Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-08
PARIS BANKS SHY ON GOLD
Demands for Yellow Metal by Pa
irons Were Refused.
GERMAN BANKS WERE BUYING
French People Have Not Lost Their
Fear OF War and want No
Trouble with Germany or
Other Nations.

PARIS, oct 7.-Persons having occa-
sion to cash checks in the middle OF sep
tember learned to their surprise that none
of the Paris banks were prepared to pay
in gold. An American gentleman who
presented a check for 5000 francs at the
Bank of Franco was given only 500 francs
In gold and his request for moro refused.
The boulevard branch OF one of the
largest French banks which usually
starts the day with from 25,OOO to $1,000
francs in gold, recently had 1000 and was
unable TO obtain more. Payment was
mado in 5-franc pieces, which are legal
tender up TO any amount; indeed, the
dividends Of government stock are al
ways paid in these bulky coins
This stoppage Of the gold issue IS
mainly due to the fact that the agents
OF a number of German banks were buy
ing up gold as fast as they could, paying
8 francs per 1000 premium. In addition
Ito sending messengers 60 casn checks
and notes as every bank in the city these
agents took all the gold from the big
department stores until the attention of
the directors OF the Bank of France was
attracted to the abnormal demands for
! gold from these establishments. and inn
mediately curtailed tho issue of gold to
banks and large commercial houses likely
| to pay 1t out Of the country. ono consc-
quence was that the public, hearing what
| the banks were doing, was disposed to
hoard gold too and not 20 pay Il into
the banks. Considerable gold was there
fore temporarily out of circulation.
French People Fear Wnr.
Everyday people in France certainly
have been afraid war was coming. The
common people of Paris having in mind
the hardships that they have heard were
undergone in the siege of 1901, have
been boarding food, dried beans, dried
fruits. preserved meats and other articles
of food that a few months storage will
not damage. The great provision houses
are entirely bought out of some lines of
these goods. Another reason besides
vague apprehension of a siege has been
the knowledge that. should war begin
the prices of food would rise and the
thrifty French housewife has taken the
precaution to buy some sorts of food in
advance when prices are normal
Rivals of Roosevelt.
Alfred NJ. Collins and l.. Marshall Soul
of Philadelphia have sailed from Mar
settles on their way to central African
hunting fields TO collect specimens OF
large and small animals for tho Phila-
delphla Academy of Natural Sciences.
They go by way of Alexandria, Port said,
Suez and Mombasa, British East Africa.
The expedition will organize at Nairobl.
from where they design to penetrate to
parts of equatorial Africa little known
to the outside world. They take with
them fifty cases OF equipment bought in
London for their party. which will num-
Der 100 native soldiers, porters and serv-
ants under the command OF a professional
white hunter, George II. Outram.
Collins and Scull expect to be in the
interior about three months, and to bring
back for the museum specimens TO be
mounted entire of lions, rhlnoceros, 81
raffe, hippopotamus, zebrae. land, harte-
best, smaller animals and butterflies.
After they have finished the African raid
they will return home by way of India,
China and Japan in the spring Of 1912.
Good AerOPIanc Scouting.
Results of the aeroplane scouting at the
French maneuvers are agreed by the
military critics to have been admirable.
The vaiators showed audacity, energy and
accuracy OF observation, and yet the llmi-
tations of air scouting were never seen
more clearly.
The aeroplane is a bird Of the day, 1t
rises with the dawn and ceases to fly
with the twilight. During the night
troops are free to move without eyes
peering at them from above, The aero
plane is also fair weather bird, very
useful during clear. fine, days, but obliged
to seek shelter from high winds, and
whose eyes are dulled by rain, fog and
cloud.
The most effective of Turennes' cam
paigns, that in Alsace, took place in win
ter, Austerlitz was fought on December
and the battle of Eylau was contested
in snowstorm The budget for mill
tary aeronautics next year is S2,02S,OCO
France will have about 200 army aero
planes next summer.