The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-01-27 00:00:00

REPORT

Or THE COMMIScIONERS APPOINTED FOR IN-
QUIRING INTO THE MOVE OF PREVENTING
THE FORGERY OF BANK NOTES.

Ordered by the House of COMMORS SO be printed,
22d January, 1819.

TO HIS ROYAL littOnNvis Grum: vittivre Of WALvs,
RfratlT Of TON UNITES) LING OoNI or DMUS URI-
TAIN AND IRELAND.
lii obedience to the directions contained in his Majesty's
Commission, we proceeded, in the latter end of the month of
July last, to consider the important Isubject referred to us.
Our attention was first *ldeatd to the proposals fur im-
provement in the Form of the Notes issued by the Bank of
England; and it being knows, that many plans haul been
submitted to that Body, which they had not thought it esp.!.
dii sit to adopt, we felt it proper, in the first instance, to ob.
taw correct information upon this point ; and we therefore
requested the Court of Directors to furnish 1111 with an are
t uuut of such plans. They did actordiegly famish us with.
out delay, with a detailed account of one hundred and right
projects, regularly classed and 311 Hllgid, togeth►r with the
correspondence respecting them, a statement of the trials to
which they bad been subjected, and specimens of the
proposed urietuals, and of the imitations executed by order
of the Bank. They also laid before IS about strenry varieties
of paper made at their manufactui y, in exiwrimenta for its
smpruvi meld, in which almost every alteration recommend-
ed fur &dull• hail been tried, and, in some just:times, an-
ticipated by their own manufacturer.
We have also received and atiswered communications from
nbuut seventy individual', which have been ■nauged and
considered; and in some cases, n personal isitu, slew has
been requested, and held. Several of these prams had been
previously in commit ideation wills the Batik; and we find
that its the instance of sonic projects of superior promise,
the Directors had furnished to the imposers, the pecuniary
menus of carrying their ideas into effect. We have likewise
sought and obtained inforinatiens, as to (be stale of the
paper currency in other countries; but this has loaned
of very ❑ttle importuner, with reference to the subject of amr
present inquiry. From America, which affords the closest
parallel to state of England in this particular, no official
return ha* yet been received, hut we have reason to Houk
that in %eyriel parts of the United States the crime of forgery
is prevalent, and that great off nls are now making to give
to the woes suck a character as may bast the skill of the
American forger. Specimens of these improved notes have
been cuunnunirsied to us by the agent of die American
Patentee, and have received our particular attention with
regard to the practicability of adoptisig the invention, in
whole us is, past, so as to present a barrier to the art and
skill of the forger in this country.
Upon the general subject of the extent of Forgery, we do
not think it ;accessary to recapitulate statements which are
already berme Parliament mid the public. It appeared to
us, however, proper to obtain snore particular information
as to the course whirls has been hitherto pursued by the
Batik, berth will. rented to the preveutiott, and with respect
to the detection and punishment of the crone. Uprise the
forum'r of these puiuts, we have received front the Directors,
in addition to the account before alluded to, clear and cir-
cumstantial details. And it is but common justitc to those
gentlenirn to state, that in every instance our inquiries
have been mist by them in the 11104 prompt and satisfactory
manner, and every sort of uosful isiforination readily fin-
utilised. We feel it alai) proper to add • opinion, formed
after an examiustion of all the projects which have bee,, for-
merly submitted to the Bank for a change in the form of
their notes, that uo one of these could have bent adopted
with such a prospect of solid advantage to the public, as
would compensate the evils necessarily atteudaut upon a
The invention tewhich we refer in the latter part of this
Report, and 011 which our attention is now principally en.
gaged, was laid before the Directors a short time previous to
the issuing of his Majesty's Conimiesiois, and str far enter.
tasted by theist, that they advanced a large sum of money to
the Author. 'lke chief sues it of this invention consisting in
the extreme accuracy of the machinery requisite, time and
application are uceesisary to bring it to sorb a stale of per-
feet iou as appears likely to answer the purpose &sited.
Upon the latter of the two riots above referred to. we have
received Gum the Chief Inspector and Chief Investigator at
the Bank, nod also from the Soliris•s,, aecounls of the coarse
pursued is, their respective delis' twills Fur which pui pose,
we requested the personal attendance of each ofthose Obi-07N
and entered into such an examination of them, as 'Twitted
to us to be calculated to produce the necessary infin
We have also hied furundied by the Back otth the tuvaiiii or

- -
judging of the actual state of forgery, and of that degree
of skiff which appears soffit:lent to deceive the Isolate, by
Ilse examination of forged Notes of %atriums end ?Yea
of the tools and iiistrumeots used lis one forger, a Lich actrt
taken upon hien.
While, it is painful to Olsen,* the degree of talent than
perverted, it is at the same lime to he remisiked, that to
many Moaners the public suffer themselves fu be deceived
by very miserable imitations; and it la to he feared that a
similar earelessmasa would very mat It-sees tilt good tfrds
to be derived from the mploynient of so pesior skill and
workmanalrip in the furmaliou of a new note. Another filet
appeals proper to be 44444 ICC.' beer, as formwot ads Milmataiat
ingredient IN the ruissidi ration of city 1140110 MA plan, Tbe
issite of small Norlro by lii Bank t- siertairway very ”tv'er-
"in •1141 irregular in th, amount. %Vt find, that to keep u;
she usual emptily. not less than fifty plan s are ri
sod it is (mouldered proper to hose a murk turas r numbs r in
a elate of pi err, ail tttt And as it IS obviously accessary
t.
priwerve, as much as possible, ideality in Ike :rutes,lllia cir-
cumstance uluur plecludes the applies for this purpose of
Spew, leigeuhrus plans. tern if there did not exist other in-
superable übjections it, thm.
Resubmit/ from the 'hose statements and saminatioiss,
some general silicone:ikon% have ereurred to us, atilt+ appear
praise to be suiroducid in this adage "(the liepost.
11 has been any commonly inseetwal, that in cior•taiiience
()flaw simplicity of execution in the present Kink Notes, the
actual Gar ea of theta was vet y gruel any and extensively
pyortised, end that oftt 11 by persons watboat money or taletit;
and this idea has forestal the basis of much of the reasaising
Wail by many of the projector% Wlll/114. 1114111; have been un-
der our view. The reVI rat of this we believe to be the fact ;
and from the information 'reface its, we feel i,arselves war•
ranted in elatteg our opinion, that the great quantity of
foree,l small notes which have lately been fusintl in circulx-
stun, have all issiied from a very few plate' only; and that
the fabrication. uf them is chiefly ruolim d to one particu'ar
part of the a 111111iry. tool carried on by own of skill and d ape-
riciice, and possessed of a very couliderable eisnamand of
capital, Upon a rotatory oh lion, it appeared remark-
able that whilst so many titterers are constantly bionglit
to justice, the actual Cog. r should very rarely Mitred be
deteitid. but further into mica' WI, has led as tOthiills, that
this fact may lw OCCOUisteit for; and without entering into
details, rihith upon !his !wine it is better to avoid, we think
that it results oatitrally from the latnent..b4, pellet:lion of sys-
tem, In Wind' I hi% frandtilesit traffic has to tit brought; and
we have seen 110 1,114011 w doubt that the Directors of the
Ilank.and their whet rs, have used every exertion in their power
to bring the initial bagels to justice, though Rani unitti ly
Without success. CKCI pt to a yes y few iiistunter. tfe ca tttttt t re-
frain hose. er hoes addieg to this ;statement, our opinion that
there nowt he *ante (11p:dile remissness ;it the local pub ce of
those &autos within a loch the netted fabricators of Bank
notes ate .e than suspected to reside. mud to carry on their
ti ode with imputing), And Iv fore we quit this part of the eub.
jell, e wish tosuggest tit the consideration of !hum by whose
jiidgmeitt such a question may be properly decided, whether
it might nut Ire expedient to offer a very large reward for
the •pprehenstint and conviction of a prestos acthallyeararged
is forging Back Notes We ate avc•re of the objeetious
abash exist against the system of pecuniary hewarda, and
we 'oily impressed with a sense of the evils that may arise
'from a too genera; adoption of it. But the circumstauces
under which the crime of rurgery exists in this country are
peculiar ; and it appears to us loudly possible that those
evils, which might be anticipated from the oiler of a reward
in the case of some other crimes, could follow from such au
offer in this case ; and knots uso how many inthviduals mint
be saved from punishment by the eouvietion bf one shoal
forger, we venture to reentnmendthe adoption of this mea-
sure to be concurrent with such an improvement in the form
trt the Note as we hope h. see effected.
Having lit CH furnished with such information as was with-
in our tench, 'dative to the subject of Olir iuquit y, we, its the
next place, proceeded to eirtinitie more in detail the several
projects submitted to us. la pursuing this exatnivatiou, we
have nut indulged the vain expectation of finding any plan
for a Batik Note, which shall not Ire imitable by the skill of
Eugliths Artists, and we have considered that it would be
utterly unsafe to rely for security sea inst Forgery, 'span the
employment of ally ptnetali, the a bntf merit of which was to
its bring kept secret ; of whirls several have been
communicated to us. Our object has 'keen, to select some
plan, of which the pi ()Criss, when the principles of it are un-
derstood, and the machturry and implements provided, should
he simple Rh to be applied without interruption to
the extended oiwiationsof the Batik; and should at the same
lime comprise KU much of superior art, as may oppose the
greatest possible difficulties to the attempts of the forger,
and may present such points of accuracy and excellence iu
workmanship In the eye of any iudividual using ordinary
caution, as shall enable lion to detect a fraud by °baritone
the absence of Atom points in a fabricated NUIC. Its the
mays of Ilse schemes before us, then lire, of 11111111 C, very
various dewed of merit ; and we endeavoured to class them
as well as eiremustanct it would permit. From a very large
portion of them it was obvious, upon a first inspection,
that no besieficial result could be rapt (ltd. Of the shule
smother, we find almost twelve of superior skill and inge.
unity, but anticipated by others of higher merit; ur merely
Ingenious, but iiiapplicable in practice. And we consider
Hine otheis to be either of such originality ur ingenious
combinatiou of existing memos, as to have required our
more pal twitter attenteuii ,• and with respect to these, much
consideration has been had, tool in slime instances, im-
proveasieuts and experiments suggested amid tried.
We have nut considered, as decisive against the merit of
any particular plasm, the single fact, that it may be linnet.
ed by superior tit and expensive ratans. But when
we have found, in the case of motion us submitted to as,
apparently of great exlellfltee, and the result of s combi-
nation of talent and mad:deer), that a tar), good imita.
11' has been produced in a short lime, without any peen-
liar expence, and by the application of means only, is kith are
stAllits the reach ofvery musty 11Clitifialltle110 111/Cll. 111 England;
uud when we reflect, to how very few hands the business of
Forgery appears to he at present confined, we cauuut doubt
that in the event of Batik Notes being tamed from any of
much specimens, an 'goal :tontine at least of perstoss would
very suou indeed be foistitl capable of fabricating those Note.
to a considerable extent, and with a degree uf skill quite suf-
ficient to deceive the public. Another cunsitleratiott has also
had weight in tuducing us to llCKilnie IIIUCII, before we ven-
ture to recommend any specific plea. adoption of any
new turns of Note presenting peculiar and characteristic
marks, hut the imitation of which we could nut confidently
feet to he extremely difficult, would nut wily wit do good,
but would produce much evil; R1;41 would induce a false se-
curity, by itertnaotning the podia to rely upon the apiwite-
suer of such marks and pendia, 4 11,111CHT. rattier than upon
a cautions :611d general observation the whole Note.
Our ivisiaika, however' as to imitatiost, du tint apply to
all the specimens whirl' Wave becii offered to as. There are
a few of singular and superior meeit, produced by 11111111 a
which it is very isnprobable should ever come within the
rends of soy single forcer, awl the imitation of which, ex-
cept by those means,. appears no a high degree difficult.
Irately, or rather comparative wifely. is to be sought, to •
certain extent, in a combination of excellence tit sarious par-
ticulars; but chit fiy, as we conceive, in the application
eta principle beyond the reach of the art ante copper-plate
erg , which iu its different processes is possessed of the
Most formidable power of imitation. One phis, before al-
luded to, as apparently affording this advantage, has been,
with the snuat liberal assistance from the Bank, for tome
time past iu a course of trial for its greater peifectims, and
with a view to combinatiots with of improvements. aati4-
factory experiments of which have already bleu eft:tied.
'Else result, if out expectations be out disappointed, a ill
afford a specimen of great ingenuity its the falit'e of the
paver, of great excellence in the atokmanship, and of a vi sy
peculiar itiveutiwi, awl slit!...t..t noel. req. 14 lin tut

Richard Andrews. of Bristol, baker, to surrender, Febru-
ary 2,3, and Al irch 9, at one at the Commercial Itrionis,
Hii•tol. Attorneys, Messrs. Poole and Greenfield, Gray's-
luti quarr, Loudroi ; and Mr. Cary, Bristol.
Hulirre, of Lerk, Stafford, grocer, to surrender,
February 4,5, and March 9, at eleven, at the George Inn,
Leek. Attonor, Messrs. Dewbery and Haslewood, Con-
duit-street, Harrover-square, Loudon; and Messrs. hillmin-
stee and Cleillinor, Leek.
Anthony Russell, of Tewkesbury, Gloucester, linen.dra-
per, to surrender, February 2,3, and March 9, at eleven, at
the Hop-Pole fun, Wm cester. Attorneys, Mr. Gillam, Wor-
cester ; and Messrs. Cardale and Yonug, Gray's-Inn, London.
Geroge Harman, of Norwich, manufacturer, to eurrender.
February 8,8, and March 9,at four, at the Castle lon, Saint
Peter of Mancroft, Norwich. Attorneys, Mr. Nelson, Bar.
nard's.luu, Holborn; and Messrs. Taylor and Hales, Nor-
wich.

Stepberusou Brncklebank, late of Liverpool. merchant, to
surrender, February 22, 23, and March 9, at one, at the
George Inn, Liverpool. Attorneys, Illescs. Ta Ine awl
Roscoe, Bing 's Bench !Valk, Temple, Loudon; and Mr.
Lowudes, Liverpool.

Edward Cole, of Shrewshury, Salop, hop-merchant. to ciii -
render, February 9,10, and March 9, at el. vett, at Ow I:ascot
Inn, Shrewsbury. Attorneys, Mr. Edgerley,
and Mr. Griffiths, Southatnplou-buildtugs, Chatic.iy-Inur,
London.

John Force, of 11'alcot, Somerset, dealer, to surrender,
February A, 9, and March 9, at eleven, at the Full Moon
Inn, Old Bridge, Bath. Attorneys, Mr. Ili;litnuor, Scutt's-
yard, London; and Mr. Hudgsou, Bath.
Cleveland Saltcr, jun. of Portsea, Southampton, baker, to
surrender, February 9, 12, and March 9, at t valve, at the
Crown Inn, Gosport, Southampton. Attorneys, . Corn.
pipe, Gosport ; and Messrs. Sweet, Stokes, and Carr, Ba-
sinKliall-Weet, London.
Mark Noble, of Lancaster, chemist, to surrender, February
18, 19, and March 9, at eleven, at the King's Arens, lAneas.
ter. Attorneys, Mr. Hadwen, Laucaster ; and Mrsbrs. Alex-
ander and Holme, New Inn, Loudon.

Mellolag Baptist Aubert, of Lloyd's Coffee-Douce, Lon-
don, and of Waleyford.place, Kennington, limey, 111bIlf.
ince-broker, tu surrender, February 2, at twelve, 13, al tine,
and March 9, at twelve, ut Guildhall, Loudon. Amu of s,
Messrs. Keardon and Davis, Corbel-court, GrAcEilloich-
street.

Edward Jones, of Great Sutton-street, Clerkrnwell, Mid-
dlesex, coal-merchant, to surrender, Feb 2, a,t to. Ivy,
13, ■t one, and March 9, at twelve, at Guildhall, Lund
Attorney, Mr. Castle, Cursitur-strcet.

John !Sudden, of Bristol, liquor-merchant, to 'anvil& r,
February 2,9, sod March 9, at one, at the Commercial
R s, Bristol. Attorneys, Mr. Edmunds, Exchequer-Orli, e
of Pleas, Lincoln's Inn, London ; and Mr. Russi 11, Bristol.
William Taylor, jun. of Liverpool, merchant, to ren-
der, Fehiliasy 18, 17, and March 9, at one, at the George.
bin, Liverpool. Attorneys, Messrs. Hurd, Johnson, and
Chester, King's Bench Walk, Inner Temple, 'misit' and
Mr. Garnett, Liverpool.