Pointe Coupee Democrat. [volume] (False River [i.e. New Roads], Parish of Pointe Coupee [La.]) 1858-1862, 1860-12-22
A Peep into the Bank Of England.

The Bank Of England must he seen on
the inside as we'll rs ont, and to- 90 into
the interior of this remarkable building.
| to observe the operations Of an institu-
tion that excrts more moral and political
power than any sovereign in Europe,
you must have an order from the Cover
nor of the Bank. The building occupies
an irregular area of eight acres of ground
AN cdifice Of no architectural beauty,
with not one window towards the street,
being lighted altogether from the roof
of the enclosed area.
was led, on presenting my card of
admission. into a private room, where,
after delay of q few moments, mes
senger came and conducted me through
the mighty and mysterious building.
Down we went into room where, the
notes of the bank, received the dav be.
fore, were now examined, compared with
the entries in the book, and slowed away.
The Bank of England never issues tho
same note the second time. 1t receives
III the ordinary course of business about
$500, 900, or $4,000 900, daily in notes;
these are put up into parcels according
to their denominations, boxed up with
the date of their reception, and arc kept
ten years: at the expiration of which
period they are taken out and ground up
iii the mill, which | saw running, and
made again into paper If, in the course
OF these ten years, any dispute in busi-
ness, or law suit should arise concerning
the payment of any note, the bank can
produce the Identical bill.
To meet the demand for notes so con-
stantly used up, the bank has it's own
paper-nakers, its own printers, it's own
cngravers, all the work under the same
roof, and it even makes the machinery
by which the most of it's own work is
done. A complicated but beautiful ope-
ration is register, extending from the
printing office to the banking offices.
which marks every sheet of paper that
is struck off from the press, so that the
printers cannot manufacture single
sheet OF bank notes that is not recorded
in the bank. #16
On the same principle of neatness,
shaft is made to pass from one apart
ment to another, connecting clock in
sixteen business wings of the establish
Inent, and regulating them with such
precision that the whole Of them are al
ways pointing to the same second of
time. In another room was machine.
exceedingly simple, for detecting light
gold coin. A row of them is dropped
'ne by ono upon spring scale. If the
piece of gold was of the standard weight,
he scale rose to certain hight, and the
;oin slid off upon the side Of the box;
f less than the standard, it rose a little
higher, and the coin slid off upon the
'ther side. | asked the wciglcr what
vas the average number of light coins
hat came into his hands, and, strangely
noush, he said it was question lie was
rot allowed to answer.
The next room entered was that in
which the notes are deposited which arc
eady for issue. s
We have thirty two millions of
'ounds sterling in this room.n the officer
emarkcd to me; twill you take little
{ 1t p told him it would be vastly
greeabIe, and he handed me million
terling, ($5, 600. .oo0,) which l received
nth many thanks for his liberality, but
e insisted on my depositing it with him
gain, as it would hardly be safe to car
so much money into the street. ] -
cry much fear that I shall never sec
lat money again. In the vault beneath
ie door was director and the cashier,
'unting the bags Of gold which men
ere pitching down to them, each bag
'ntaining a thousand pounds sterling.
'st from the mint This world of money
.emed to realize the fable of eastern
ealth, and gave me new and strong
,pressions of the magnitude Of the
1siness done here, and the extent Of
e relations Of this one institution to
e commerce of the world.