Telegram-herald., 1891-01-20
TIM BANK or ENGLAND.


Yassstess Yaseiss cssesspisG the 0sin.
Ola Structure.
Il 10 not generally known whether
the site of the hank OF England vac
chosen on account OF its proximity 70
Birch's restaurant or vice versa, but At
any rate the latter 10 very contiguous
a. we'll as convenient. 1t 10 here that
the directorA after an arduous days
work at the bank. como for comfort
and solace; it is here where the clerks
meet for few minutes to discuss the
quality of the port or the punch; and It
is very often here where the fate OF the
discount market is marked. Stock
brokers, of course, in quantities, con-
versing loudly, are quite feature, but
the clientele par excellence comes from
opposite. Bank directors are not at all
the wonderful beings one 10 led TO
believe they are; furthermore, they
exist In the flesh, and sometimes very
much so. You see them at Birch's
enjoying themselves in much the came
way - other mortals, but their con-
versation 10 held in whispers, their faces
stern, and theirportly presence lie thing
of JOY forever. A good liver, IN easy
bank rate, iced punch in summer. q
glass of port or sherry in the winter,
and Joy In the stock exchange-ergo.
Birch 10 responsible for the state of the
money market-indirectly, of course;
but still the fact remains. The bank
building itself must have been designed
by an architect with strong sense Of
humor, for the maze at Hampton Court
il fool 10 it. There 10 . strong sense
of security about the whole place. but
it might have served equally we'll for .
convict prison, or as barracks. The first
thing that attracts the eye is q movable
crawling thing dressed up as tircwork
display. Some people have often mis-
taken 1t for pill box; others - statue
of Napoleon ! crossing the Alps in .
Lord Mayors gown of Office. 1t is o
pleasant sight for the eyes; it dispels
the gloom Of the place, and brings back
remembrance of corn fields and
bright crimson martial cloak encloses
the beadle--the terror of little boys
and the pride of servant girls. The
stre0t arabs look with awe ON this mas
terpiece Of the Middle Ages, but he is
not proud. When a client wants to
know something, the big boss wheels OF
thi circumlocution Office are set in
motion, the ingenuity Of the porters
is called into power, the clerks become
facetious and unbend, and by the time
the unhappy individual has strolled
through . few hundred corridors,
pecked at few thousand doors, asked
innumerable directions, and perhaps
trampsd five miles, he gives the bank
rest, and retires gracefully. If he ID
patient, and has time and inclination,
he may arrive at his destination; but it
10 weary work. The place, the sur
roundings--in fact, the whole neighbor-
hood-wears q moneyed appearance.
The interior in winter is lit up by in
Vulnerable gigantic fires, which tend 10
make the rooms look more cherries
than ever; for all the world like the
giants kitchen in the pantomime,
with the cashiers ~ bOgies, who
seems to thrive and wax fat on the gold
and silver. The security of the place il
wonderful, nobody ever having taken
advantage of the sovereigns being flung
about on the low countries and the ap.
parent listlessness of the Cashiers. But
at night the arrival of . small handful
of tin soldiers makes quite a brave
sight. As they enter under the porticoes
in Threadneedle-st., small crowd
always collects outside the doors, and
after sundry passages of quiet repartee
disperse. Several attempts have been
made by the professional Community
of Burglars TO effect slight opening
for m enterprising young member q
distinguish himself, but further thSn z
few scratches on the wallis, success has
not crowned their endeavors.
J. p. ANDREWS.
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