Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-09-08
rhe nanlr 81 nngland.

A correspondent of the New York Observer,
writing from London, gives an interesting account
of visit to the "old Lady of Thread needle
street." as the Bank of England is sometimes call
ed by the Lundoners. He says:
have been making most interesting and in
structive visit to the Bank of England. For adj
mission into the interior of this remarkable build
ing to observe the operations Of an institution that
exerts more moral and political power than any
sovereign in Europe, you must have an order from
the Governor of the Bank, and this was given to
nue. through the Earrings, whose kindness, especial
ly that of Mr.. Sturgis, have constantly e&peren-
ced. The bank building occupies elght acres OF
ground, an edice ofno Architectural beauty, with
not one window Il wards the streets, being lighted
altogether from the roof of the enclosed areas
The ordinary business apartments differ from those
in our banks only in then extent thousand clerks
being constantly on duty, and driven with business
at that.
U.s. we must penetrate its receSSeS, its vaults and
offices, where we shall see such operations are
not known in Wall street. was led on present.
ing my card of admission, into private loom,
where, after the delay of few moments, mes-
Senger came aud conducted me Though the nigh
~ and mysterious building, Down we went into
room where the notes of the bank received yes
terday were now examined, compared with the en-
tries on the books, and stored away. The Bank
| of England TIeUer issues the note a second
/
about $4,000 or "a DOC, QUO daily IN notes;
| these are put up parcels according 10 their de-
nomination, boxed up with the date OF their re-
ception, and nre kept ten years; at the expiration
of which period they are taken out and ground up
in the mill which saw running, and made again
into paper. II in thecourSe of those ten years any
dispute in business or law suit should arise con-
cerning the payment of any note, the bank can
produce the identical bill. TO meet the demand
for notes SO constantly used up, the bank has its
own paper makers, its own printers, Its own en-
grayerS, all at work under the same roof, and it
even makes the machinery by which most of lis
work is done.
complicated but beautiful operation is a reg
lister, extending from the printing offices, which
marks every sheet of paper which is struck oil
from the press, so that the printers cannot print
single sheet of blank notes that Is not recorded IN
| the bank. On the same principle OF exactneSs
shaft is made to pass ftom one compartment 10 an
other, connecting clock in sixteen business
wings of the establishment, and regulating them
with such precision that the whole OF them are
| pointing TO the same second oil time!
| In another room machine exceedingly
simple for detecting light gold CONS: a row of
them is dropped one by one upon spring scale;
if the scale rose TO certain height, and the coin
slid off upon one side into Tin box, ii less than
the standard, it little higher, and the coin
slid off upon the otheS side. asked the weigher
what was the average number OF light coins that
came into his hands, and strangely enough lie said
| it was question he was not allowed TO answer
The next room entered that IN which the
notes are deposited which are ready for issue
'We have thirty-two millions CT pounds sterling
in this room,' the officer remarked TO mes will you
take little of it,? l told him 1t would be very
agreeable, and he handed me million sterling,
Give million dollars which received with many
thanks for his hberalty; but he insisted on my de-
posting it with him again. it would be hardly
I safe to carry so much money into the Stteet. l
very much fear that shall never see that money
) again. In the vault beneath the floor was Iii.
rector, and the cashier counting the bugs OF gold
which men were pitching down to them, each Dag
containing a thousand pound sterling just from
the mint. This world of money seemed 10 realize
the fables of Eastern wealth, and gave inc new
! and strong impressions of tie magnitude of the
business done Iere and the extent OF the influence
Of this one institution on the commerce OF The
world.