When choosing a banker, therefore, one should first ascertain that he has an abundant reserve of cash in hand, and, secondly, that his so-called liquid assets (his cash, call-money and securities) amount to from £45 to £50 against each £100 to which he is indebted to the public. And as to those private bankers who do not issue a balance-sheet, they are, in the first place, guilty of the sin of omission; and, in these days, when faith is not the predominant note, there seems but little inducement to buy a pig in a poke when a large banker’s balance-sheet may be had for the asking. CHAPTER III THE CHEQUE AND ITS VARIOUS CROSSINGS A cheque is often described as a bill of exchange, drawn by a customer on his banker, for a sum certain in money, payable on demand. In these days, when the mere babe produces his cheque-book on the slightest provocation, it seems unnecessary to describe how a cheque should be drawn; though it may just be added that it must bear a stamp of one penny, and that the stamp may be either impressed or adhesive. A customer, therefore, can draw a cheque on his banker upon a sheet of notepaper; but he would be well advised, except under exceptional circumstances, to use the forms supplied to him. Order or Bearer. A cheque is payable either to “order” or to “bearer”; and, if the latter word be used, then it does not require indorsing, while should neither word be upon the document, the cheque is held to be an “order” one. Either the person to whom it is payable or the drawer may change a cheque from bearer to order; and this he would do by running his pen through the former word; but the drawer alone can alter an order cheque by writing the word “bearer” in full and initialling the alteration. If the cheque be signed by more than one drawer, then all should add their initials to any correction it may be desirable to make. Date of a Cheque.