The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-11
UNTOLD TREASURE.
The Enormous Wealth in the
Bank OF England Vaults.
Entering the Underground Passages and
Trayersing the Labyrinth
by the Million-A Safe Place.

The automatic bodyguard now showssome
animation. Producing hand lantern from
another mysterious recess lie turns and bids
us follow. We walk in narrow alleys
formed of piles Of boxes, where not ray of
light penerrates, and fud ourselves making
rapid descent, with the lantern ahead, like
some guardian angel, says London letter
in the New York Herald. We descend
sleeper incline than the others, with the de-
funet bank notes in their sarcophagi all
around us, when chill air striking US
proves that we are well underground.
Then the figure in front turns and an
nounces TO US in tone calculated to strike
terror into nervous people, We are now In
the labyrinth" began to feel like another
Guy Fawkes going TO blow up the whole
place. But the sudden twists and turns we
take always in that bewilderlng maze Of
piled-up cases are becoming most trying to
the banker, who is not accustomed to dodg~
ing will O. -the-wisp in cataeomb.
l begin to entertain fears that he is lead
ing US 10 some dungeon faGtneSs when lie
turns again and solemnly remarks. with
wave Of his hand. GAIL bank-noteS." Some
idea can be gained of the quantity when 1t
is said they are n, 745, 600 in number, and
that they fill Is. 400 boxes, which, if placed
SIDE by side, would reach two and half
miles. If the notes were placed In pile
they would reach the height OF five and a
half miles, or, if Joined end to end, would
form ribbon l., 544 miles long. Their sa-
perticial extent is little less than that OF
Hyde Park; their original value was over
1,750,0O0,00e pounds sterling, and their
weight over ninety and half tons.
Along another passage we enter large
r0Om-really Vault--which is surrounded
from floor to ceiling by iron doors of safes
which at their opening might be five feet
high by FIVE feet wide. One OF these is
opened and shows rows upon rows OF geld
coins IN bags OF 1000 pounds sterling each
One is handed to me to held, and after
doing so for moment l decide Will not
carry it home. The dead weight is enor-
nous. Yet these officials handle the Slip
ping, sliding mass as though il were book.
Another door is opened and we observe
stack of bank-notes. | remark that l have
seen Il lot already. For answer the mana
ger takes out parcel of one thousand 1900
pound sterling notes and says:
Take hold" l do SO, and am told 1 am
holding one million pounds sterling. |
should have wished to hold it longer, but
they want it, SO / put it back.
This small sale contains eight million
pounds sterling" continues the polite man
ager. and you are In the richest VaalB of
tie Bank OF England and OF the world. This
small room at present holds eighty million
pounds sterling"
By this time my appetite for wealth is
nearly gone. | am nauseated with the at
mOspheFe of bank notes. My senses are
dulled with the expressing spectacle ana l
bail with delight the merry FLASHING f0un-
tain in the courtyard. Here are the quar-
tiers of the thirty-fuur guardSmen who
nightly patrol the establishment. A double
sentry Is posted at each gate, and as they
load with ball cartridges it is not a safe
place for an enterprising burglar to tackle.
The officer of the guard has a bedroom in
the bank, and is provided with dinner and
a bottle of the finest old port, and / under
stand that the guards are also literally
treated.