Page:Lombard Street (1917).djvu/297

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269
THE BILL BROKERS

discount. The sums of money which I lend for country bankers on discount are fifty times more than the sums borrowed for country bankers.

"Do you send London bills into the country for discount?—Yes.

"Do you receive bills from the country upon London in return, at a date, to be discounted?—Yes, to a very considerable amount, from particular parts of the country.

"Are not both sets of bills by this means under discount?—No, the bills received from one part of the country are sent down to another part for discount.

"And they are not discounted in London?—No. In some parts of the country there is but little circulation of bills drawn upon London, as in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Sussex, etc.; but there is there a considerable circulation in country bank notes, principally optional notes. In Lancashire there is little or no circulation of country bank notes; but there is a great circulation of bills drawn upon London at two or three months' date. I receive bills to a considerable amount from Lancashire in particular, and remit them to Norfolk, Suffolk, etc., where the bankers have large lodgments, and much surplus money to advance on bills for discount."

Mr. Richardson was only a broker who found money for bills and bills for money. He is further asked:—