The hydraulic press., 1861-06-15
Manufacture Of Postage Stamps.

1nC PuOllS az ldIkc udtC oO uuCu w uO
with postage stamps, that they must feel
more or less interested in everything relating
to the manufacture and distribution of these
useful articles, and the degree of risk in
Cured in the production and sales of spuri-
Gus or counterfeit representatives of postage.
We therefore copy from an Eastern exchange
the following interesting article on the SUBJ
ject:
The whole business Is done by the eminent
firm of bank-note engravers of Philadelphia,
Toppan, Carpenter & Co., and its details are
personally directed by the Messrs- Carpenter.
The fourth story of the fire proof building of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company is ex-
clusively occupied by the operations con-
nected with the preparation of postage
stamps, all the materials being received
there in the simplest form, and the completed
stamps are delivered TO the Government it.
self in one of the rooms. Every step in the
process is as rigidly guarded as is the en-
craving and printing of bank-notes, the con-
ductor of each process carefully accounting
to the next for each sheet of paper which
enters his hands, and the superintendent re-
quring the delivery to him at last of every
sheet, whether accidentally injured or not,
and every item of defaced paper is preserved
with proper labels for time, and burned
when that stated time has elapsed. In short,
the process in this respect is identical with
that observed in printing bank notes, not
withstanding the value expressed by the
stamps is comparatively trivial.
The engraving itself is by the best artists
employed on bank-notes, and each stamp
may be said to embrace several distinct
branches of the art. But one original die
or stamp is cut for each denomination of
postage, and from this single die two hun
dred copies are produced on steel plates
actually printed from-the sheet taken by
the Government being half this sheet, or Of
one hundred stamps each. AS every stamp
of the denomination Of three cents, for in
stance, is thus actually struck from a single
die, the ridiculous absurdity of the assertion
that they may differ when closely examined,
is apparent. In the single point Of engrav
ing, every difficulty experienced by the coun-
terfeiter of bank is in the way of
counterfeiting the three cent stamp, while
the reward of success is too trivial to repay
the attempt
Again, the inks and colors used are pecul-
lar; all are prepared in the establishment,
where they are the subject of careful expert
Iueut, anu OOlu IuuellUlc anu ueCllUp cIc-
ments are used for particular purposes. The
color is perfect security against Photographic
counterfeting, since they cannot be dis
charged and again produced on the photo
graph. The perforation is also a perfect
security against photography, and all the
sheets now issued are perforated. This pro-
cess of perforation is effected by costly and
peculiar machines, worth several thousand
dollars each. and entirely beyond the power
of counterfeiters to reproduce. A great i'm
provement has been made on the British
machines used for this purpose, adjust
able cylinders now replace the direct action
press first used for this purpose, enabling
the artists to work the sheets without loss.
Another process, which involves much
cost and risk to the counterfelter, is that OF
cumming and re-pressing the sheets. The
gum used is peculiar, and not easily imi-
tated; the drying of the sheets after it is
applied, and their subsequent pressure until
the original dimensions and texture are per-
fectly restored, are all processes requiring
peculiarly favorable circumstances and much
expense. Very slight differences of texture
or finish in any stamps used would at once
attract notice from the officers, and no Sec
ond establishment could exactly reproduce
fac SMILES of the work of the first and gen.
uine one, even if working without care for
secresy or reserve.
The establishment Of the Messrs. Carpenter
is model of care and accuracy throughout,
and less energy of supervision, or less
heavy investment of skill and capital, would
render it impossible to prosecute the busi-
ness Indeed, it is clear that these gentle
men state the case truly in saying that they
could not themselves counterfeit the work at
profit, so expensive would the processes
become when the risks of counterfeting
were to be encountered, and so small would
be the profits of the vending of values so
small as are expressed by postage stamps.
The Government also knows perfectly well
what is the quantity of stamps it has in
hand. what is the number cancelled, and
what is the number distributed to the vari
Gus districts 1t is safe to say that the off,
GERS of the Post Office Department would
have detected the introduction of ten or ff-
any part of the country by this simple rela
ton of demand and supply. The whole
affair has its origin IN corrupt combination
to discredit stamps and exalt other modes of
paying postage, and, out of the confusion it
is hoped to excite, fat contracts are antici-
pated for certain parties.
The opportunity was given by this Incl
dent to witness the accurate and unerring
working of the machinery of bank note en-
craving (for such is this making of postage
stamps). Cavilers may be assured that the
process now in use by the best engravers is
unusually secure from imitation. For the
values represented by these stamps, counter
feitng is simply impossible, and error in the
establishment itself is impossible, the checks
and registry, which are rigdly adhered to,
rendering material error out of the question; ;
and if the operations at Washington do not
greatly change from the habit and the order
enforced at present, there can be no serious
confusion anywhere.
MAJOR ANDERSON said of the men he had
with him at Fort Sumter "Until a man is
half-starved, half-smothered, half-poisoned,
and on the voyage to eternity in this state,