Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-05-02

1
their being printed at the letter press, OF
common type press-By that mode OF
printing, il would be impossible to keep the
whole surface otthe plate from receiving the
INK, and of course AN impression produc-
cd from it would be one general black
blank. If it be taken to the copper plate
press, other dificultiesarisc : copper plates
are generally printed between wooden roll
iers, with cloths, papers, sc. TO guard the
plate from injury, and also to impress the
paper into the engraving. Here ,he great
, Skill and address oil lhe workman consists
IN charging we'll the engraving with the
INK, and having the surface of the plate
perfectly clean this is done by a few deX-
trons motions OF the hand over the smooth
surface OF the plate, and which requires
some practice TO acquire the art of. But
Stereo Type" plates cannot be cleaned
by this process, because the letters in re-
iievo upon that plate, will contain ink u
! bout their sides, which when printed will
produce ugly, dirty, double. lined letters,
and no two impressions will be alike. A
third objection is, that the notes produced
by these plates, can be initiated perhaps as
| easy as any other. The counlertei,er does
not care whether his fi.te be like the ORR
| gInal, provided he can produce the resem-
5iance upon hGEer; and this can be done
perhaps much easier than Mr.. Perkins il
| aware OF. The manner of initiating
these plates, ishaIlnct here describe am
| myself an engraver, aud am certain that
II can be done by more methods than one.
On these accounts, as well as that of its
| being TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY TIMES
TOO EXPENSIVE, | think that Mr.. Per-
kins's plan ought not 10 be adoped. am
! sorry however that the gentleman has
lost so much time and trouble upon the
SUBJECT; for | venture TO predict that it
VIII never be brought into operation for
making bank bills, however useful the roi-
lers may be for something else.
But plan more simple, may perhaps
be more effectuai, which with the greatest
respect and Difference, submit 10 the con
! sideration of the Commissioners of the
! Bank OF Virginia, for Richmond.
/ PLAN TO PREVENT CoUNTERFEITING
BANK NorEs.
Let plates be procured of what the ma
nutacturers call back stuff" that is, iron
on the one side and good clear steel on
the other. When these plates are pro-
| Perly smoothed ready for an engraver,
let an elegant well drawn device be pre-
| pared, and the note written by a very fine
Penman, let this be engraved on the steel
SIDE OF the Plate, then harden and polish
the steel; when this is done, lay the plate
with the engraved side downwards upon
d block which is a little concave-then
strike the plate a smart blow with a ham
mer' winch will crack The steel in very
! peculiar manner. 1t will not break thro'
/ because the iron on the other side Will pre-
vent It. You may then print bills from
( tins plate which CANNOT be counterfeit
ed. he cracks made on the face of the
steel viii print on the paper, but they will
not IN any degree obhte the writing,
and no marks made either with tool or by
| etching, can even ,olerably initiate the
very peculiar impression which this bro
ken steel delivers. Itdelivers an impress
sion which nothing but crack in The plate
! can possibly make-and d counterGeiter
may try until he wears out his patience,
ms fortune and hi5 talents, before he can
| ever crack plate in the same exact d.
( rccion.
! One advantage attending this kind of
J Plate is, that 1t will not want 10 be renewed
like the copper plates; for hardened steel
does not easily wear out. One of these
plates only at ten dollars, might print more
than all The money computed to be upon
this globe.
/ hese plates not requiring to be chang
ed will soon be well known by TIE public,
and it will be hard to impose upon them.
1t will soon be known through which let
ters the several cracks run in each of the
dltferentbiils, and the people will have con-
hdence in the paper which they can so Ger
tainly know.
This knowledge might be rapidly difTus-
ed by placing bank specimens of each
note on boards, and hanging them I'D in
all the public Offices and merchants count
ing houses-by this means those who ne
yer possessed any ofthe notes, might have
as accurate knowledge Ct them as some
OF those who are constantly dealing in
hem.
These plates will cost at first little
more than the copper plates, but viii be
found IN little time, to be far the cheap.
est.
This invention is not secured by patent.
as the object the subscriber is only TO se.