Thibodaux minerva., 1853-11-26
rra,ds on the Bank of England.

A discovery has recently been made at the
Bank of England, which will cause, it is under
stood, a great change to be speedily effected in
the character and general appearance OF the
notes issued by that corporation. 1t has just
been ascertained that by means OF photography
fac smiles can be obtained, by skillkul opera
tor. with the greatest facility; and that fraud
ulent copies of bank notes thus obtained would
pass muster even with some of the most exper-
fenced Judges We are not aware by what means
the suspicious of the authorities OF the bank
were originally excited on this important sub
iect. 1t is stated, however, that they were hrst
caused by one of these fraudulent notes having
been exchanged for gold over the counter Its
spurious character having escaped the generally
closely scrutinizing eyes of the cashiers IN tina
department.
Under the impression, from certain lndlca-
tons which manifested themselves OH the note,
that it had been fabricated by the Photographic
agency experiments were made by one OF the
most eminent and experienced photographers In
the metropolis, (whose aid was called into re-
QUESTION by the bank authorities when it was
clearly proved, by the results of those expert
ments, that the spurious note had been manu-
featured by the means suspected, viz: photo
graphy. So close was the resemblance between
the spurious note thus experimentally obtalned)
and the genuine one) whence the copy was taken
by the photographer alluded to- that not only
were the signature and private marks (the lat
ter known only to the bank officials) initiated
with the closest accuracy, but the very water
mark itself. in all its integrity was as closely
and clearly defined as the other more prominent
characteristics of the genuine document.
The process adopted to produce these effects
is well known to all photographers as g the wax
paper process The Photographic thin mega
b,x;n hoou
and then rendered sensitive by the usual meth
od-which need not be described here-is then
in fit state to receive the impression from the
genuine note, the printing the signature, and
the water-mark (uul IN TACT, every mark, how.
ever minute, which appears on the face of the
note, J being clearly and distinctly traced and
defined This is termed the "negatlve," and
from this "negative,' obtained by such an ex-
tremely simple method, when adopted by skill
full manipulation, "positives' (exact fac SMILES
of the note itself might be multiplied by means
of sun-printing, to any extent
| We understand that the directors of the Bank
of England, in order most effectually to put
stop to the possibility of frauds being perpe-
trated to so inconvenient and alarming an ex-
tent, by Photographic agency, have determined
so soon as the necessary arrangements can be
effected, and with the least possible delay, to
entirely alter the color of the paper on which
their notes are produced, as well as change thc
color of the ink used in printing them, and sub
stitute widely different shade. From inquiries
they have caused to be made, they have ascer-
tanned that if their notes be printed on yellow
tinted paper, in blue ink, it would be impossible
to transfer fac SMILES to Photographic negative
wax paper rendered sensitive by being statu-
rated with a solution Of the nitrate of silver and
other chemicals, from which the limitations OF
| the genuine notes are obtained.
Another plan to which the attention of the
bank authorities may be called, and which would
be equally eficacious in putting an end to the
nefarious system referred to, would beto have a
few words, or some ornamental devices, struck
off on the back of the genuine notes. These
words or devices, by the process of sun print
ing would all be transferred to the front Of the
imitation note, and thus the attempts of the
fraudulent to plumber the unwary would be en-
tirely foiled.-London Iiqaes
PEACH Observation-Disclosures Greely, in an