Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-12-29
a &c, Into ths. .Isanls 81. Hs gland

The Bank Of England must be seen on
the inside as well as out, and to 90 into
the interior Of this remarkable building, IL
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.
The building occupies an irregular area OF
eight acres Of ground-an edifce 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 adj
mission, into private room, where after a
delay OF few moments, messenger came
and conducted ne through the mighty and
mysterious building. Down we went into
a room where the notes Of the bank, receiv-
ed the day before, We're now examined,
compared with the entries in the book, and
slowed away. The Barr Of England ney-
er issues the same note a second time. 1t
receives in the ordinary course of business,
about 100000, or $4,O00,O00, daily in
notes; these are put up into parcels accord
| inc to their denominations, boxed up with
the date Of their reception, and are 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. If, in the course of these ten
years, any dispute in business, or law suit
should arise concerning the payment OF
any note, the bank can produce the identi-
cal bill.
To meet the demand for notes SO con-
stantly used up, the bank has its own pa
per makers, its own printers, its own en-
gravers, all the work under the same roof,
and il even makes the machinery by which
the most of its own work is done. A com
plicated but beautiful operation is a 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 can not manufacture a
single sheet of blank notes that is not re-
corded in the bank.
On the same principle ofneatness, a shaft
is made to pass from one apartment to an
other, connecting clock in sixteen BUSH
ness wings of the establishment, and regu-
lating them with such precision that the
whole Of them are always pointing to the
same second Of time. Inanother room was
machine, exceedingly simple, for detect
ing light gold coin. A row of them j:
dropped one by one upon spring scale
IF the piece OF gold was of the standard
weight, the scale rose to a certain height
and the coin slid off upon the side Of the
box; if less than the standard, it rose a lit
tie higher and the coin slid off upon the
other side. / asked the weighers what
was the average number Of light coins that
came into his hands, and, strangely enough
he said it was question he was not allow
ed to answer.
The next room / entered was that II
which the notes are deposited which ere
ready for issue.
I'VE have thirty-two millions OF pounds
sterling in this room," the officer remarked
to me; evil you take a little Of it I"
told him it would be vastly agreeable, ane
he handed me million sterling, $4,000,
OoO,l which received with many thanks
for bis liberality, but he insisted on my de
posting it with him again, as il woule
hardly be safe to carry 50 much money into
the street. very much fear that | shall
never see that money again. In the yaul
beneath the door was director and the
cashier, counting the bags Of gold which
men were pitching down to them, eact
/ bag containing a thousand pounds sterling
lust from the mint This world of money
seemed to realize the fables Of eastern
wealth, and gave me new and strong i'm
pressions Of the magnitude Of the business
done here, and the extent of the relations
Of this one institution to the commerce Q
The world.