The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-05-03
WEIGHING GOLD COIN
Secrets of the Bank of England
Laid Bare.
A VISIT NOT AN EASY MATTER
A Machine That Seems to Possess Human
Qualities Wonderful Bank
Vaults in the World.
4 VISIT NOT AN EASY MATTER

What visions of untold wealth are con- |
jured up by the very name of the Bank of
England!
When l made up my mind to visit the |
bank and its celebrated vaults found that |
the matter was not easy as some may
imagine.
Since the dynamite scares in London it is
exceedingly difficult to enter the portals of
the bank. But, accompanied by my banker
friend, whose name is world famous and
whose doings and sayings influence the ex-
changes of two continents, the locked up
treasures were opened to my wondering
gaze.
Whenever the "open sesame" of the
bankers name is whispered the well bal
anced doors hungrily swing open, swallow
me and my guide and snap almost noise
lessly behind us. IneXorable looking por
tiers, cold eyed guardians and austere man
ayers bow as they hear the name or catch
glimpse of my doyen.
The doorway opens into the bullion Of
flee, where all the gold and silver that en-
tiers 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 a
wholesale trading establishment.
But a figure in a white apron quickly
dispeis the illusion. This parsonage in the
apron is attired in lilac vest, plum col
ored coat and buttons of two shilling
| pieces. His hat is peculiar black velvet
affair, and is a compromise between beef
eaters and a smoking cap.
A MARVELLOUS INSTRUMENT.
| A suave gentleman approaches the
banker, and in few hurried words the
latter informs the manager Qor such he Isl
that he wishes to show me everything to
be seen. We are therefore first introduced
| to the scales, or, as it is termed, the grand
! balance"
| This marvellous instrument is ponder
Gus and peculiarly built weighing ma
chine standing about seven feet high and
weighing about two tons. The whole is
under 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 dc 9TH of sixteen
feet, so that not jar can affect the clean
! balance.
The manager sets the hydraulic power in
then touches an ivory button at the side
Immediately the entire scale, weighing
hundreds of pounds, sinks seven inches
and is ready for weighing.
eve will first weigh a postage stamp"
observes 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 bal
ance are withdrawn, and the gold placed
on one of the two lodges. The gold is
/ made up in 400 ounce bars, and the differ
ence of one-thousandth 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 a distance of six
inchesl Think of it; six inches on the in
dex for a postage stamp! But the most
wonderful incident was yet in store for me.
ALMOST HUMAN MECHANISM.
''Supposing a bar contains more than
this scale is made to weigh" explains the
manager, "any other scale would 90 to
this limit and give no sign Not this one,
however" To prove this headds one quar-.
ter of an ounce more than the maximum
weight, when, instead of the index moving
there is pause of some few seconds and
There is something terribly human about
this mechanism which declines to execute &
task of which it is incapable This is the
only balance of its kind in the world. Tht
, maker has never constructed a duplicate
This triumph of mechanical art cost exact
, ly e., GEO. The silver scale is of course MOI
so finely balanced, and the two are respec
lively christened 'The Lord Chief Justice
| .grI T Il.
: The manager then moves away from tn,
SCALE and turning a handle in the wal
, suddenly illuminates long vault, witt
} finely groined arches, which would other
wise pass unnoticed. Throwing the gait
open we pass in, followed by one of thu
! body guards in a chocolate brown suit.
We arrive at door which admits us IL
| an inclosure almost entirely of glass, IL
5 which visitors STAND and gaze upon th
: wonders within. However, the bodyguarC
!, throws open the door, and stepping UP tt
the chief, whispers q word in his ear. HI
approaches us with warm welcome, ant
bids me walk up to one of the gold weigh
ing machines, of which there are som
thirty here. This is the room where SOW
. ereigns and half sovereigns are weighed
e when sent in by bankers and others. Here
: again, hydraulic power is used.
V A COMPLICATED MACHINE.
q A machine consisting of complicate'
a system of counter weights looks not III
It like sewing machine as to its lower hall
n This is completely inclosed in glass.
a long feeder, like tube cut In half, dow
L its length, and made of brass, is set at a
II angle of 45 degs., and is filled with lon
r roll of soyereigns. These turn as they sill
IL down on to circular, movable plate
: slightly larger than a sovereign.
: For moment the plate seems to be do
/. Gliding upon the merits of that particula
2 coin. Then, as if it has made up its min
y conclusively, it deity turns the coin to til
/ right, and it slips down a metal tube int
ie till below.
e But if the coin proves to be lighter tina
s. the standard weight the delicate machin
al turns it to the left and condemns it to tn
u guillotine Again one is impressed with tn
70 human" idea of hand weighing the sol
ereigns. One can almost fancy that hit
den person is feeling the weight. There
more than mere mechanical look abou
IT the momentary INDIGESTION of the seal
| Dlato. IL q roal1v bar th of of an INTEL