The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1838-07-06
From Browns Literary Omnibus.
BANK OF ENGLAND.


seeing IN London than that of the interior
OF the Bank Of England. However en-.
larged may have been the strangers ideas
81 the extent Of the establishment, the ac.
tual thing itself Is sure TO exceed them he
fancies, when taken from one apartment TO
another, that he is never TO see the whole
place and he wonders as he goes from one
part Of It TO another, and sees SO many per.
sons buslly employed IN them all, how there
can be occupation for SO many. But, that
department Of the Bank which, as might be
expected, strikes the stranger with the
greatest aslonIshmenI, is the large room,
where the ordinary transaction OF paying
ia ana taking out money occurs. The
number Of Individuals employed IN this de-
parimeni OF the bank alone Is, | should sup
pose, from rough guess, from seventy 10
eighty. Then there is the everlasting bus.
tie caused by people coming in and going
out, on the outside Of the counters. This
department indeed, has all the appearance
Of a market, place. There is crowd of
persons constantly present, and they are al.
ways moving as If IN the open streets. But
the most interesting Sigh, Of all, and that
winch is sure 10 rIyet the Strangers eve a.
tlAedly as II there were some charm 10 il,
- The quantity al gold he sees lying scat.
tered on all parts OF the counters, coupled
with the large bundles Of notes he sees 10
he hands Of the payers aud receivers
Soverelgns lie here aud there IN heaps, like
- many mountains IN miniature. Addison
describes 10 his own SIMPLE, bu, expressive
language, The annoyance which the poor
peasants IN the South uf Europe must feel,
Shen they sec the ora0ges growing 10 such
numbers on the trees around them, and vet
dare not touch one Of them. | have often
thought the feeling Of person with an emp.
y purse, WHO secs sovercIgns ~ such album.
dance on the counters Of the Bank Of Eag
land, and Vel dare not finger them, must be
something similar, and as If to aggrayaie
this feeling, he sees the clerks thrown
Them about With an air Of as much seemiua
indifference as If they were lumber. The
extent oi business done ~ this department
OF 'hr Bank IN the course day, IS great.
luagIne WITHIN the bounds Of probability.
| ana assured by ono Who has been many
years 10 the establishment, that 10 the artI
Gle q sosefelgns alone, keeping cut OF view
bank notes, quarter OF a milton will some
tunes exchange hands between the bank
and rs creditors, 10 the course OF the eight
hours the establishment Is open. | have
heard the entire amour, Of money, iuclud
ing bank post bills, DC, which is turned
over, On 40 average, 10 Que day at the
Bank, yatinusly estimated. TIE lowest
estimate IS 1000, 0o0l, and the highest ?,
SEQ ,O00i. The quantity Of business arising
sran private accounts is very great the
number OF these yaues as matter OF course.
| believe II Is al present between twelve and
fourteen thousand.
have spoken Of the surprise amounting
20 seulidermen:, which stranger feels 90
his first gong through the bank Of England.
Those who visit the establishment TO re
crtye the dividends on the public funds, are
banded about from place 10 place before
they finger the money, that they feel the
necessity VI guide as sensIbly rs II they
had lost their way IN some unknown region,
II is quite common TO see persons asking
the way from one particular department. to
another, Just as a stranger does the way
from one street 10 another.
have said that on all occasions The prln.
cipa apartment Of the Bank is crowded
With persons husIy engaged IN paying away
and receiving money but 10 see the bust.
ness done al the Bank 10 the greatest ad
vantage, Il Is necessary 10 visit the estab
hshment on the first day on which the halt,
yearly dividends are payable. The scene
which Is then exhibited is indeed worth
seeing. All the apartments for the various
kinds Of stocks, and the passages leading
from one part of the establishment TO anoth.
er, are crowded with persons of both sexes
and u all classes. One may, on such &C.
casions, phllosophze to some advantage on
human nature. A large portion OF those
who draw their dividends on the first day
on which they are payable, are persons who
live up TO their incomes, II not above them,
and who choose rather TO get into debt than
w ''uti tUtlt stbCh' iuVfS az o'"N''
who are mlsers, and whose sole delight con.
slSts IN adding one sum 10 another. Such
persons usually make a point OF drawing
the amount oil their money the moment IL
becomes due; their eyes feast on the very
sight of gold. Then see the diversity OF
characters, aud the varied circumstances OF
those that have money in the funds. You
may, on dividend day, see persons receiving
their interest on large sums, for whose en-
tire wardrobe YOU would not give SIX pence,