, 1912-12-19
G0ED0aABIGSnIP
How Bullion In transit. Is Guard.
ed onoansQoeanLinery
LOCKED IN N STEEL.

Aftsr the Treasure 10 Safely Slowed
Away There lie Little Danger Of its
Being Stolen 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 q another by the
big ocean liners there would be re-
Qutred the vigilance of many men
This. however, Is not generally the
q since. oncec the gold IL stored
away In the rooms set apart for that
purpose on the big ships and the yes
sci 10 well u at sea-. no armed guards
are necessary.
Taking the specific case Of one liner
sailing under the British dag, 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 v The walls. the roof
and the ceiling are lined with two inch
steel plate. and the room contains moth
ing In the way Of fixtures save shelv-
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 In 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-
Gle, 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 flled to their utmost capaci-
~. and on one occasion this liner car.
rted some $5O.OO0.OO0 In gold bullion
packed in small kegs bound with steel
hoops
Gold usually IL brought. to the vessel
on which. 1t 10 to be shipped, the day
beforp the date Of sailing. and It Is
st0red away carefully, before passen-
gers embark. II arrives at the pier In
ordinary trucks, under the guard Of
armed mem The customary method
of getting the gold on board Is to haul
deck BY means Of a hosting engine.
but this method IL not followed in
variab BIZ. 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 gov.
eminent wax. the impression being
broken only when. the official, on the
other side comes to receive the gold
The kegs are checked. thriceEvhen
they are taken from the trucks, when
they reach the, gangyay and when
they are placed in the strong room
Although nc armed guard stands by
the strong room. two mel. watch the
room constantly 90 long a. the ship II
in sight Of land As a matter. Of fact.
there Is little danger Of any one steal
ing gold In transit on a ship 1t wouid
be necessary that be should shoulder
a key weighing some Compounds and
vanish with 1t without being seen
Masters of vessels declare gold is the
safsst cargo. Of AM, to hapdle.
The total ,weight Of one consignment
of gold shipped by the British vessel
in question amounted to something
like $1,000 pounds. or sixteen tons. and
the freight charges amounted to $12.
600. or, roughly speaking. one-eighth
Of 1 pei, cent Specie thus shipped is
insured at its full value.-New York
PressL
Marx Twain,s Profanity.
49, - .--l kk- nt.s