Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-04-25
ISSUING BANK NOTES.
EXHAUSTIVE MEANS ARE TAKEN TO
PREVENT FORGERY.

Counterfeited - How the National Bank
of Scotland Proceeds with a New Issue
Great skin and Ingenuity.
Although coins are often eounterfeited
as the police records show, it is rare that
an attempt is made, in this country at least
to forge a bank note The invariable Gus
tom Of the Bank OF England never to reis
sue notes is a strong safeguard against
forgery, as detection would be speedy, but
even in Scotland, where they circulate year
in and year out until they become grimy
and greasy, counterfeits are seldom if ever
heard of. This immunity is no doubt
mainly due to the difficulty Of reproducing
an exact facsimile, even with all the al
vance which has been made in recent years
In photo processes, and 10 the fact that the
banks having daily exchanges the notes are
quickly returned to the issuing bank.
Those who produce bank notes, as well as
the banks who issue them, are of course
fully alive to the opportunities which i'm
provements I'm the arts offer 20 "a skillful
forger, and their energies are directed to
counteracting those possibilities In every
part Of the work of producing a note the
highest technical skill and ingenuity are
only battle a forgcr but even the same
craftsmen were they to start afresh with
other materials could not reproduce exact
imitation Of given note The difference
might be slight, but 10 would be sufficient
for an expert to detect.
The fact that the National Bank Of Scot
land is just now preparing for an issue Of
fresh notes has induced MS TO make some
inquiry as to the method of their produc-
ton The work has been intrusted TO "A
firm which has turned ont not little of
the paper currency of South American and
other states. In conversation with the head
OF the department, a representative learned
that the first thing to he done is Of course
TO fix upon the design.
The bank managers stated that they want
ed on the face Of the note portrait of the
Marquis Of Lothian, who is governor of the
bank, along with views Of shipping on the
Clyde, HOlyrood palace and Edinburgh cas-
tie, also the arms of Scotland and of the
bank On the back there was to be a view
of Princes street, Edinburgh, from the Cal
ton hill The design was worked out by
the artists according to these directions,
and a very artistic note is the result
The object in view, however, was not
wholly artistic The vgnettes, and more
especially the portrait, were introduced in
order to make il difficult. il not impossible,
for forgers to initiate the note. Even the
most skilled engravers would be hard put
to it TO reproduce the fine lines of the for
mer and the expression Of the latter. As
portrait and landscape engraving are as
much divided as the two branches of the
painters art, and coats Of arms form an
other speciality the work had to be in
trusted to several hands. each according to
his vocation. Engraving on steel is a very
slow process indeed, and something like
two months were spent in producing the
portrait.
The engravcrs worked simultaneously ON
their special parts and when finished these
were put together by a process which need
not be detailed, so as 20 form the complete
plate Another feature Of the design is
the narrow border on the face Of the note
and the broad border framing the view on
the hack These are formed Of geometric
lacework Of extreme iutricacy and delcacy,
which is produced by amachine Of very ex-
pensive construction, and the movements
of which are so intricate that il the oper-
ator lost the register OF the wheels and in
dices he would no, De- able to reproduce the
same design. Greet reliance is therefore
placed upon this machine for outwitting
the ingenuity 81 the couuterfeijer.
The practice .u % good deal Of so called
steel plate engraving is to transfer the de
sign from the plate 10 stone. and then print
from the latter IN the case of bank notes,
however. the printing is done direct from
the plate, and the result is that the lines
are much more delic0tely reproduced on
the paper, and the difficulty Of imitation Is
thereby enhanced. al paper is made from
fine linen rags, which lmpart the qualities
Of durability and soitness, 20 that il can be
folded without crackiug-a almost like the
material from which il Is manufactured.
The front Of the note is printed in blue
ink on two grounds-one Of red and the
other Of yellow, while the back is blue on
pale ground OF yellow. The tints are fine
printed from relief blocks, and the printing
from the plate from the blue ink follows.
The colors were chosen with distinct view
to the possibilities Of photo lithogmphy
The first proofs that were pulled when put
to the test were found not TO be altogether
satisfactory, and AFTER a series Of expert
ments those colors were employed which
gave, il is believed, absolute security
In the handling Of the paper and the
printed notes there is an elaborate check
system. When the paper reaches the print
er from the paper maker, every sheet is care
fully counted. and at each stage the same
precaution is taken. At the termination Of
the printing the notes are finally counted
and packed up for delivery. II there are
any "spoils, they are burned. The plates
are kept in a special box belonging to the
bank in the strong room. In the case Of a
foreign issue the consul puts his seal upon
the box. After the notes are sent to the
bank they have to be signed by an official
before they are finally ready for issue to the
public.-pall Mall Budget