The Delta independent., 1890-11-04
LONDON BANK 1ELLERs.


4 London bank teller. says the Bos-
ton Commercial Bulletin, always expert
ences a feeling of relief when he finds
his money correct at the close Of FRI
lays work, and this feeling is usually
shared in by the rest Of the stan, who
San not leave the bank until he either
discovers his error or satisfies himself
as to the actual shortage The great
bulk Of the shortages made across bank
counters in England arc believed 70 oo-
cur On th.t day.
Next in order Of bad days for the toll
er, or cashier, As he Is designated in
London, comes Saturday, but there the
bad luck is intetltgible. Saturday Il
wages day, and NO sooner has the teller
filled his till and loaded up his shelves
with silver In e5 and f10 bags than the
lays work sets in like dood. Until
twelve o'clock he is paying away with
both hands; after that hour, II hs Is .
receiving clerk As we'll, he begins to re-
,cive heavily, for Saturday is also the
last day of the week, and every ono
elects that the bank should receive his
deposits rather than that he should keep
them in his own less secure custody ovov
Sunday. --=%
In beginning work ON Saturday the
London teller faces An open mahogany
oounter, OF which the portion controlled
BY his desk is probably six feet long by
three feet wide. Ho likes to have .
good, square view Of his customer, and
1t is one OF the canons Of British bank
Ing that the eyes Of the stan shall com
mand the counter. With such an open
counter the chief clerk IL able 70 keep
the whole field under his eye st one
time, and TO relieve the overstrain At
any particular desk. The effect Of the
exposed condition Is beneficial. too, on
tho staff. tho members Of which pro-
moro closely 10 business while under the
eyes Of the public.
The London teller Is quick manipu-
lator Of coin. This Is largely owing to
the fact that tho smallest note issued In
London Is Of the value Of Is or 995.
When asked for gold in . greater
amount than his eye can count IT .
glance, tho teller, after counting 1t
quickly with pisnoforte motion.
throws 1t with his copper scoop into his
faithful scales, and 50 checks his count
The weights Of those scales are arranged
in suitable numbers. The teller also
checks the gold which hc receives by
weight, and. here his knowledge OF his
business will be tested. Ono hundred
now sovereiFns are Of full weight, rath-
er more in fact, but the same number
taken at haphazard will be found TO be
nearly half sovereign Tor y per oent.)
short in weight while 100 pounds stos-
ling in ordinary half sovsreigns are
sometimes 20 shillings Tor per cent?
short in value. The teller can quickly
satisfy himself - 70 whether tho de-
.h"jerey"!.''c caused by shortage in tho
weigh. or the count by dividing the
amount and weighing one moicty
against the other. II they balance
evenly the count is correct and the dif-
ference is duo to underweight II the
latter exceeds the average stated the
coin will need TO be specially examined;
thcre is probably something wrong.
The edge of the English bank counter
is provided with lip 70 prevent the
coin from rolling over and 70 aid tho
teller in scooptag up the money. Tho
toller usually counts with the arst two
fingers Of both hsaAs, simultaneously;
Ssneanss he uses six nnsess. and .
teller hAs beeu known 70 count four
hundred and City sovereigns. in one
minute, working assinst time. An sx-
pert teller will count one hundred
pounds sterling valuo Of silver In sevcn
minutes. When It Is remem bored that
the coins are always .mixed. and consist
Of sixpenoes. shillings. norins. half.
crowns and crowns, with never deoi.
NAL convenience among them. this will
reasonably be oonsidersd - remark
able fest.
The annual loss from wear and 'teAr Of
gold coin In England by resson Of ths
absence Of small notes 10 almost incred-
ibie. In Scotland the Issue Of one
pound sterling notes displaoes geld -
great extent. The Scotch teller cxcels
in counting paper money. In .hageriag
buAdle Of notes he 10 king ef nea.
Placing the packets aprigAt against his
left palm, and seizing tho top corner ~
tweon the finger and thumb Of his right
hand, he Will turh oves tho aotes 20
quickly that an ordinary observer will
bs ~ entirely deceived - BY the three
card trick, and will probably oouns bAly
sixteen or sevekteen 10 The teilsr's
twenty. Then, v check his count, he
will either sltefnate.his hands, or, plac-
Ing the nosss horizontally IN his ooun-
ter, he will count them toward himself
sith tho sams paralysing speed.
The Scotch counter 10 twice ~ Wide -
the London ono: II y elevstcA In the
ceuser and 70 minus tho rim, which fA-
cilitAtes the English tellsr's dexserity
with the ooia. The Scotch Sellsr in "a.
inburgh II rallied In. His domsin 70 .
little island by issslf, hs takes no re-
sponsibillty, he carries NO balances In
his head, and will not look at check
uutil tbs ledger clerk, far Oh In the cor.
ner, has countersigned IL.
An advantage which the Eaglish toll.
q poasesses over the American and the
Scotch teller lies In the fact that he Ia.
sues clean notes only. Tho Rank OF
England has tho exclusive privilege Of
note issues In London asd withina radl.
Ms OF SIXTY miles, . right Conferred for
aoertain valuable consideration granted
70 the Government in years gono by.
All the notes received by the Losdon
teller are sent into tho Bank OF EnglsAd,
and they arc not reissued. The average.
life Of . hve-pound sterling bank note y.
two or three weeks. that OF = one-bur-.
dred-p0und sterling bank Aett three
daya-tsat "a the interval hAfVvoNn In