on the look-out. " Money" is popular
with theatrical managers—l mean the article as
coined by Lord Lytton—and is equally sought after
by the general public ; in point of fact there is a
difficulty in doing without it ; therefore, when we
see advertisements headed by the pleasant dissyl-
lable, attention is naturally drawn to what follows.
Take this as an example :—" MONEY.—Noblemen,
gentlemen, the clergy, heirs to entailed estates,
military officers, and sportsmen at large, can be
accommodated with cash to any amount on real,
leasehold, lifehold, reversionary, or other security.
Strict confidence. Address A. 8., No. —, Regent-
street, W."

The inventor of this little pleasant piece of non-
sense has no capital whatever—his object is to en-
trap the unwary, obtain acceptances, and leave
victims to pay ; at least I have sound reason for
supposing that a joint kite of self and friend, not
long since launched, can only be again secured by
parting with principal and interest. These are the
circumstances ; occasioned by general dulness in
monetary circles ; cash locked up in dilapidated
banks ;, calls on bubble companies wound up, and
so on. My friend, Mr. Giles Boshi, of one of the
Temples, inner, middle, or outer, no matter which,
discussed a budget of ways and means while in-
dulging in a rare weed from llollingsworth's cigar
divan, close to the Gallery of Illustration, in Regent-
street, on our return from Goodwood ; he knew a
" party" whose sources of capital were immense—a
financial agent ; we must do the lakes,taking Doncas-
ter en route, where several " certainties" were war-
ranted to come off, baraccidents. Our joint available
cash for luxuries only amounted to about £5O, so
that a bill was suggested, and an adjournment to
my rooms agreed upon to talk over the affair quietly.
My name was reported to be good for a moderate
amount, several members of our distinguished
family having always paid—a hundred would be a
mere bagatelle, and with care might pull us through
the northern tour; but to render the thing safer,
and allow a margin for discount and small contin-
gencies, another score should be added, so as to do
it well. Boshi said he would draw like a dray
horse, and I must accept like a racehorse, and so,
after full debate, a stamp was procured at the cost
of a couple of shillings, and he wrote thus—
" £l2O Os. Od. London, Aug. 2, 1866.
" Three months after date pay to my order one
hundred and twenty pounds, value received.

" GILES Bosh.

" To Edgardo Greenhorn, Esq.,
Gooseberry-villa, Regent-park."
On which paper I wrote across as follows :
" Accepted, payable at Messrs. Gosling, Flatte,
and Co., Fleet-street,

" EDGARGO GREENHORN."
He then appended his autograph to the back, and
the document was in full trim to be " done," and so,
as I fear, were both drawer and acceptor.
The next affair was to secure au interview with
the financial agent, and a line having been
hastily penned and despatched to that
gentleman's establishment, near the Adelphi,
we arranged to call about noon on the
following day, and the hour having arrived pro-
ceeded there accordingly, where, in a dingy office
two floors from the street, we found the great gun
with a pile of letters just opened from noblemen,
gentry, clergy, heirs to all sorts of estates, officers
of Army and Navy celebrity, and sportsmen in gene-
ral, all clamorously in search of cash. My friend
introduced the matter in a business-like
way— commented on my extensive integrity,
and blowing his own trumpet to a moderate
extent. I could scarce refrain from actually blush-
ing at the soapy style in which my real and ima-
ginary virtues were made known, of all which the
agent took notes, and was pleased to observe that,
in his vast experience, he had rarely seen a bill
which looked better—it bore the impress of sterling
worth on its front and back, and he knew the exact
locality to "plant" it.
" Don't lose sight of the fact," said, " that
the money market is unusually tight, and it is just
possible that some little delay may take place ; how-
ever, I'll do the best 1 can ; give me a look in on
Saturday at two"—on which day and hour we
called with that rigid punctuality which always
denotes your borrower, but the office was closed, a
small piece of paper wafered on the door intimating
that the party would return in ten minutes, al-
though, from the dry character of the adhering sub-
stance, it had evidently been in its position over an
hour.

We strolled along the terrace, descended below,
inspected the ruins of our celebrated Thames em-
bankment, and returned in half an hour, only to
find the paper replaced by another with these words
—" Gone to the Borough," and the writer might
have gone to the devil for any benefit which the
document could communicate to an anxious appli-
cant ; whereupon Mr. Boshi dropped his card in the
box with a note, in pencil, that he would call at
eleven on Monday, where he arrived with his accus-
tomed punctuality, and knocking, a sharp, small
boy cautiously opened the door, and the following
colloquy took place :

" Mi. Ilawliie at home?"
" No, sir."

" Where is he ?"

" Gone to Cap'n Larky, sir, at his barricks, Bird
cage-walk. Your name Boshi, sir ? Note fur you,
sir ;" and he handed him a hastily-written slip—
" Shall be in the City at one. Meet me at Thin-
slice's luncheon-bar. Good news."

I accompanied him to the spot in question, where
some fifty or so curious looking fellows were en-

gaged in disposing of the largest quantity of mixed
messes, in the smallest possible time. Mr. Hawke
was spotted after some trouble joking with a
showily-dressed young lady, " Take anything,
gents ?" inquired an active-looking waiter who
had evidently been out all night, " Roce beef, rote
mutton, veal and ham well done, stood-eals, cutlets,
and musherrooms" all in a breath ; but we declined
the rough delicacies, and as time was precious se-
cured our man, and taking a cab were driven
down east to a very dismal-looking place on the
railing, in front of which was a plate, "Mr.
Naylor, navy agent." On entering the cave it ap-
peared the very ideal of a miser's abode ; a half-
starved object said his governor was engaged very
particularly with two gents from the west, probably
on the same errand as ourselves, as a Hansom cab
stood at an inn opposite. We looked at an old
almanack, over which was a card printed, "Time is
money—transact your business—and go about your
business," exactly what we came for, and about five
minutes the" gents" having fulfilled their mission
we were ushered in, and I at once felt that our pro-
spects in this quarter were hopeless. Hawke, how-
ever, introduced us, said we were the parties he had
written about—the bill was good as the bank, in-
deed better than a great many. He took it out
of a drawer, among several others, at the
same time running his rule over us, and
apparently taking stock of probabilities.
" Goodish amount ?" he said inquiringly,
" 'commodation I s'pose ?" The reply was affirma-
tively given, Boshi as drawer entering into explana-
tions of prospects, &c. " Sure to be honoured
at maturity," he remarked. "Of course," replied
Air. Naylor. " Never knew a bill that was'nt"—and
rummaging in an old and very large kind of wallet
continued musingly, " Here's an octave of fine old
port and a quarter cask of sherry—the too's cheap
at thirty pound—then let us see, here's a tea
warrant Souchong with Pekoe flavour fifteen dis.
(looking at the bill) twelve, together fifty-seven ;
your commission Mr. Hawke, six makes sixty-three,
so if I give a cheque for fifty-seven that'll be about
the thing."

We looked amazed, and informed the Navy man
sharply that we did not intend embarking either
in the wine or grocery trades, and wanted all cash,
and nothing else, when he indignantly shut up his
drawer, threw the bill at us, opened the door and
called our attention to the card over his almanac,
and muttering something about our friend's introduc-
tion, directed his clerk to show us out. Mr. Hawke
began to upbraid Boshi for his foolish and intem-
perate conduct, the warrants being convertible at a
small sacrifice; but he would try another channel of
a different kind on the following day, and we left
him " hoping against hope," and considering our
prospects of Doncaster and the lakes reduced to a
fishy character.

Nearly a week elapsed, during which we paid oc-
casional visits to the Adelphi without success ;
detective officer was watching the place, as we
afterwards heard, when one evening a laconic note
arrived appointing a meeting at an old-fashioned
tavern in the city, one of the few remaining, where
we went and saw the landlord, a portly-looking
Boniface, who, on stating our business, took the
little kite from his pocket, but as dinner was an-
nounced he could not go into matter until after-
wards. The hour (two o'clock) was very early,
but there appeared to be no way of escaping, so
we sat down with about a score of City
men and partook of a'substantial spread, astonish-
ing our fellow guests by ordering a small
bottle- of cliquot, the same of sherry, and at the
host's especial solicitation a bottle of old crusted
—afterwards Boshi pronounced it to be " young
crummy"—but never mind. In due time all the
customers, save ourselves, departed, and "business"
was commenced by the negotiant arriving, and the
landlord praising his " crusted," which he said was
" Thompson and Croft's," it might have emanated
from Smith and Jones, for aught we knew or cared;
but another bottle was suggested, and as the party
now numbered four we could hardly escape without
offence. Pending this interesting performance our
host had some subdued conversation with the agent
at the window, and then resuming his seat and
taking out a pocketbook, said,—,4 Two dozen
Thompson and Croft, at 965., nine-twelve ; three
Amontillado, 725., ten-sixteen; two Mortell's choice,
845., eight-eight; three Dew from top of Ben Nevis,
245., three-twelve—i 32 Bs. There's a bit of good
stiff from a young gent. in the Customs, only
six weeks to run for forty, and this with my cheque
post-dated a fortnight, for £47 125., makes it up,
charging you no discount. Just imagine our indig-
nation as we declined to deal, and, and calling the
waiter, paid a score of lls., and departed. Mr.
Hawk requested another try—he knew two good
business men who dealt in " outside paper," which
he was pleased to designate our joint production ;
one lived at Westminster, and proved to be a small
carpenter, and on the next day we were introduced,
when an offer was made to " do " the document
provided we would taken four dozen coffins.
,‘ Coffins ! " screamed Boshi.

" Cawfins," stolidly replied the carpenter, " inch-
and-arf chum—ready market these times—can't do
better for you gentlemen—trade very dull just now."
We left our Westminster man with very peculiar
ideas of the discounting trade since all the great
houses in that line have collapsed.
A further trial was promised by our enterprising
agent, and he took the bill, but we have not heard
from him since ; his office is closed, and his door
ornamented with a padlock. The document will
probably turn up one day extensively indorsed,
and prove to be held by a bona fide holder for
value.

ABSCONDING OF A SAVINGS BANKS MANAGER.—
Mr. Haddock, the manager of the Liverpool Savings Bank,
has absconded. For some time past he has been living at
an extravagant rate at Southport, but it does not seem
that his defalcations at the bank have been of importance.
A lady depositor wrote to him asking that he would draw
for her and remit the amount of her deposits—£.6o. He
drew the money, but did not remit, although the lady
wrote to him repeatedly. At last the matter came to the
knowledge of the managing trustees, and after staying from
several meetings on the plea of ill-health, he at length
disappeared. He had at the time about £9O in cash. An
accountant has been hard at work at the books for about a
week, but has not yet found any further deficiencies. Mr
Haddock's salary was £6OO a year. -
THE NEW BUILDINGS OF THE LONDON UNIVER-
SITY.—We are able to state that the Chief Commissioner
of WTorks has decided upon the plans for the new build-
ings of the London University at the back of Burlington
House. Mr. Pennethorne, architect to the Board of Works,
having furnished two designs, one in a classic style, the
other in what is called Italian Gothic, Lord J. Manners has
chosen the latter, and in the course of to-day or to-morrow
Messrs. Jackson and Shaw, who hold the contract for the
works up to the street level, will commence the excava-
tions. The design chosen, although somewhat highly deco-
rated, has substantial features, and is on the whole creditable
to Mr. Pennethorno, while Lord J. Manners has shown his
usual good taste in rejecting the rather squat design
which represented the classic side of the attempt. There
is no doubt that the now building will be, when completed,
a very decided ornament to the Bond-street section of
London, and will increase beyond measure the appearance
of Burlington-gardens, now defaced by a smoke-blacked
brick wall. The promptitude which has marked the com-
mencement of the work will, under the present Board of
Works, characterise the whole of the undertaking, and
bring it to a speedy conclusion. Meanwhile the
Royal Academicians have not been idle. It has
not, indeed, been decided whether the Colonnade
which is at present a noble feature of the court-yard
of Burlington House, is to be removed, but the brick
screen will come down, and the front will be remodelled,
although the central portion of Burlington-house will not
be reconstructed. The building on the left, now occupied
by sundry scientific societies, and that on the right, used
as offices for the London University, will bo pulled down
and re-built from designs by Messrs. Banks and Barry,
who will, no doubt, make their work harmonise with
the central building. With the construction of 'the
rooms in the now Royal Academy, Mr. Sydney Smirke,
R.A., is charged, and it is believed that ho will
give to the distinguished body of which ho is a
member a suite of apartments at which art critics
will not cavil, and which will be worthy at once of the
Academy and of the pictures of the future. With the out-
lines of the arrangements for the remodelling of the Na-
tional Gallery, now, happily, the property of the nation,
without any quasi proprietary rights vested in any private
body, our readers aro already acquainted, but we believe
it has been arranged that each of the selected competitors
shall send in two distinct designs, one for altering the
present buildings, and the other for a reconstruction de
novo. For this latter scheme wo must express our decided
preference, even though it should cost rather more money.
—Herald.