Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-04-27
TIE BlNA GF EYGLiyD

&
have been making a most interesting
ana instructive visit t. the Bank of Eng
/ iahd For admission into the interior of
this remarkable building, to observe the
operations OF an institution that eye-ts
more political power than any cover.
eign III Europe, you must have an order
from the Governor of the bank. ana this
was gwen to me through the Barings.
whose kindness, especially that of Mr.
Sturgiss, | have constantly experienced
The bank building occupies an irregular
area OF eight acres Of ground an odiHce
OF no architectural beauty. with not enc
window towards the streets. being lighted
altogether from the roof on the enclosed
Arrears. The ordinary business apart
ments dliter from those in our banks only
IN tAer extent, thousand clerks being
constantly on duty aud driven with busI,
ness at that Bat TO form an ADEQUATE
idea Of what the bank is. we must 6eae-
trate its recess, its vaults aud Offices. where
we shall see such operations as are not
known ii Wall street [ was led. on nre-
sentlng my card Of admission into nri
Vate room, where, after the delay of few
moments, messenger came and conduct
Ell me through the mighty and mysterious
building Down we went into a room
where the notes Of the bank received YES
terday, were examined. compared with the
entries on the books, and stored away.
Tie Bl5tE IF Eaglaad ucyer Issues tie
same note a Sec0Rd time 1t receives in
toe ordinary course Of business about
2S00.09e, or $1,000 600. daily in notes
these are put up IN parcels according t.
their denomination, boxed up. with tae
date OF their reception, and are kent ten
years at the expiration of which period
they are taken out and ground up in the
mili, which l saw running and made again
into paper. If in the course OF those
ten years any dispute in business or law
should arise concerning the payment OF
any note, the bank can produce the iden-
teal ball 10 meet the demand for notes
50 constantly used up, the bank has its
own paper maker, It's own printers. and
It's own eagvaver, all at work under the
same rcof, and it even makes the machiGe
~ by which the most of its own work IS
done complicated but beautiful op.
Grafton IS register. extending from the
printing Offices to the banking Offices.
ThIch marks every sheet Of paper which
Is struck off from the press, 50 that the
printers cannot print a single sheet Of the
blank notes, that IS not recorded in the
bank. On the same principle of exact
ness, shalt : made to pass from one
apartment to another connecting Il clock
1T sjXteou business wings Of the establish
meat, and regulating them with sach pre-
cI-ion that the whole Of them are point-
Ing to the same second cf time
In another room was a machine. exceed
ingty simple, for detecting ligat gold coins
X row OF them dropped one by oae unon
. spring scale If the piece Of gold was
Of the standard weight. the scale rose to
a certain height, and the coin slid of up-
on one side into a box if less than the
standard, 1t rose a little higher, and the
Coin slid off upon the otLer side I ask
ed the weigher what was the average
number Of light coins that came into his
hands and. strangely enough. he said it
was question he WAS not allowed to an
swcr.
The next room I entered was that in
which the notes are deposited which are
ready for issue We have thirtv-two
millions Of pounds sterling in this room
the officer remarked to me "will Won
l
would be vastly agreeable, and he handed
me 4 million sterling Give millions Of dol
lars.) which | received with MANY thanks
for his libcraiity; bat he insisted on nv
depositing it with him again, as it would
be hardly safe to carry 50 much money
into the street. | very much fear that |
shall never see that money again. In the
yau't beneath the floor was director aud
cashier, counting tie bags Of gold. which
men were pitching down to them. each
bag containing a thousand pounds sterl-
ing. just from the mint. This world Of
money seemed to realize the fables Of
Eastern wealth, and gave new and strong
Impressions Of the magnitude of the bus
mess done here, and the extent Of this /
one institution on the commerce Of the I
world --L0nio1t coyresp95laeyn y Y TLi- .
taylle.