Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-08-17
The MONEY CENTER
OF THE WORLD.

One OF the first objects of interest
upon entering the building of the Bank
of England is 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 prominent feature
Of the room Is the grand balance
or scales, constructed by the Messrs.
Napier. This marvellous instrument is a
ponderous and peculiarly built weighing
machine, standing nearly seven fee,
high aud weighing about two tons The
whole is under huge glass case, ac-
cess being gained thereto by sliding
panel. The scale is worked by hydraulic
power, and is the most sensitive weigh
ing mnchine in existence On each side,
the scales are fitted with weights
amounting to 400 ounces. The gold Is
made up In 400 ounce bars, and the diff
ernce of one-thousandth part of an ounce
can be detected. By manipulation Of
the machine, so tiny a thing as post
age stamp can be weighed. for on the
same being placed upon the scale the
index will jump q distance of no less
than six inches. 1t is the only balance of
its kind in the world and cost exactly
1000. The silver scale is not SO finely
Oaianced, and the two are respectively
christened, THE Lord Chief Justice !"
and the Lord High Chancellor
In another room are several machines
Tor weighing soyereigns and half sOvcr-
elgns. Each machine consists of n com
pheated system of CONFERENCE.-The, and
is not unlike sewing machine as to It's
lower hnlt, the whole being completely
enclosed III glass. long feeder, like a
tube cut In half down Its length, and
L. gaN a
torty-hye degrees, and is filled with a
long roll of soyereigns. These turn as
tney snip down on to circular movable
plate slightly larger than sovereign.
II the coin Is of the right weight, Il
sllps down a metal tube into til be-
low, SHOULD, however, II prove TO be
lighter than the standard, the delicate
machine turns it TO the left and CON.
dennis II TO the guiilotine. These ma
chimes weigh coin at the rate of twenty
SIX per minute, and days weighing M
pounds.
Another interesting feature Is to be
round ~ me vaults contnlng the defunct
paper circulation of the bank. Some Ma
can be gained of the quantity when we
say that they are over 1900 Ooo in
number, and that they fill 400 HAYES
which If placed side by side would reach
two and one-hah miles. If the notes
We're placed in pile they would reach
the heighth of five and one-half miles:
ribbon l2.4i5 miles long. Their snnar'
fetal extent Is little less than HYDE parl,
Their original value was over l75O nil
lion pounds, and Their weight e1ceeIs
ninety and a half tons. AmOungst them
is note for 1.0OO,OOO pounds. and also
nc hrst o9nk note ever issued Tone for
900 Pounds, and another for $50 ponnIs
lett at the. bank for Ill years. whose
60.00O pounds. ' '"'ue 10
The printing Of the existing paper cr--
rency Is an interesting process. The notes
VIZ STRUCK OH two at a time on hand
i ilsue papsr' which, upon being cut. gives
three rough edges and one smooth ono 10
each piece q paper--n diStlngnishinr fea,
tnre OF bank Of Engaud notc m
paper Is manufactured at the bank's n,,n
mt! ana the production Of II Is entr,stoI
senurely, TO the members Of ono fa,o;ir
lhs Nv used in printing the notes ;s
ish aroon nc eharred stem Of the Rhen- |
lsn vine; which i believed 40 produce ~
richest black Of any ink in the ,rorih lily
Nach Nrp Of naper has TO he sirie,i,.
lFcpuMgl Tor. the whole process ha,ns
un,er eHectlvc supervision. wing
hc nank ran boast Of nossessiny ,ha
weA' nies' room " the world 10 the shane
20 cciiiuua M vault surrounded from door |
y, ~, s'Sung with linn safes containg rows
upon RVS Of gold cnin. IN bags II s S
pounds each. and pile upon ~ Of h IvOp
no'sS The amount Of specie con,airaS
eho co Is room Nsgn alone : not less than so.
Not the beast inttrest,n. ....
connection with the hank Il ne se, ssni IN
ne whole system FINN beginninr ~ IVA, nn
n 4; laler constant police espionage In III ah
o ii,n 10 military protection nnd ~
ysv !, arrangEnents are SO ,semn,eie
bnll,Ins u sn. with all parts Of ths
po.ise can be effected at moment's