The Press., 1912-11-06
GOLD ON A BIG SHIP
How Bullion In Transit Is Guard
 ed on an Ocean Liner.
LOCKED IN ROOMS OF STEEL.

After the Treasure Is Safely Slowed
 Away There ls Little Danger of Its
 Being StoIeR During the Voyage. Shipping and Checking the Kegs. The natural assumption would be that in the safeguarding of the treas ure which the various countries are constantly sending one another by the big ocean liners there would be re Quired the vigilance of many men. This, however. Is not generally the case, since, once the gold is stored away in the rooms set apart for that purpose on the big ships and the yes sel Is well out at sea. no armed guards are necessary
 Taking the specific case of one liner sailing under the British flag. we find that it has two strong rooms. the smaller of the two being in close prox. imity to the captains office. This one compartment has no doubt sheltered gold enough to pay the cost of the liner many times over. The walls, the roof and the ceiling are lined with two inch steel plate. and the room contains noth ing in the way of fixtures save shelv- ing The locks. which are of the dOu- ble variety. are rendered still more se- cure by steel hasps covering the key holes, and they are provided with mas. sive padlocks The strong rooms. be- ing in the most frequented portion of the vessel. where persons are passing them at all hours of the day and night NRo,pa Ak,@ e. all There are two sets of keys. one of which is retained by the agent in charge of the consignment of gold and the other of which remains with the captain
 In the case of-the British vessel men tiOued there is another and larger Spe cie room. situated next to the provi sion department. This is about twelve feet in length by four in width It frequently happens that both strong rooms are filled to their utmost capaci ty. and on one occasion this liner car ried some $5O.OOO.O00 in gold bullion packed in small kegs bound with steel hoops
 Gold usually is brought to the vessel on which 1t is to be shipped the day before the date of sailing, and it Is stored away carefully before pasSen gers embark 1t arrives. at the pier in ordinary trucks under the guard of armed men. The customary method of getting the gold on board is to haul the kegs up an inclined chute to the deck by means of a hoiSting engine. but this method is not followed in fs, placed in sling and carried on board by men detailed for this service. .. ...
 The receipt given by the steamship company sets forth that so many kegs have been received for shipment. not for any stated amount of gold to the value of 50 much The kegs bear the government seal in many instances. and in such cases, when they have been safely put in the strong room, the iron doors thereof are sealed with gov ernment wax. the impression being broken only when the official on the other side comes to receive the gold The kegs are checked thrice-when they are taken from the trucks. when they reach the gangway and when they are placed in the strong room
 Although no armed guard stands bS the strong room. two men watch the room constantly so long as the ship Is in sight of land AS a matter of fact. there is little danger of any one steal ing gold in transit on ship. It would be necessary that he should shoulder keg weighing some POO pounds and vanish with it without being seen .' Masters of vessels declare gold. is the safest cargo of any to handle
 The total weight of one consignment of gold shipped by the British vessel in question amounted to something like 36.OOO pounds. or sixteen tons, and the freight charges amounted to SIP. . OOO or. roughly speaking. one eighth of per cent Specie thus shipped is insured at its full value--New York Press