In the "North-China Daily News" every day appear stories of how indiscreet persons lose either. their own or someone else's money by Jearrying it around with them stead of placing it beyond. the reach of those with the ambition to get rich quick at others' expense, In of the ultra-modern facilities for banking and invest ment available locally one would have thought that the days of staring money in the pocket. er under the gown, after the style of Victorian "capitalists" who preferred the business end of a stocking to the safety of a vault, had gone for ever. Many, however, in this country cling to the habits of their forefathers.
That there is little, if any, excuse for the attitude of these supporters of antiquity was proved by the "Shanghai "Commercial Savings Bank to a representative group of local residents and Press representatives who had. been it vited to: inspect the safe-deposit a rangements completed for the new premises of the Bank in Ningpo Road. These arrangements are Undoubtedly the most complete of their kind in the Far East, the work having been entrusted to the Herring-Hall Marvin Safe Ca. of Ohio, U.S.A. whoe local agents are Messrs, Mustard & Ca,, Ltd.
The new building for the bank itself was constructed with the object of being a safe-deposit from the foundations upward. The guests, however, were mainly interested in the vaults on the ground floor and in the basement which were designed with a view to taking charge of money, jewel-ery, and documents with the provision of undeniable security. How well this idea was put into effect, was demonstrated by Mr. F. D. Gordon, who showed them around.
The vaults, of which there a jeight—Safe Deposit and book faci ities on the ground floor and three Sycee rooms in the basement—contain some 70 tons of armour plating, of which about 30 tons are ithe deposit boxes alone. They are built of re-infareed concrete, with jone-inch iron bars, which is 1 inches thick and lined with armour eel. The Safe Deposit room on the ground floor, in particular, rests on the deep foundations of the building. The Sycee vaults in the basement are similarly constructed, The doors of these vaults of steel casting, with bur ing land drill-proof steel inside. It 20 inches thick and is opened [shut by means of two Yale combi tation locks, each capable of 100,- }000,000 changes, which are checked lay a Yale four-movement 72-hour time lock.
The Sycee vaults have oblong doors, with round corners, owinging fon crane hinges, and are similarly operated.
These vaults are capable of keeping millions of valuable documents jand a practically unlimited amount fof precious metal. A patrol passage around them and the fact That a space has been left between the outer walls of the building and their sides are further elements of safety.
Associated with Mr. Gordon in [supervising the installation of these vaults, which are unrivalled in the Far East, were Mr, ¥. 8. Chuck, of the Savings Department of the Bank, and Mr. A. H. Sion, chief Trust Department.
Incidentally this pamphlet is an illegal document, for it bears, no me Gieation of its printer or publisher, Whence came these pamphlets?
They certainly. were contained in consigned. baggage for the P. and paty's branch liner Karmal, which falls to-day from the King George ViDock for the Par Caste The case was addressed' in the name of Captain A, E. N. Howard, "A. second-catas London to Port Said ed in the name of Captain A.
Howard, who is expected to Join the to-day, possibly Captain A. E, N. Howard /—whose name does not appear he' Army' List as that of serving: soldier—may be entirely ignorant of the existence of these pamphlets, that they have been consigned Port Said in his name, 'On February' 6 the' paper, under watch by. detec mn vain for mysteri= fous captain: pamphlets held," pubs ished" the sequel? officers waited in: (Rebruary ard the P. and O. liner Karmal
Howard, who 2 -aakteope et seeing Capt A.
King George V- Deck 3 Cabin' No. 100 on a trip" to ie "The detectives wished to question limy concerning a number. of mys terious pamphlets, which, as, exchuc sively revealed in the "Dail Herala" yesterday," were. consigned torpor Said. in this name, The case in which they ced as breen open int was then found that the panto pnets not only bore no indication of printer or publisher, but also sug-Rested thatthe Labour Government seemed to be aiming at a world revolution, Immediately the "Daily Horald" revelation was read in" Whitehall yesterday a conference of Govornment officials took place.
Two plain-clothes officers were at once sent to King George V Dock to await the arrival of Captain Howard.
One took position on, the No. 100, which was booked in Captain Howard's name.
th waited until the ship was due to sail, but Captain Howard did not put in an appearance, The ier moved off down the Thames carrying neither Captain, Howard nor the case of pamphlets. The pamphlets were confiscated by the Steamship company.
The attention of the Home Office has been directed to the occurrence, and questions are to be asked in the House of Commons.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.