How Gold Is Shipped

Shipments of gold from New York to Europa are ordinarily made in very strong hardwood kegs, each keg containing fifty thousand dollars. At each end of the keg four holes are bored :hrough the projecting ends of the staves, and through these holes piecea of red tape are drawn, meeting in the center, where a large wax seal is applied, bearing the stamp of the house which makes the shipment. A material cause of loss in this handling of specie s the rubbing of the coin or bars one upon another; and for this reason twen;y dollar gold pieces are prcferred to ;cn or flve dollar pieces, the surface exposed to abrasión being less. Each ieg contains ten canvas bags, and in each bag is five thousand dollars, lni She United States assay ofHce the rubaing of the gold bars upon each other s prevented by packing them in sawdust.