Star. — London, England, 1819-01-26 00:00:00

i R I -1.. 1 I 1 ." it ,~ vantage to the public, as would compensate the evils • necessarily attendant upon a change. 1:11a invention to which we refer in the latter part of 'this Report, and on which our attention is now principally engaged, waslaid before the Direct tors a short time previous to.the issuing his Majesty's Cemtnission, and so far. entertained by. thei.a, that they advanced a large sum of money to the author. chief merit of this invention consisting in the ex treme accuracy of the machinery requisite, time and application are necessary to bring it to such a state • of perfection as appears likely to answer the purpose desired. " Upoathe latter of the two points above referred to, we have received from the Chief Inspector and Chief Livestigator at the Bank, and also from the Solicitor, accounts of the course pursued in their re spective departments. For which purpose, we re quested the personal attendance of each of those Officers, and entered into such an examination of them, as appeared to us to be calculated to produce the necessary information. We have also been fur nished by the Bank with the means of judging of the actual state of Forgery, and of that degree of skill r hich appears sufficient to deceive the public, by the examination of Forged Notes of val.!, sus kinds ; and even of the tools and instrnments used by one forger, which were taken upon him. Whilst it is painful to observe the degree of ta lent thus perverted, it is at the same time to be re marked, that in many instances the public suffer. them.elves to Le deceived by very miserable imita tions; and it is to be feared that a similar careless:tess would very much lessen the good effects to be deri ved from the employment of.superior skill and work manship in the formation of a new Note. Another fact appears proper to be noticed here; as forming an important ingredient in the consideration of any prO posed plan. The issue of small N otes by the Bank is necessarily very uncertain a irregular in its amount. We find, that to keep up the usual supply, not less than fifty plates are requisite; and it is con sidered proper to have a much larger number in a state of preparation. And as it is obviously necessary to preserve, as much as possible, identity in the Notes, this circumstance alone precludes the application for this purpose of many ingenious plans, even if there did not exist other insuperable objections to them. ‘' Resulting from the above statements and exami nations, some general observations have occurred to us, which appear proper to be introduced in this stage of the Report. " It has been very commonly imagiled, that, in censecinence of the simplicity of execution in the present Batik Notes, the actual Forgery of them was very generally and extensively practised, and that often by persons without money or talent; and this idea has tamed the basis of much of the reasoning used by many of the projectors, whose plans have been under our view. The reverse of this we believe to be the fact; and from the Information before us, we feel ourselves warranted iii stating our opinion, that the gre't quantity of Forged small Notes which have lately been found in circulation, have all issued from a very few plates only ; and that the fabrication of them is chiefly confined to one particular part of the country, and carried on by men of skill and ex perience, and possessed of a very considerable com mand of capital. Upon a cursory observation, it appeared remarkable, that whilst se many utterers are constantly brought to justice, the actual forger should very rarely, indeed, be detected. But further latvestiga . ..ion has led us to think, that this fact may be accounted for—and, without entering into details, which upon this point it is better to avoid, we think that it results naturally from the lamentable perfec tion of system to which this fraudulent traffic has been brought ; and we have seen no reason to doubt that the Directors of the Bank, and their officers, have used every exertion in their power to bring the actual forgers to justice, though unfortunately without suc cess, except in very few instances. " We cannot refrain, however, from adding to this statement, our opinion, that there must be some cul pable remissness in the local Police of those districts within which the actual fabricators of Bank-notes are more than suspected to reside, and to carry on their trade with impunity. And before we quit this part. of the subject, we wish to suggest, for the considera tion of those by whose judgment such a question may be properly decided, whether it might not be expe• client to offer a very large reward for the apprehen sion and conviction of a person actually engaged in forging Bank-notes. We are aware of the objections which exist against the system of pecunia , y rewards, and are fully impressed with a sense of the evils that may arise from a too general adoption of it. But the circumstances under which the critic of forgery exists in this country are peculiar; and it appears to us hardly possible that those evils which might be anti cipated :tom the offer of a reward in the case of some other crimes, could follow from such an offer in this case; and knowing how many individuals must be saved from punishment by the conviction of one ac tual forger, we venture to recommend the adoption of this measure, to be concurrent with such an improve melt in the form of the note as we hope to sec effected " Having been furnished with such ir.formation as was within our reach, relative to the subject of our inquiry, we, in the next place, proceeded to examine more in detail the several projects submitted to us In pursuing this examination, we have not indulged the vain expectation of finding any plan for a Bank note which shall not be imitable by the skill of Eng. lish artists, and we have considered that it would be utterly unsafe to rely for security against forgery, upon the employment of any process, the chief merit of whiclt was to consist in its being kept secret; of which several have been communicated to us. Our object has been, to select some plan, of which the process, when the principles of it are understood, and the machinery and implements provided, should be simple enough to be applied without interruption to tie extended operations of the Bank ; and should at the same tame comprise so much of superior art as may oppose the greatest possible dielculugs to the attempts of the forger, and. may present such points of accuracy ,and excellence in workmanship to the e) u of any t adividuaiusing ordinary caution, as shall enable ithas to detect a fraud by observing the alp seace of those points in a fabricated note. ai In the mass o the schemes (*fore us, there are, 0- coarse, very earious,degrees of merit ; and we en dzavoure'd to etas: them as well as circumstances woull pettait. Iserri a very large ration of theM LONDON. TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1819. TIIE FUND& PRICE OT STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK : Bank Stock 2721-2 per Cent. Reduced 791 79 3 per Cent. Cons. 78114 I—Cons. for . Ac. 791-781 79 3a per Cent. BSi 881-4 per Cent. 94 97i Navy 10711 —Bank Long Anns. 20 9-16 7-16 India Bondi 87 88 pre.—Ctld Annuities 781 Omnium 21 I pre.— Exchequer Bills (2d.) 20 17 pr. In the House of Commons, last night, the CHAN 7 oetsna of the EXCITEtWER, (who had on a previous meeting mentioned his intention to submit to. .the early consideration of the House the propriety of continuing the Restrictions on Cash Payments) gave notice that in consequence of a communication made to him last Friday by the Bank, it was now , his inten tion to appcir.t, previously, a Committee of Inquity. Mr. TIERNEY treated the notice with derislon, as a concession extorted from the weakness of Admini s tra-1 ties ; and considered it as a measure intended to parry, rather than to produce effective enquiry. He would, he said, endeavour to prevent this Secret Committee from being made an instrument for the suppression of information. • It is a little singular, that the plans of Ministers should be altered by communications front the Bank and more so, that, W this be possible, the Bank should he left to chuse the fit time for such communications. The appointment of the Committee must produce some benefit. It will bring out a new data, upcn 'which reliance may be placed ; and some progressat least will be made in arriving at a knowledge of the teal pracacabany or impt-Acticabil:ty .of resuming Cash-payments. There is in this question tlfe strange ancmily, that those who most strenuously contend for the resumption of Cash-payments, say the thing is wholly hopeless and impossible, whilst those who re sist it, say there is nothing more easy. Loyd LAU DERDALE pronounces that gold cannot continue in cir culation unless the Mint regulations shall be altered, so as to remove the difference of one and a half per cent. between gold and silver, and the Ministers im pute the disappearance of gold to the transitory dis advantage cf the state - of our exchange with fo reign countries, and the operation of French loans.— The latter is.a humiliating, and, as we think, a feeble reason. The cause is upon the face of it ridiculously inadequate. The foreign exchange is a more serious, and we fear a more stubborn obstacle. How is it that the boasted prosperity of our commerce has not inclined the balance? Is it that our prosperity is ideal, or rather that other nations have made at least equal progress with ourselves ? The English trader does not start on equal terms. Let us confider his load of taxation, and the price he pays for labour (we do not fir the present; contemplate hot./ far these are resolvable into the same thing), and we shall sec that he carries enormous weight in the great race of industry. The City of London Petition for the Mitigation of our Crithinal Laws was presented by the two Sheriffs at the Bar of the House of Commons. From the ob servations of Mr. BATMEN r, it would seem that this measure will meet with opposition. Combining it with the Police and Prison Regulations is mere mockery. Those who suggest such a course, equally mistake the public feeling, and the importance of the subject. It is ridiculous to talk of sinking ibto mere insignificance a question of such magnitude, as to demand the most comprehensive grasp of mind to legislate upon it. A Petition was presented by Mr. BENNETT, from a person of the name of Halloran; convicted of forging a frank. It complained of the shameful treatment of convicts on board, and their shocking depravity. This is a question which may well be joined with the Prison and Police Inquiries. In the House of Lords, the Earl Of LIVERPOOL 'made a communication similar to that of the CHAN CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, respecting the . Bank Re striction, and gave notice of a Motion for the ap pointment of a Committee on this day se'nnight. His Lordship also brought in a Bill to vest the care of his MAJESTY'S Person in his Royal Highness the Duke of YORE, Noob servation which was read a first time. made was as to the reduction or modifica tion of the Windsor Establishment. A Dutch Mail arrived this morning t but its con tents present nothing of a striking kind. The Dutch Papers, which are to the 23d instant, mention that the King of PRANcs has given permission to several more of the persons banished by the Royal Ordi• nances, to return to France, and that on the event of his Coronation, it is expected an amnesty will be ex tended to all the reg. The Diet of Frankfort commenced its Sittings on the 16th in -taut, but only preliminary matters oc cupy their first attention. Three Mails from Hamburg!' have also arrived. Count LAs CASES has just publiched in Germany a Woik, entitled, " Projet de Petition au Parliament 4lngleterre," the object of which is to persuade the English nation to grant to NAPOLEON a tree residence either in Great Britain or North America. The Emperor ALEXANDER was expected to return to his capital by the 4th of this month. The Schah of PERSIA has sent to his IMPERIAL MAJESTV a pre sent of thirty fine Persian hories. The Pours has just launched two new 74's. The SULTAN, with all his Ministers, was present on the occasion. M. A. PISASI, second interpreter of the . English Embassy, permitted his children to go and, see the ship launched. Two days after the son, who. was 14 years of age, ' was seized with the plague, and died in 48 hours. Exchange at Hamburgh on London the-19th Jan. 32.8.-32. 11. Yesterday a Cabinet Council was held at the Fo reign Office, which was attended Isy all the Cabinet Ministers except the Lona CHANCELLOR. A Morning Paper states, as a rumour prevalent among the Gentlemen at the Bar, that Lord &Dol.; has at length determined to resign the Seals. The Noble and Learned Lord will be followed into his retirement by the respect and esteem of every. honest man in the kingdom. We have heard that he is to be succeeded by Lord MANNERS, the present Lord Chancellor of Ireland. If this arrangement* shall take place, it is added, that Sir J. LE.WIi will be pre sented with the Irish Seals, acco.npanied with a 13arony. The Marquis of Blair is to succeed Earl PAULETT as Lord Lieutenant of the County of Somerszt ; the. Earl of AYLESBURY is to be the new Knight of thr Thistle; and the Earl of FIFE is to be the Lord of his Majesty's Bed•cha::aber,.oice Lord PA U LETT. Yesterday 'iscount CASTLEREAGH arrived in town, at the Foreign Office, from his seat at North Cray ; his health is much improved. A Conti of Bank Directors were summoned to meet this day at one o'clock, for the purpose of lay ing the new Bank-Note before Ministers, for their approbation, previous to its being issued to the public. Lord LIVERPOOL, tire CHA WF.L SOB of the litccrin. QUER, etc. etc. are expected at the time aprointed. Among the, numerous acts of Royal munificence which'characterized her late MAtErrv, the following has been related by Mr. PEELLE. Manager of the Windsor Theatre : 1 In the year tact, while his brother, Mr. William Penley, and wife, were performing at Weyir.outh, her AlAri..vir gave a irplerdidreto at liatlipole, and employed Mrs. W. l'euley to assist in the decorations. Being much pleased with ouc of Mr. %V. Ptaloy's children, the Quirsw took the little buy under her prolaeiim, placed him at a schoni at Sherborne till he attained his 17th year, and then gave the youth a Cnnuniseion in the Army., with Me guineas talk, uotrwifitl wit. paid by O.: 14141 Cl load DisaaowA :" Iif4NCIIES2'ER, JANU44Y IMr. RUNT 11114 his friends attended 2:tea the Police Office, raprefer their charges' • individuals concernedtn the outrage at the Friday nigh% but the Magistrates refused all ference, either as to the granting warrants monine the accused parties before then% grieved pa!ty, however, by the advice of their have sent fo. King's Beach writs against the whose persons are identified, and have ism and advertisements, offering a reward of L'At discovery or apprehension of the other dent All rue respectable part of the audience wa re indignant at the treatment Mr. Heee and hi , experizeced, and icudly expressed their 61, of the conduct of their opponents. Whateze• have been 'Mr. Herres conduct at other p . behaviour here. both at and since the PuTiii. ing, has been perfectly decorous and gentlem al and it must be regarded as rather disgracefe' Police of the Town, that FO flagrant a vial the public peace should have taken place ma by their interieience. Mr. IltiNT has deck. determinatiea not to quit the town until the I put matters in a train for himself and frien.h Lain satisfaction for theinjury they have rust; It must be mentioned, to the credit of that he has spent the principal part of the la days in visiting the mast distressed disnicts town, inhibited by the poor weavers and ca!:, tres•.:d artisans, to all of whom be gave money cording to their distress and the acinber -" respective families. I noticed, in a former letter, the failure of spectable House cf 'Air. JOHN KELSALL, of th 1 have now the pleasure to state, that, from mination of the books, it appears there will I be enough to pay evary creditor twenty sin', the pound, but like he a considerable rev. Mr. KELSALL has property in almost e;.:-aa. of the globe, having no less dun eleven /1, different: foreign stations. A Liverpool House, engaged largely in th trade, has stopped payment for a considerable; Some respectable Merchants and MantiEcti this town will he lo:iers by this failure to the of at least £60.000. These failures have, Ia: to say, caused a temporary flatness in trade ge: and suspended all foreign speculation for and have occasioned the markets to be dull ; but there is reason to hope that the not extend farther, and that its effects tsiil ii any permanent injury to the commercial iya The Fustian trade, which forms so impo: branch of the ccrnmcirce of this place, and been flat for some time past, has tairen start, owing to some immense orders from Germany, and Russia, that have arrived with' three days—one house has received an order thousand pieces for the Spanish market. NAVAL INT,E4LIOENCE. FALMOUTH, JANUARY 25. Wind . W.S.W. fresh bow - zes.--Put back cess Elizabeth Packet, with a mail.for Amelic; • PORTSMOUTH. JANUARY O. It has blown a heavy gale all day, with dous gusts from S. arid S.S.W. and still conti Arrived his Majesty's ship RXVOLVTIONNAIIII Plymouth ; ant the PHEASANT, from a cruise wherries upset in the harbour-tide. during t! of last night and : this morning, and three were drowned. The ships in the 'toads have gi and topmasts down, and appear to ride in sa: • DE.II.,.JANyARY 26. Wind South, blowshard.:—Put back the v: the outward-bound that sailed yesterday et. Majesty's ship Tainont, which ship still keeps It blew hard at intervals last night, during Essex, East•lndiaman, parted from her audio John, rorrtzwsu„ and the Lyna, Soot:. also parted, and drove a-thwart of each other both ships got damage. About 11, A.M. the Nancy, drove a-thwart of a collier brig, which the cutter to cut, and both went for Ramsgite li.u.bc , Two P. ra.--;-Wind S. blows hard, with a treme sea.—The'Prince of Orange, SILK, has just and gone for Ramsgate harbour. The Ei:za has lost an anchor and cable, and got other having , been run foul of, but remains in the Four o clock.—The Vansittart East Intimman patted twice this afternoon, and has ja.t let - tiler anchor which appears to hold her at p: Five, P. M.—We do not hear of any other dam present. The remainder of the outwadho,. pear to ride well, most of tl.ern with two down, and top-gallant yards and mast dcwa. RAMSGATE, JANUARY 25. Wind S. blows had.—The Renewal, London to BalbadOeS, arrived here in the l;.eal of this morning, with loss of her foremast, bu and other damage, having beea run foul of Prince of (ha:ige i SILK, in the Downs. Al Diana, LAWS, with loss of anchor and cab! Nancy, ThEACLKII, with loss of do. do. The. of Orange Sait, with loss of anchor and cab: -damage, (range, grounded at the entrance of this .hour, and lies athwart in a dangerous sitaat-. CUSTOM -HOUSE. LONDON, JANUARY ExTritru lawantis—The Lana, Harrison, from Per: Amelia, Tanton ; Hope, Phillips; CytLet, Barron'; Iluddliston, from St. hfichavrs'; Four Sisters , Edcd Charente; Pallas, Phillip., frGm NLltat Ague, fin St. Haloes; Kate, Smith, and liriti.h Tar, Hairiv, marara ; Sw.ni F.drlie, fr,trt Nassau ; Jolly 13ra1...kt bead, from the Canary In ands; Success. Afr.r.tin, Crichton, from Calcutta; W:aerloo, Row, front Aim metre, Colclough, front St. Humble; Acra, Srist, fro: Bice; Hope, Patterson, from Genoa; Annegyst, Cuff L. ‘_ern ; Sussex, Bather, from Annapolis ; Unity, W• from Batavia; blegavissey, Morris,frcin Bremen"; Act: art, from (Mena; Clyde, Smith, from the Car of Goo and Selina, Pottingvr, from Smyrna EXTYRED Oetwaxos....-Richard and Ann, nole-asen,! Indoes; Langford, Anthony, for Berhice ; Steil, Crow for Ilanarara ; Perseverance, I%Lati,rhan. for 11. tnEtre Gibbons, :or Oporto; and Echo, Henderson, for It - Cs.tatrp OcsWastas.—The Collistwoud, Le Ales Naples General Murray, Carrinstos Air Antwerp; X Mena, for I..egbolll Joan 11044411, Lltaitt, fly( I:ics Forbes, for Barceleras. There are no less than Herrn NAVA due in by way of Milford haven ar.l Waterford, ow tlie . boLterons state of the Weather. This is a stance scarce!y ever remembered before. Nine bl.tils are now dt:e in Ireland, by the Portpurick and Donai,h , adee. Awl rtiNi rd biLlvigt KL•m ; J:Lat AngpleDar, arai tse tihe. 4 h. e ed aii; ttr mts ct 4 Th e :heir the C4 ; ,,' issued ' £:O cle;ineet were trN abhori tn mere ele ,tu f . chat ktlemanii , laid to petal violation eitih a owe:. • t!c Mc iecktr:d ? the law . Farti ien;;: to • rho sustainer. lie last • , -( ricts of . afro id whet 4', money, . her of the . ' re of the r fj )f this tot 'pro an ex val not ce:•7 ' That shillirg! :a tery quarter Agents n the Bral; Ible ainout; Tre fi.clotus cite •ar.rir I .tro scr le generaET the ?reser , U t unusulli rat si he Eva 10 z :nd 11 no! cze:e ~ ar.por:r.:t a el'ro. d ‘viti:l•, * za a a su?...!ea • Trom ra,ruar) 'der fur rAo • • c sin • alga • :as,l k and sp !lair& • ith creme:- 'potatoes AIRE, frog ruize. itW I , g the g. - le • c , ree persc. re got safety . . ie whck r EXCert IWT• :ceps to Sau :';:e wok oh-seaman, azd other, and or 5 , 4 to schoor.er hich fort ci 141 ' 6 Ire h.u•bci.t. Sao :rentend.:',•:aiicl just pitte4 Ei:za :11.4 :r damage, let go lama s damage :I :t eeeh •ho.uto sp vo aaci.c:s By ( it „... Leavy gax , its of by - .3 Alzo 143 31 cable; 21 The. Pri:.:e ant cable, 41 r this 1 . . z. rati3r.. IRT O. • Pert: n - t a. •t•. h 7.4 qz.ddt:, . ft:, &cm Lac!' i'Asl. Alter.; C.- 1 Et, tress crer. fr -41 Wat^.=tri 'Good F:; 4 ••4: ohm, fcr . • Crositt - :. u•g!• ; Atocrian ; Liam; • • in Ire: - • °wiz; 4 s a circt: • 12 the way • my, 26 . a Is; Tb F.J V 'I :4k it was obvious, upon a first inspection, that no bene , ticial tesult could be expected. Of the whole num ber, we find about twelve of saperior skill and inv.- . itity, but anticipated by others of higher merit ; or merely ingenious, but inapplicable in practice. And we consider nine others to be either of such origina -1 lity or ingenious combination of existing means, as to have required our more particular attention ; and with respect .to these. much , consideration has been had ' and, in some . instances, improvements and ex r periments suggested and tried. a' We have not considered, as decis;Ve agains. the merit of any particular plan; the single fact, that it may be imitated by superior art and expensive means. But when we have found, in the case of specimens' submitted to us, apparently of great excellcace, and the result of a combivation of talent or machinery, that a very good imitation has been produced in a short time, without any' peculiar expense, and by the afiplication of means only, which are within the reach of very many artists and engravers in England; and when we reflect, to how very few hands the business of forgery appears to be at present confined, we cannot doubt that in the event of Bank Notes being formed from any such specimens, an equal number at least of persons would very soon indeed be found capable of fabricating those Notes to a con derable extent, and with a degree of skill quite suf. ficient to deeeive the public. Another consideration has also had weight•in inducing us to hesitate much, before we venture to recommend any specific plan. " The adoption of any new form of note present iug peculiar and characteristic marks,- but the imita tion of which we could not confidently feel to be ex tremely difficult, would not only not do good,, bog would produce much evil; and would induce a false security, by accustoming the Public to rely upon the appearance of such marks and peculiar character,,ra ther than upon-a cautious and general observation of the whole note. " Our.remarks, however, as to imitation, do not apply to all the specimens which have been offered to us. There are a few of singular and superior merit, produced by means which it is very improbable should ever come within the reach of any single forger, and the imitation of which, except by those means, ap-. pears in a high degree difficult. " Safety, or rather comparative safety, is to be sought, to a certain extent, in a combination of ex cellence in various particulars ; but chiefly, as we con ceive, in the application of a principle beyond the reach of the art of the Copper-plate Engraver, which in its different processes is possessed of the most for midable powers of imitation. " One plan, before alluded to, as apparently afford ing this advantage, has been. with the most liberal assistance from the Bank, for some tinie past, in a course of trial for its greater perfection, and with a view to combination with other improvements, satis factory experiments of which have already been effected. The result, if our efpectations be not dis appointed, will afford a specimen of great ingenuity in the fabric of the paper, of great excellence in the workmanship, and of a very peculiar invention, and difficult machinery in the art of printing. We con fidently hope, that no long time will elapse before we are enabled to lay before your Royal Highness that result ; and we have every reason to know, that the Bank Directors are sincerely anxious to adopt any plan, which shall be found, after patient exansi. nation, to be worthy of adoption. In the mean time, we have thought it right not to delay informing your Royal Highness of the course of our proceedings.— The investigation in which we have been engaged, has strengthened rather than removed our feeling of the difficulties with which the whole subject is sur rounded. We do not 'wish to represent those difficul ties as precluding the propriety of an attempt to re move the existing evils, by a change in the form of the notes issued by the Bank of England ; but we do feel them to be such, as to make it imperative upon those with whom the responsibility rests, to be fully satisfied that they shall produce an improvement, before they venture to effect a change. " All which is humbly submitted to your Royal Highness's consideration and judgment. (Signed) :OWN wan, JUL MAISMAN, " WILLIAM CONGIP2II I / 4 WW. ii. woccastow, " wu. COV/ILTZWAT. GUARLIII UATCHSTT. is DAVIES omegas, " Soko.square, Jan. 15, 18111." • THE EVENING STAR.