BANK. 
is entitled to more than one vote for any 
sum whatever. 
Bank of Scotland, was established under 
the superintendance of Mr. W. Paterson, 
from whom the plan of the bank of England 
originated. It was erected by an act of the 
parliament of Scotland in 1695, and although 
its capital stock was only 1,200,0001. Scots, 
or 100,000/. sterling; it was soon found 
very beneficial to the. commerce of North 
Britain. In 1774 they were authorised to 
increase their capital 1,200,000/. Scots, or 
100,000/. sterling ; and in 1784 another ad- 
dition was made of the same amount. By 
an act passed in 1792, they were impowered 
to double the existing capital, which thus 
became equal to 600,000/. sterling, and in 
1794 a further addition was made equal to 
400,000/. steiling ; the total capita! thus 
became 12,000,000/. Scots, or 1,000,000/. 
sterling. The company is under the ma- 
nagement of a governor, a deputy governor, 
twelve ordinary directors, and twelve ex- 
traordinary directors. 
Bank, Royal, of Scotland, was establish- 
ed by charter in 1727, with a capital of 
151,000/. sterling. The public revenues of 
Scotland are paid into this bank, and it is 
under the management of a governor, de- 
puty governor, and sixteen directors. 
Bank of Ireland, was established in the 
year 1781. The original capital was only 
600,0001. and the company’s privileges 
were determinable on twelve month's no- 
tice after the 1st of January, 1794. Pre- 
vious to this period the capital was increas- 
ed to 1,000,000/. and the term extended to 
the 1st of January, 1816 ; and by a subse- 
quent act they were impowered to aug- 
ment their capital to 1,500,000/. In the 
original act by which this bank was establish- 
ed, it was directed that they should not 
borrow or give security by bill, bond, note, 
covenant, or agreement, under their com- 
mon seal or otherwise, for any sum ex- 
ceeding their capital; and a clause to a 
similar purport, though not in the same pre- 
cise words, was included in the subsequent 
acts. Since the suspension of payment in 
cash, however, the total amount of the notes 
of the bank of Ireland in circulation has 
been greatly increased, sc that on the 1st 
of January, 1797, they amounted only to 
621,917/. 6s. 4d. including bank post bills, 
whereas on the 1st of February, 1806, the 
amount of their notes of 5/. value and up- 
wards was 1,676,118/. 11s. gid. and of notes 
under 5 1. value 811,454/. lOs. 9d. making 
together 2,487,573 /. Is. llirf. 
The bask receives interest at 5 per cent. 
from tire government, on their permanent 
and temporary loans ; and an allowance for 
management of such part of the public 
debt as has been made transferrable at the 
bank of Ireland. 
Bank, in natural history, denotes an ele- 
vation of the ground, or bottom of the sea, 
so as sometimes to surmount the surface of 
the water, or, at least, to leave the water so 
shallow, as usually not to allow a vessel to 
remain afloat over it. 
In this sense, bank amounts to much the 
same with flat, shoal, &c. There are banks 
of sand, and others of stone, called also 
shelves, or rocks. In the North sea, they 
also speak of banks of ice, which are large 
pieces of that matter floating. 
A long narrow bank is sometimes called 
a rib. 
The bank, absolutely so called, or the 
main bank, or great bank, denotes that of 
Newfoundland, the scene of the cod fishery. 
It is called the great bank, not only by 
reason of its vast extent, being, according 
to the English computation, 200 miles long, 
and, according to the French, 100 leagues, 
or 300 miles ; but also on account of several 
lesser banks near it, where cod are also 
caught. 
Banks, on the sea coast, are usually mark- 
ed by beacons, or buoys, and in charts they 
are distinguished by little dots, as ridges of 
rocks are by crosses. An exact knowledge 
of the banks, their extent, and the depth of 
water on them, makes a most essential part 
of the science of a pilot, and master of a 
ship : if the vessel be large, and draw much 
water, great attention will be necessary to 
keep clear of the banks ; on the contrary, 
if it be small, the same banks afford a sure 
asylum, where it may brave the largest and 
stoutest vessels, which dare not follow it 
here. By means of this barrier many small 
craft have escaped their enemies. 
Bank, in vessels which go with oars, is 
used for the bench where the rowers are 
seated; popularly called by our seamen the 
thaught. 
In this sense we read of banks of gallies, 
of galeasses, of galliottes,'of brigantines, and 
the like. 
The Venetian gondolas have no banks ; 
for the watermen row standing. 
The common gallies have 25 banks, that 
is, 25 on each side, in all 50 banks, with 
one oar to each bank, and four or five men 
to each oar. 
- The galeasses have 32 banks on a side, 
and six or seven rowers to a bank. 
B ANK.AFALET, a game at cards, which 
till 2 
