The Yazoo sentinel. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1878-1916, 1891-05-28
UNTOLD WEALTH.
SECRET WONDERS oFTHE BANK
OF ENGLAND.
catscombs Of Bank Curious
Devices for Handling and Guard
ing Manageable Treasure-A
Wonderful Weighing Machine.

Devices for Handling and Guard
ing Manageable Treasure-A
Wonderful Weighing Machine.
AS we enter the court yard Of the
Lothbury entrance the two beadles greet
my guide with a military salute and a
bow which is so spasmodie and wooden
that they forcibly remind me OF an ofiic,
ious looking individual also IN cooked
hat and cloak-who appears with Just
such a hat on the scene after Punch has
thrown the baby into the street, and
proceeds then and there 20 hang him.
The doorway opens into the bullion
Office, where all the gold and silver that
enters or leaves the bank passes through
to be checked. On the right is the
gold on the left the silver. The first
impression is that of being in the order
department Of wholesale trading estab.
ishment.
But figure in white apron quickly
dispels the illusion. This parsonage in
the apron is attired in a lilac vest, plum
colorcd coat and buttons Of two shilling
pieces. His hat is peculiar black vel
vet affair, and Is a compromise between
beef eaters and smoking cap.
A suave gentleman approaches the
banker, and in few hurried words
the latter informs the manager, for such
he is, that he wishes to show me every.
thing 10 be seen. We are therefore first
introduced 20 tho scales, or, cs it Is
termed, the "grand balance made by
Messrs Napier.
This marvellous instrument is pom
derous and peculiarly built weighing
machine, standing about seven feet high
and weighing about two tons. The
whole is under a huge glass case, access
being gained thereto by sliding panel.
The scale is worked BY hydraulic power,
and is the most sensitive weighing
machine in existence. The foundation,
which Is of solid concrete, is sunk to a
depth Of sixteen feet, so that not jar
can affect the clean balance.
The manager sets the hydraulic power
in motion by means OF small wheel,
and then touches an ivory button at the
side Immediately the entire scale.
weighing hundreds of pounds, sinks some
even inches and is ready for weighing.
ave will first weigh postage stamp,
observed the suave gentleman. On each
side the scales are fitted with weights
amounting to 400 ounces. When gold
is to be weighed the smaller weights on
the balance are withdrawn and the gold
placed on one Of the two lodges. The
gold is made up in 400 ounce bars, and
the difference Of -fhousandth part Of
an ounce can be detected.
The stamp being added TO the 400
ounce weights another ivory button is
touched, and the index jumps distance
Of six inches Think Of it, six inches on
the index for postage stamp But the
most wonderful incident was yet in store
for me.
Surprising a bar contains more than
this scale is made to weigh explains
the manager, ''any other scale would &c
to its limit and give no sign. Not this
one, however, To prove this he adds
one-quarter of an ounce more than the
maximum weight, when, instead Of the
index moving, there is pause of some
few seconds and then an electric bell
commences ringing. There is something
terribly human about the mechanism
which declines to execute task of which
it is incapable. This is the only balance
Of its kind in the world. The maker has
never constructed a duplicate. This tri-
umph Of the mechanical art cost exactly
two thousand pounds sterling. The
silver scale is. Of course, not so finely
balanced, and the two are respectively
christcned 's1hc Lord Chief Justice and
"The Lord High Chancellor
The manager then moves away from
the scale. and turning a handle in the
wall suddenly Eliminates a long vault,
with finely groined arches, which would
otherwise pass unncticed. Throwing
the gate open we pass in, followed by
one Of the bodyguards in chocolate
brown suit.
On small barrows with strong wheels
are about one hundred 400-ounce bars Of
gold. Each barrow. roughly speaking.
Contains therefore 40, 600 ounces, or
about one hundred and seventy thous-
and pounds sterling worth Of metal On
shelves ranged along the walls are heaps
upon heaps Of bags containing coins,
each bag weighing 500 ounces. They
are of the Indian, French, German,
Dutch and American currency.
From this room we ascend stone
staircase and pass along very agreeable
gallery. with solid stone balustrades,
overlooking the courtyard. The doors
Of the grand Doard room open from this
gallery.
We arrive at door which admits US
to an enclosure almost entirely Of glass,
in which visitors stand and gaze upon
the wonders within. However, the
bodyguard throws open the door, and
stepping up 10 the chief whispers a word
in his ear. He approaches US with
warm welcome. and bids me walk up 20
one Of the gold weighing machines. Of
which there are some thirty here. This
is The room where sovereigns and half
sovereigns are weighed when sent in by
bankers and others. Here, again hy-
draulic power is used.
A machine consisting Of complicated
system Of counter weights looks not IN
like a sewing machine as to its lower
half. This is completely enclosed in
glass. A long feeder, Ike a tube cut in
half. down its length, and made Of
brass. is set at "a az angle Of 4j degrees,
and is filed with q long roll Of sover-
eigns. These turn as they Sip down on
10 a circular, movable plasc, slightly
larger than a sovereign.
For moment the plate seems TO be
81 81