New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1912-08-07
.eOLDON lBle snip
How Bullion n Transit = Guard.
O. on an Ocean Liner.

% on an ocean LITle5.
LOCKED IN ROOMS OF STEEL.
Aftsr tie Trsasurs 10 oafsly etssssd
Away Thsrs 10 Little Danger II ~
ssins steisn During ths Voyage.
Shipping and Checking the <sss
The natural assumption would -
that in the safeguarding Of the ttsas-
IRE which the various countries are
constantly sending one another BY the
big ocean liners there would bs re-
CURED the vigilance Of many men
This, however, u not generally the
case, since. once the gold = stored
away In the rooms set apart Tor that
purpose on the big ships and the ves-
rel d well out at sea, no armed guards
are necessary. 81
Taking the specific case Of one liner
sailing under the British dag. we md
that It has two strong rooms. the
smaller Of the two being IN close prox-
Unity to the captains ONCE 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 moth.
ing in tho way Of fixtures save sheiv-
ing. The locks, which are Of the dou-
BILE variety. are rendered still more Sc
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,
thus receive the best protection. after
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.
toned there is another and larger spe-
clio room. situated next to the provi-
sion department. This Is about twelve
feet in length BY four In width. 1t
frequently happens that both strong
rooms are filed to their utmost capact-
y, and on one occasion this liner car.
RED some 100000 in gold bullion
hacked In small kegs bound with steel
hoops.
Gold usually IL brought to the vessel
on which it Ii to be shipped the day
before the date Of sailing, and 1t 10
stored away carefully before passen-
gers embark. It arrives at the pier 10
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 hosting engine.
but this method Is not followed In
.yariably. Sometimes each keg is
placed In a 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 SO much. The kegs bear the
government seal in many instances,
and in such cases, when they nave
been safely put in the strong room. the
iron doors thereof are sealed with gov.
eminent 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 by
the strong room, two men watch the
room constantly SO long as the ship Is
in sight Of land. As matter OF TACT,
there Is little danger Of any one steal.
ing gold in transit on ship. 1t would
be necessary that he should shoulder
4 key Weighing some 200 pounds and
vanish with 1t without being seen.
Masters Of vessels declare gold u 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
Ike 5000 pounds. or sixteen tons, and
the freight charges amounted. TO &12.-
600 or. roughly speaking, one-sdghth
Of 1 PEI cent Specie thus shipped y
insured at it, fun valua.-New York
Pr0ok