oM.vin -THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES" 47 



His diary notes the hitting of two consecutive 

 fivers on the West Kent ground. 



While science was, no doubt, his absorbing 

 hobby, it did not preclude an attention to the 

 bank which enabled him not only to carry on 

 its routine work with success but even to initiate 

 some useful new developments. He suggested 

 to the London Bankers the adoption of the 

 system known as the Country Clearing. Up to 

 this time Bankers in London, receiving for col- 

 lection from their customers cheques drawn 

 on banks in any other town, sent them by post 

 to the Banks on which they were drawn. These 

 Banks then ordered payment of the amount, in 

 many cases less a commission, to the Banker 

 from whom they were received. It was estimated 

 that on an average every 10 cheques involved 

 four letters, or one letter to every 2| cheques. 



The proposal was that the London Bankers 

 should hold a " clearing " and present to one 

 another all the cheques on the Country Banks 

 for which each London Banker was agent, and 

 that Country Banks should send up all such 

 cheques to London to be dealt with in the same 

 way. 



The London Bankers were startled at the 

 novelty of the suggestion, and felt doubtful 

 whether it could be practically worked. They 

 asked young Lubbock to attend a meeting of 

 head clerks and go into the details with them. 

 This he did, and after a long discussion Mr. 

 Kentish of Glyns moved, and Mr. Moules of 

 Robarts' seconded a resolution that the plan 

 should be recommended to the Committee of 



