, 1874-12-28
COUNTERFEIT BANK.NorEs.

THE QUESTION or ENGRAVING a EEw BANK 1SSuE-
BEvES OUT OF N1SE ORGANISATIONS INITIATED
COUNTERFEIT NOTES OF NATIONAL DAHEs AT
PRESENT IN CIRCULATION.
Gorrtspoadeaece ef the Neu York Times,
WASHINGTON D. G., Dec. 2l.-Tho Comptroller
Of the Currency, i'll his annual report, talses
ground agaiust tho engraving and printing Of Il
now aorles OF National BAns-notcs, and givos tho
reasons why no considers change unnecessary,
LIS rows and tloso entertained in tho Bureau
OF Printing mud Engraving on thu subject, it is
necdloss to say, aro widely difrcrout. THO ou-
gravers Of the Bureau think it hgly Important
Tor tho protection of tho bank-lotes against
countorfoltng That thoy bo ro-ongrayed. Tho
replies made by tho Printing Bureau to somo Of
the statements OF the ComptroIleraro exceedingly
interesting, containing much information on q
subject concerning Which but liltlo is generally
known. anu which, part!y, no doubt, because of
lts mystery, has groat attraction for most rcatl-
ors Speaking of tho bauk-noto plates, tho
Comptroller says:
ci ftnni tho plates Of the denomination Of IL ald e.
antl q aos Gus, lu3s 5uos. mud 1,0oos Tho avvrhgo
number q imircssans printed from tho = plasca does
flo Plates considerably less. Tho Comptroller III u-
iorncd BY eEgsnyera that thu plates from which lie
Ing 80. 900 Impressions before they will he rendered
unit for 1se. The platca Of all denominations are
therefore, With few exceptions III good condition and
with care larEo humber Of Impressions may bO
printed from ihetu before evidence OF wear will be-
como apparent.
This statement tho Buroau people Bay Is truo,
but they Claim that tho question il not raised as
to tho waar Of tho platos. IT TINT woro tho oues-
tiou it would 10 easy for the Comptrollort hayo
his plates hardened, and thon, Instead Of print
Ing 80 900 Impressions from each, lo could pript
100000. "The fact is, says tho statement Of
the Printing Bureau, !" tho whole issue OF Ill.,
tiona! currency has suffered moro or lcas by tho
counterfeitcr's art. Soyen ont of nine denom-
iilnttons have boon eountorfoitol On tho oLhor
hand, tho lcgat-tondors- issue, aer1os Of
18G9-hayc not boon countorfeited, except in
two denominations out oil niuo. Tho stylo and
character OF tho engraving On tho bank-notes
are calculated to inyio aud factitato tic attempt
Of tho conntcrfeiter, while tho paper ia n Gem
morcial articIo, mud can bo bought at any sta-
tioncrs."
The Comptroller roers to tito counterfeit OF tho
81 unto Of tho Tratcls' National Balx Of Cllica-
go, which has reGentlY appeared, and gays that
the genuine notes Of this Esuc bolng retlrcd
IN pursuonco Of law, as fast as they aro lcdoon,-
Cd, and that Mt tho present tino Due little more
tllh'l s5o. 200 Of them aro in circulation. Tho
bureau officers speak Of thiH as one OF tho most
skllful aud dangerous OF tho countorfeis notos.
III many respects The engraving Ia superior in
execution to tho original work, aud is llabte to
deceive tho most sklltful experts. Tits excol-
lont counterfeit Inns already boon altered to suit
tho Hauls Of Chicago. Even with tho exercise Of
the grentost akill and labor OH tho part OF the
conntorfoiteFs. it would require nj least from
to two years to execute tho plalca containing tho
y!gnottcs lettering, and geonotrle lathe-work
tho latter bclng dono by hand. III tho
first pluto he omta tho title Of tho
bunk, anil consequently Inns tho fac-simile
for the counterpart Of tho iBsuo OF nil
iiSoa Of the. National Dank-nutes, representing
tho ,Moneyed value of el30, ,407 ,G55, tle anount
outstanding at thu tlata Of tho Eonptrollors ro-
port. The oountorioiter having completed hiH
plate 1t IL ouly tho worK Of few hours to mako
copies by thu Snleo battery or by tho tranBfof-
ring press. lIo then ut hiH leisure onggayos tllo
nnsno Or names Of tho banls whoao notoa hu
wisllos to eounterfot, and eau 20 through tho
whole list Of National Banks ar Lis convenience.
SO it iH with tho 3l10.note. which iA ono Of tho
countorfoitor. afior completing tho ptatss loay-
ing blank OIL thu fRco tor tho nAtn0 of tho bunk
ougravcs tho title oil dllEorot pieces Of stool by
q SECOND operation similar to that followed by
Tho old State Dank of Olio, and thus fAauoH
c0MntarfeitB OH tho Central Nationa! Hunk of
tho City Of New York, tho Ohio NationnI Bank
Of Cincinnati, and tho Firat Nationnl Bank of
Doatou, tho mites having u wide circulation.
Tho no1oB Of tho National DaMkH comprise nina
distinct designs. Tho n,,mber of pI.tos lnpii.
catetl Hignltles nollIl:g an.l tho nino forms con-
stttto tho whole lBAuo of tho 2,Oa7 ballkB. Tho
duplication for rot Of bank-plnteB ie moro mo-
ehRhiuul operation; the dicn onco engraved,
whole act caM bo thrown Oft by tlln transfer
preas tn day, aftor Which tue tito OF tia bank
IL Inserted. Countorleitlng nntlnnal currency
notos IL profitable busnoHB to tue counterfeitor