The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-08-16
GUARD GOLD At SEA
Means by Which Ocean Liners
Carry Enormous Sums.
Fifty Millions In kess-contents Of
Strong Rooms Sealed by Govern
ment Officials Are Secure
From Theft In Transit.

I've" ne udluId dl
would be that in the safeguarding OF
the treasure which the various coun
tries are constantly sending one an
other by the big ocean liners there
would be required the vigilance OF
many men. This, however. Is not gen
orally the case, since, once the gold is
stored away in the rooms set apart for
that purpose on the big ships and
the vessel Is well out to sea, no arm
ed guards are necessary.
Taking the specific case Of one liner
sailing under the British flag, We find
that 1t has two strong rooms, the
smaller of the two being in close prox-
unity 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 nothing in the way of fixtures
save shelving. The locks, which are
of the double variety, are rendered
still more secure by steel hasps cover
ing the keyholes, and they are pro-
vided with massive padlocks. The
strong rooms, being in the most fire.
quented 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 re-
tanned 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
mentioned there Is another and larger
specie room, situated next to the pro-
vision department. This is about IL
feet in length by in width. 1t fire.
quently happens that both strong
rooms are filled to their utmost capac-
ity, and on one occasion this liner car
ried some $5O,0OO,0OO in gold bullion,
packed in small kegs bound with steel
hoops.
Gold usually is brought to the ves-
sci on which 1t Is to be shipped the
day before the date of sailing, and it
is stored away carefully before pas
sengers 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 hoist
ing engine, but this method is not fol-
lowed invariably. 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 have
been safely put in the strong room,
the iron doors thereof are sealed with
government wax, the impression be-
ing 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 a matter of fact
there is little danger Of any one steal
ing gold in transit on ship. 1t would
be necessary that he should shoulder
a keg weighing some two hundred
pounds and vanish with 1t without be-
ing seen. Masters Of vessels declare
gold Is the safest cargo Of any to han
die.
The total weight Of one consign-
ment Of gold shipped by the British
vessel in question amounted to some
thing like 10000 pounds. or sixteen
tons, and the freight charges amount
ed to $4,000, or, roughly speaking,
one-eighth Of 1 per cent. Specie thus
shipped Is insured at its full value.