Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-17
HOW GOLD IS GUARDED
No Extraordinary Precaution
Taken While It's Being Con
veycd Across the Ocean.


Of Australia America or South Africa
To tho Bank of Englnnd-whlch for
years vast has acted as tho distribut.
Ing agency for all purchasers in this
country--nro quite simple. yet thor.
oughly safe. saws the TitBlts.
Everything is done quietly. although
in no way secretly. and without the
slightest fuss. Detectives watch tho
shipment of the gold, and also tho un.
loading at the docks here; but tho
idea that two or three OF them take
II In turns 10 watch the precious car.
go during the voyage Is quite an or.
roneous one.
In rough lars, 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
vcsel of Importance possesses. and
which ia usually under the saloon. full
~ Insured and sent across the sea I'M
attended. The man who IL RESPONSE
Bile for the gold while II is on the
vessel Is tho captain. who signs for
the same and holds the key OF tho
specie room. II is stringent rule.
however. that the captain must not
visit the room except in the presence
of u witness.
There is also another rule rlgidly
enforced. When the vessel reaches
the docks the gold must not DO ur.
loaded unless II can he taken direct
TO the Bank of England. Suppose. for
instance. n ship with bullion on hoard
arrives at Tilbury docks on Saturday
night. The vessel would be consider.
cd on voyage until thr Monday morn,
Ing. and no leave would be granted.
The captain sleeps on board ms long
ms the specie Is there. and tho same
strict watch Is kept az IL on the ocean.
IL tho Monday was Tank holiday II
would be just the same. the gold be.
ing landed on Tuesday morning.
The London office OF tho company
to which the vessel belongs having
been duly informed of the arrival OF
the vessel at the docks. clerk is
sent, whose duty It Ia TO he present
whenever gold comes In Two or
three detectives arc also AT hand-n
I'll about half dozen officials. The
boxes are counted as they are brought
from the strong room. packed on troll.
leys. and. closely guarded. are hur.
rieh away to the bullion truck in
waiting. TO be conveyed TO the sta.
ton.
a bullion truck Is about fourteen
feet long, lined with Iron, and looks
very much like q miniature barge on
wheels. II Is about three feet high.
has double locks. and is. always plac.
cd between the engine and the guards
van. so that both tho guardian of the
train and the custodian of the engine
NAV keep an eye on II. Such truck
costs anything between 100 mud 200
pounds to build.
after the gold is cntralncd the clerk
Gcrds telegram to tho head Office.
Informing the owners what time the
train left the station and tho hour Il
may be expected to arrive in London.
where a van is ready to receive il.
Tho gntea of the Lothbury entrance
to tho bank welcome all such deposits
Of gold and silver. which enter only
To be hidden away for n time in the
wonderful vaults below. Several iron
barricadcs have to be passed and
many questions put by the gorgeously
atured teadles of the bank. 10 be an.
swe-cd before the van with It's treas.
urc comes to standstill nj the en-.
trance to the vaults The gentleman
who superintends the packing of the
gold in the vaults furnished the writ.
or with some interesting particulars.
We have all sorts and all sizes of
boxes come in," he said. many OF
them holding 10000 pounds. whilst
others vii lbe hardly an inch square.
and contain but an ounce of gold
The charge for storage per packet Is
Just the same. be the parcel small or
great. an ounce or hundred weight
that is. Is Sd box or naked bar Of
gold and silver per month. and after
the first month II Ia reduced to n
shilling. We never soc the contents
OF the boxes. unless, perhaps. when
the customs officer opens two or three
OUT of consignment aud rms his
fingers through the golden pieces to
see II there IS anything contraband
hidden beneath"
nut there is another branch and n
very interesting and important one.
connected with The London gold traf.
tic. We refer TO tho conveying of the
precious metal to and from tho Con.
tnental depots by the railway compa
mics. How much Is sent TO and from
simply depcnds on the ratio OF OK,
change. and it Is principally done as
4 speculation by large houses. such ms
Roihschild and Barring Brothers. SUP
nosing the Rothschild wanted to send
$4,000 pounds TO Paris. This could be
sert either In bills of exchange or In
gold. II the rate OF exchange made
u cheaper to send in gold. gold would
go and vice versa.
The Great Eastern Railway Com
nanv often brinss as much as 100000
mounds from IIarwich-their depo,
where the Continental boats discharge
-whilst another day may see the ar
| rival OF only 1000 pounds. This com
nanv owing q number of bullion
'rncks. and their scale OF charges vii
sive one very good idea as 10 The