The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1879-07-26
THE BANK OF ENGLAND.

THE BANK OF ENGLAND.
The Bank OF England is q building
covering about eight acres Of ground
near the Mansion House and Exchange.
in tho business part of the city of Lon
don. It's present work and grandeur is
the work Of nearly one hundred and fifty
years OF the most skillful mechanics the
empire could produce. The "Grocers'
Criterion" says 1t transacted Its business
at first and for many years OF what was
known as the "Grocers' Hail." A part
of the foundation OF the present building
Was laid In 1882, and during that and the
following year the building was erected.
and It was supposed that II was finished;
bat the increase OF business soon made
il necessary also to enlarge their room,
and hencs addition after addition has
been added until IL has reached It's pres.
snt imposing dimensions. The first and
main object which the architect seems to
have had in view was to make it burglar
proof, while at the same time he did not
neglect to give 1t the appearance OF
wealth and sfluence. 1t can we'll be
seen. neither Is IL denied, that the orig.
inal design was copied from the Temple
OF Venus, not, however, without making
many changes and Improvements with
view of giving It more modern appear.
snce. The long. unsightIy and gloomy
walls Of the Temple Of Venus have their
monotony obvisted by lofty, highly orna-
mented arches projecting in bold relief
over the doors and windows; the doors
being also ornamented With auted COL.
umns Of the Corinthian order which sup.
port eatablatures of the most approved
style and crowned with elevated turrets.
The building itself is indeed partly an
underground building. and by far the
largest number Of rooms as we'll as the
most important part OF the structure is
below tho surface Of the ground. Some
Of these underground departments are SO
situated that not ray of sunlight can
ever enter them, and yet it is said that
since they were arst occupied lover
hundred years ago), they wore never q
moment. night or day, without being
brilliantly illuminated by artificial light.
The light used for this purpose is of
such peculiar arrangement and 20
much like tho light of day that strangers
have been known 10 visit the room and
90 away without ever discovering that
the sights they beheId was by artificial
light. The main entrance to the bank
is from Threadneedle street. There is
smother door opening on Prince street.
Tho osnamenting of this stupendous
piece Of mechanism is beyond descrip.
ton. On the north and west are several
wings or buildings, which add very much
to tho grandeur Of the main building.
There 10 what might be called standing
army Of ssn.inels dressed in scarlet uni.
form, so stationed that the entire outside
building is always under most vigilant
sentinels. Besides these, there arc also
. GLASS of servants whose duty It is to
receive and conduct visitors; these are
uniformed in red vests and brown coats.
II 10 useless to attempt to give dsscrip-
ton Of the architectural construction of
the interior Of the worlds wonder. SUI.
fee is to say that the business carried on
IN 1t, both as to extent as we'll as the
peculiar manner in which II 10 conducted,
il no less wonder than the building
itself. II has been called perfect clock
work, and not without reason, as Il is
governed BY an immense clock. which is
20 constructed as to show the exact time
In twenty different rooms; tho communi.
cation from the clock to these rooms Is
maintained by over 700 pounds OF brass
rods. This magnificent and costly struo.
ture 10 only the outer case, the interna,
machinery Of which is the main.sprine,
or he motive power, ruling and govern
ing tho financial and commercial rela.
lions Of all Europe. togsther with parts
Of Asia and Africa, as well as all the
British possessions Of North America,
and the Islands Of tho sea. Over $4,000
notes. amounting to G1,0O0. 900, are paid
daily; notes that have been paid have
the corner cut of. holes punched
through them, and kept on file Eve
years. All the notes are printed in the
bank. and the printing machine keeps a
record Of them % 1t prints. As there
are over fifty thousand Of them printed
svsry day, on each note the name, date
and numbsr Is printed. saving time,
trouble and expense. There are 1900
psssons employed ~ laborers In the