Bisbee daily review., 1907-10-27
TRANSPORTING G RICH BARS
 OF GOLG
Interesting Story of How Yel- low Metal Is Guarded From the Mines to Vaults of Bank of England.

The precautions which are taken to guard gold despatched from the mines of Australia. America or South Africa to the Bank of England which for years past has acted as the distributing agency for all purchasers in that country-are quite simple, yet thoroughly safe. Everything is done quietly, although in a way secretly, and without the slightest fuss. De tectiyes watch the shipment of the gold, and also the unloading at the docks, but the idea that two or three of them take 1t in turns to watch the precious cargo during the voyage is quite an erroneous one
 In rough bars, ranging usually be tween 200 ounces and 1000 ounces, the gold is packed in strong bullion boxes, which have the appearance of solid blocks of wood bound with iron: placed in the strong room, which every vessel Of importance possesses, and which is usually under the saloon, fully insured, and sent across the sea unattended. The man who is respon- sible far the gold while it is on the vessel is the captain, who signs for the same and holds the key of the specie room. It is a stringent rule, however, that the captain must not visit the room except in the presence of witness.
 There is also another rule rigidly enforced. When the vessel reaches the docks the gold must not be un- loaded unless it can be taken direct to the Bank of England. Suppose. for instance, ship with bullion ol. board arrives at Tilbury Docks on Saturday night. The vessel would be considered en voyage until Monday morning, and no leave would be grant ed. The captain sleeps on board as long as the specie is there, and the same strict watch is kept as if on the ocean. If Monday was a bank holiday 1t would be just the same. the gold being landed on Tuesday morn ing.
 The London office of the company to which the vessel belongs having been duly informed of the arrival of the vessel at the docks, clerk is sent whose duty 1t is to be present whenever gold comes in. Two or three detectives are also at hand in all about half dozen officials. The boxes are counted as they are brought from the strong room, packed on trol- leys. and closely guarded are hur- ried away to the bullion truck in wait | ing, to be conveyed to the station. A bullion truck is If feet long, lined with iron, and looks very much | like miniature barge on wheels. It is about three feet high, has double i locks and is always placed between i the engine and the guards van; so ! that both the guardian of the train and the custodian of the engine may | keep an eye on it. Such a truck costs anything between e150 and i ( 200 to build
 After the gold is entrained the 1 clerk sends a telegram to tha head office. informing the owners what time the train left the station and the l hour 1t may be expected to arrive in | London, where a van is ready to re. ceiye it. The gates ot the Lothbury | entrance to the bank welcome all ! such deposits of gold and silver which enter only to be hidden away i for time in the wonderful barracks | below. Several iron barricades have to be passed and many questions put 1 by the gorgeously attired beadles oi | the bank must be answered before 1 the van with it's treasure comes to a standstiil at the entrance to the vaults. The gentleman who superin. tends the packing of the gold in the vaults furnished the writer with some interesting particulars.
 | oI1 ,1 nlI -f, ~ boxes come in," he said, many oi them holding 910,000, while others will be hardly an inch square and con. tain but an ounce of gold. The charge for storage per packet is just the same. be the parcel small or great an ounce or hundredweight-tha is. Is. 9d. a box or naked bar of gold and silver per month, and after the first month it is reduced to a shilling We never see the contents of the boxes unless perhaps when the Gus toms officer opens two or three out oi a consignment and runs his Fingers through the golden pieces to see fl there IS anything contraband hidden beneath
 l But there is another branch, and a ! very interesting and important one connected with the London gold traf :. fic. We refer to the conveying oi the precious metal to and from the i Continental depots by the railway | companies. HoF much Is sent to ana l fro simply depends on the rate of ex change. and it is principally done as . speculation by large houses, such al I Messrs. Rotbschild and Messrs. Bar ing Bris.
 The Great Eastern Railway com pany often brings as much as e200. GOO from Harwich-their depot where i the Continental boats discharge while another day may see the arriva ! of only e1,O00 This company own a number of bullion trucks. and iti
 scale of charges gives one yer! \ good idea as to the cost of bring ins l gold to London by rail.
 The rate varies from is. 9d. to los Cd. per E100, the latter sum beini charged for such small parcels al ! e400. and so the scale vaires to Is ! Sd. per ef00 for sums of f10.000 anI I upward.
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