Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-02-07
THE BANK OF ENGLAND PRINT
ING OFFICE.

a great many people who have the
pleasure of dealing with those delicate
tissues known in the financial world as
bank-notes, and in the sporting circles as
"flimsies,' are under the impression that
they are printed from copper plates, by
the copper-plate printing press This
idea is not confined to those to whom
printing is a mystery. A visit to the
machine room Of The Bank soon dispels
this erroneous idea, for there may be seen
in full work Il Whole row If machines
turning out bank.uoles, two at time. at
a rate ofirom 100 10 500 per hour From
f5 up to $1,000 are the various amounts
Of the notes being here printed on dry
bank-note paper, with the very best Of
ink, that will bear hard rub the moment
it is worked. Upon the "taking Off
board is notice which implies that the
"taking-oil' must be confined TO the
machine-boys only, by stating that "yisi-
tors are requested not to touch the notes. I"
These notes are all worked from elcc-
trotypes taken from the original, which is
cut in metal, and is never worked, but
always kept fresh for the purpose of tax
ing new casts from, and thus ever retains
the sharpness of new engraving. Each
bank-note undergoes two workings the
first working merely prints the outlines,
or skeleton form of the note the second
working numbers, dates, and signs it.
This numbering process is very ingenious {;
as by very clever mechanical contriyance
in the machinery, the figures shift orc on
every revolution of the machine and so
the numbering and printing goes on reg
ularly and consecutively.
Defalcations, or mistakes, we are in.
formed, are impossible, Every sheet Of
paper given out for printing has To be
accounted for before any one is allowed
to leave the Office. If "missn occurs in
printing, the impression is taken on the
tympan-sheet, and that has to be given in
as note to keep check with the machine
dial, which gives an exact account, by a
dial resembling gas-metrc, how many
impressions have been taken since com.
mencing work The sheets, each one
containing two notes, are cut in half by
means of a large fixed knife, which acts
like chat cutting machine, and separates
one hundred notes at time These
notes, when thus separated, are passed to
the cashiers for the purpose of being
counted
All the machines in the Bank printing
Office are not engaged printing upon
bank-notes. Several are occupied in
printing dividend warrants, powers of
attorney, and all the ordinary forms of
the Bank. The binding of all books re-
quired by the Bank, and also by the
various branches, is executed in the same
department, in the very best and strongest
manner possible
A visit to the composing-room shows
at glance the great practical taste and
busness-like skill which has been brought
to bear upon its several arrangements
All jobs are kept standing, and each board
is numbered, classified, and indexed in
separate cupboards so that any certain
form can be had at moments notice.
No heaps of lumber or collections of
antiquated slippers are allowed to accu-
muate under frames here, for to prevent
such m abuse of the rule of tidness
everywhere laid down, Mr.. Cox has all
his frames boarded down quite close to
the floor. Bulks and boards are served
in the same way, so that tho room sweeper
cannot help but remove all gatherings
from the floor every morning ,~Paper
Zrade ReUieo