Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-09-05
THE BANK OF ENGLAND.
FROM MR.. WEEDS LETTERS FROM ABROAD.
London. July Is.

FROM mr. WEEDS LETTERS FROM ABROAD.
London, July Is.
We avail ourselves this morning Of
the permission obtained by Mr. Wiggin 10
visit the BInk Of England. An official
(Macer or UAher) with laced dress coat
and three cornered hat, escorted Us TO
another servant OF the bank, who took
us leisurely through an Institution that is
so potent in controlling and regulating
the money pusations of Europe. 1t isl
situated on Thread needle street, but
fronts on half dozen others, and Occu-
pies an irregular area Of eight acres.-
There are no windows through the ex-
terror Of the building, light being sup.
piled by aky lights and open courts with
in. There is clock by which Bank
time is kept, with dials indicating the
time in sixteen different Offices. The
Bank with its various offices is open
from 0 A. Nj till 5 p M. The Bank has
its printing Office, book bindery, engra-
wing office, &c, &c. Checks, blank
books, &c. sc. are all printed within the
Bank, as are the Bank notes. In the
room where the circulating notes are
printed. there are eight presses constant.
" employed, and which throw off about
5000 impressions daily. We saw two
presses rolling off five pound notes; and
others upon the various denominations
up to El000, which is The largest note
the bank issues. The dates and num-
bers Of tho notes are supplied by similar
presses in another room. The paper il
delivered 10 the presses counted (a hun
dred sheets at time and when worked
and returned, another hundred sheets
are given. Pressmen work ive hour:
and earn from two to three guIneas 1
week. In the Office where redeemed
notes are examined, cancelled, &C., l3(
clerks are constantly employed. WheT
we entered this room, our attendant was
sharply reprimanded for bringing stran
gers there, but, upon being informed
that il was by "the Governors order,
we we're allowed 10 pass. Forty thou
sand different notes are frequently sent t,
this office 10 be Cancelled in day. Tn,
Bank, you know, never reissues note
When returned this counter for payment
nent note is Cancelled, fled away 10 b.
burnt at the expiration Of ten years -
The ArmOry Of the Bank contains an hun
dred stand Of muskets, with pistols, cut
lasses, band.grenades, &c. &C., and ha
night guard 3S strong. 10 the offic,
where the Bank notes are counted int
parcels, tied with twine and placed i,
pidgeon holes, we found FIVE stsid, me
thodical, matter or fact looking clerks
whom you would trust for their faces =
One Of these old chaps, with the pre-
cision of"Old Owen" and the good ma
ture Of "Tim Linkinwater," took hi
. keys and unlocked the deposilories {
, paper wealth. The rags of each de
] nomination were in separate PARCELS
r When we came 10 the 'high number, b
. placed four packages in my hand, an
remarked, "You now hold E4,000,0O
sterling in your hand sir!" Yes, actl
ally was 10 possession oftwenty millior
Of dollars, sum much larger than Ii
whole estate oil John Jacob ASlor! b
}, it all returned TO its pidgeon hole, an
I left mo a far happier man than thoi
. who are encumbered with such owe
r grown fortunes. Another Of the o
). clerks opened the golden dormitorie
4 where repose an endless number Of bag
!. each containing eight hundred sovereigl
/ We were next and finally conducted
4 a subtt franesn region enriched by 60
q and silver bullion. Here bars Of Il
precious metals were as plentifllly hea
!. Cd as those ofirOn ahd steel ale in Il
stores Of our friends Benedict, TcwnseT
!, and Corning. The silver we did n
. meddle with, but we handled bars
i gold, each weighing eight thousaI
I pounds sterling, that were piled in ba
row. loads Of seventy thousand poun,
sterling each. Much of this bullion VI
, recently received from China,asa an inst
ment upon the sum John Bull makes Ii
! Celestials pay for their obstinate refus
to take opium The Bank Of Englar
has now, in paper and specie, nearly
millions of pounds sterling. There a
eight hundred persons. in its various d
partments, constantly employed with
its walls.