Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-10
A Famous and Unique Paper.


The paper used foI printing the Bank-of-
England notes has always been made by
the Portal family, whose ancestor came
over from Bordeaux after the revocation
Of the Edict OF Nantes, bringing with him
the ant OF making fine paper. which. like
those OF silk weaving and dyeing scarlet,
was up to that time unknown in England.
Except by burglary, it is absolutely i'm
possible to obtain a scrap Of the beauti-
fully watcr.marked paper produced at the
mill at Laverstoke. Every piece OF this
paper is registered before ii Is removed
from the frame, an account Is
kept by locked dial. and every
damaged note is accounted for before being
ground up again INTO pulp. Mr.. Portals
paper has a potential value. quite apart
rom lis worth merely as paper, for it has
awas been regarded aS so essential 10
passablc forgery that the world at large felt
perfectly easy regarding any attempts 10
impose on them through the medium OF the
Bank Of England. This paper-it is, per-
haps, needless to tell any one-is quite
unique. Tested by touch, il emits crisp.
cracking, sharp sound, and in color
it has been described as "neither
blue.woyc, nor yellow-wOyc, nor cream
laid but white. Of hue that can
lie compared with no other white" The
three decklod edges show the natural
boundary Of the pulp when first moulded.
The fourth is left smooth 10y the knife
which cuts the notes in twain. The paper
is tough-So tough. indeed, that after the
addition OF one grain of size IL will hold 4
weight OF sixty pounds without tearing.
Yet the quantity Of fibre in iiye-pound
note II not more than eighteen and a half
grains, and the sheet i 80 thin that era
sures are oftentimes found 10 be extremely
difficult.
But what constitutes the main safeguard
Of the bank Is the "water,' or, more pro-
rerly. the wire mark that transparent
design which can be instantly detected
wien the paper is held up between the eye
and the light. This device j. obtained. as
all wster.maTks are, by twisting wires 10
the desired shape, and sticking them on
face Of the mould, so that when the pulp
settled down Il must Of necessity be thin.
ner on the wire design than on the other
pats Of the sheet. The water is then per-
mitted to run through tn Sieve-like face
Of the mould, and the sheet OF paper in
embryo cOuched" by the mould being
gently but firmly pressed upon blanket to
which this spOngy sheet clings. Sizing Is
a subsequent process so that when dry the
water mark is plainly seen, being transpa-
rent where the substance Is driest. This
waier.msrk is secured to the bank by virtue
Of special act Of Parliament. so that.
apart from the pains and penalties which
attach to any attempt to circulate forged
notes, il is very risky game to initiate even
the trademark OF this most important none
taly institution i'm the world.
The Iarges; amount Of a bank-note in
circulation, in 1927, was $1,000. IL Is said
that two notes for 100000 each, and two
for 100000 each, were once engraved ana
issued. \ butcher. who had amassed an
immense fortune i'm the war times, went
one day with one Of these 10000 notes to
a private banker, asking for the loan Of
$1,000, and wishing to deposit the big note
as security in the bankers hands, saying
! ne lad kept 1t for years. The $4,000 was
/ handed over; but the banker limited, at
/ the same time, to the butcher the folly OF
boarding such a sum and losing the in.
| terest,
"Wery true, SIR" replied the butcher,
but likes to look ont so VERY well that
! have tOthCr one OF the same kind at home"
| An eccentric gentleman in London framed
bank post bill for 100000. and exhibited
| il for five years in one OF hi, sttng-rOOms
/ The fifth year he died, when the picture
was at once taken down and cashed by hi,
| heirs.
Some years ago, at nObeman's house
near HYDE Park, a dispute arose about .
certain passage in Scripture, and Dean
who was present denying that there wa
any such text. Bible was called for. When
it was opened marker was found in IT,
which on examination proved to be Il bank
post bill for fl0,000. 1t might possibly
have been placed there as a reproach to the
son, who, perhaps, did not consult the
Bible so often rs his mother could have
wished.