HOW GOLD IS TAKEN TO LONDON.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7342, 21 June 1889, Page 2

HOW GOLD IS TAKEN TO LONDON.

• Iri view of the recent loss of five thousand sovereigns on the voyage of the Orient steamship Iberia from Australia to London, our readers will perhaps like to

learn what is the method of shipping gold and what are the precautions taken to land and deliver it safely. We therefore offer a free passage of an imaginary nature to everyone who cares to embark with us on board one of the good ships belonging to the Orient or P. and O. Line, see the gold shipped, accompany it across the ocean, and watch its safe delivery at the house of "The Old Lady of Threadneedle street."

It is not long before we learn that these two lines of steamers carry about an equal proportion of gold and silver every year. I but during the last fifteen Clears* the [-amount brought across has deteriorated to a remarkable extent. In 1873"the Fen-

insular and Oriental Line brought £7,577,468 in gold and silver, whilst in 1888 it was only £2,025,601. The Pekin carried alone, in 1873, £1,123,539 from the colonies at one trip; but of the last list of shipments brought by the P. and 0., as small a quantity as £2,000 was put on the Peshawur; the Ballarat and Parramatta having £62,000 and £51,000 respectively.

Such Bums are shipped by the banks at Adelaide, Melbourne, or Sydney, the steamship owners charging § per cent., or lOs for every £100 freight; and as we stand on the quay at Melbourne, box after box, good, sound, substantial bits of work> looking like solid blocks of wood bound in strips of iron, is being hurried away to the bullion-room in the presence of representatives from the Australasian Bank, the captttia, two officers, purser of the vessel. :

Every vessel has a bullion-room—a I gigantic 6afe—in many cases situated under the saloon, and when the specie f 3 within its iron walls, the captain signs for it and receives the key of this snug little apartment, literally worth its weight in gold. Some of the old commanders put the key on a ribbon, and tie it round their necks lor safety; and it is.« stringent rule that they are not allowed to have a peep at the boxes of bullion, except in the presence of a witness. When there are two keys, the purser takes* charge of the other one. Arrived at Port Said, the Suez Canal reminds our captain of the time when a disturbance took place there, and it was feared an attempt might be made to get away the precious burden his ship was carrying:—when it was necessary to arm the ship's officers with guns and revolvers; "but," says the ancient mariner, "we never have anything like that nowadays. Aye, shots were more plentiful than sovereigns once—and we used the shots as freely as folk would the yellow-boys—if they had "em." Ie is Saturday night when we reach Tilbury Dock,» short distance from Gravesend, but, gold being on board, the vessel is still considered en voyage until the Monday, morning, and no leave is granted. The captain sleeps on board as long as the specie is there, and the same etrict watch is kept as if on the ocean. If the Monday was a Bank Holiday, it would be just the same, the gold being landed on Tuesday morning. The method adopted by the Orient Line of taking the gold from the docks to the Bank is careful, but nevertheless simple; the same plan is followed by other owners, though perhaps a trine modified.

The offices of the Orient are in Fenehureh Avenue, and from here a clerk is sent, whose duty it is to be present whenever gold comes in. Two detectives are also at band, in all about half-a-dozen officials. The boxes are counted as they are brought from the strong room in a large rope net, packed on trolleys, and, closely guarded, are hurried away to the bullion truck in waiting, to be conveyed op to Fenchurch Street Railway Station. For a line of rails is run right into the docks, close to where the vessel discharges, which facilitates matters considerably. A bullion truck is about 14ft long, lined with iron, and looks very much, like a miniatore barge on wheels. Itisaboot 3ft high, has double locks, and la always

placed between the engine and the guard's van, so that both the guardian of the (brain and the custodian of the engine may keen aneyeonit. ' * The gentleman from Feneh arch Arenu then sends a telegram to the head office, } n /°rming the owner* what time tlw train left Tilbury, and the hour it may be expected at Fenchurch. Street, where a van is ready to receive it, and carry £300,000 through the streets without the slightest suspicion, to the Mint or the BankVaa the case may be. Half-an-hour is allowed for the necessary packing at the railway station and the journey through the streets, and a Custom House official often walks into the Bank at the tail-board of the van, so minutely is the time of arrival estimated.

.The gates of the Lothbary entrance to the Bank welcome all each deposits of gold and silver, which enter only to be hidden away for a time in the wonderfnl vaults beyond. Several iron barricades have to be passed, many questions pat by the gorgeously-attired beadles of the Bank to be answered, before the van with its treasure comes to a standstill at the entrance to the vaults. Here we are niet by a kindly-disposed gentleman, who is willing to satisfy our curiosity concerning these much-coveted conatonmente. "Wβ have all sorfcs and all sizes of boxes come in, many of them holding £10,000, whilst others will be barelyan inch square, and contain but »n ounce of gold; but the sentry as he goes his rounds at night cares for one a« inuoh as the other. The charge per package is just the same, be the parcel small or great, an ounce or a hundredweight, that is. fs 9d a box or naked bar of sold and silver per month, and after the first month it is reduced to a shilling. We never see the contents of the boxes, unless perhaps, when the Customs' officer opens two or three out of ft consignment, and runs his fingers through the golden pieces to see if there is anything contraband hidden beneath. Oh, some daya we have absolutely aothing come in at all, whilst on others half-a-dozen vessels may arrive, and there ia always a big rush after a Bank Holiday. A million dollars is a very common shipment from America." j