The Sun.
London, England, 1821-02-21 00:00:00

TIMBER TAADE

Mr. GLADSTONE presented a petition from cer-
tain Merchants of Liverpool, engaged in the Tim-
ber Trade with North America, praying that the
protecting Duties might be continued.—Ordered
to be printed.
Sir.E. K NA TCIIBULL rose to put a question to
Ministers. It was known that an affray of a se-
rious nature took 'place about ten days ago in
the county of Kent with some smugglers ; two
persons had been taken into custody on that oc-
,
calion, and instead of having been examined be-
for the local
.Aragistratesof the county, those
persons liad boop.ient off to Bow-street by the
Officers of the Preventive Service. if e 'cirished.to

know whether these officers, in doing so, acted
under the authority of Ministers, and what in.
structions were issued to them ?
Sir G. CLERK said, that no instructions were
issued to the Officers of the—Preventive Service,
with respect to the two individnals who had been
taken into custody. But in justice it was but fair
to say, that those individuals were sent up to
London because it was considered a course best
calculated to answer the ends of justice, and riot
for the purpose of throwing any disrespect upon
the local Magistrates of Kent. The affray was
a most serious one, in which several lives had
been lost, and the prisoners had been transmitted
to London in order" that the best legal advice
might be at hand.
HUM, POOR RATE'S BII.L.
Mr. „S. WORTLEY presented a petition against
this Bill from the Inhabitants of Thorn.—Or-
dered to lie on the Table.
FORC;ERY ON THE BANK.
Mr. CURWEN said, that he had understood from
authority that the plan of Mr. Applegarth, the
person employed to engrave the new Bank-notes
in order to prevent future forgeries on the Bank,
had entirely failed. In policy, as well as in hu-
manity, so desirable an object as that of prevent-
ing forgeries ought not to be suspended. There
were other artists of great talents who could
produce a note, which, if not absolutely inimi-
table, would at least render forgery very diffi-
cult. It was for the ends of justice, and for the
cause of humanity, that that nefarious practice
should be put an end to. He was therefore
anxious to hear from an Honourable Member
(Mr. Davies Gilbert) whether the Commission-
ers had any plan before them which was likely
'to be approved of. If nothing satisfactory was
likely to be accomplished, he would feel
it his duty to submit a motion to the House on
the subject on an early day.
Mr. D. G ILBERT said, that every possible ex-
ertion had been made in order to promote the de-
sirable object to which the Honourable Member
alluded. The plan of Mr. Applegarth was sub-
mitted to the Commissioners ; they inspected it
carefully. It was imposSible to praise too highly
the ingenuity and talents of that Gentleman.—
Mr. Applegarth, by means of a chemicil pro-
cess, which had the effect of hardening the steel,
could multiply the impressions to an almost hide,
finite extent, and so far prove the identity of the
notes. But it mast occur to every Gentleman,
that there was a great deal more than identity
necessary. Mr. A pplegarth's plan extended only
so far as he (Mr. Gilbert) stated ; it was there-
fore rejected. The difficulty of the case was ap-
parent. The object was, if possible, to construct
a note of that peculiar fabric, which could not be
successfully imitated by other human means.—
The Commissioners had made inquiries in every
quarter. They received information, as well
from English artists as from persons in the United
States of America, and from time to time they
saw good reasons for changing previous opinions,
and rejecting plans which they were before dis-
posed to have approved of. Notes which they
had at one time considered as inimitable, they
had afterwards found to be very easily imitated.
He had no public information to give on this sub-
ject to the Honourable Member. He was not
really aware whether any plan had been sub-
mitted, or whether any thing had been done for
the last three weeks.
Mr. CURWEN expressed his regret at the failure
of those endeavours which the Commissioners had
made. The clumsy attempts to imitate the notes
in circulation, were very perceptible. If some-
thing was not speedily done, he certainly would
feel it his duty to bring the matter under the
consideration of the House.
Sir ISAAC COFFIN said, that he had recom-
mended Mr. Parkins, an American Artist, and
felt a natural interest for the success of that
Gentleman's plan.
Mr. GILBERT said, that the plan of Mr. Ap-
plegarth only differed from common engraving- in
the instance he had already stated. That indeed
was a transcendent improvement, but in other
respects his plan presented nothing very superior
to common engravings. (Here the conversation
dropped.)