New-York tribune., 1896-11-16
cnce. modesty and obedience. or the oldfash'
toned ioy of unburdened childhood.
NOW TO STOP FORGERIES.


Whilo the Orient Is as "A rule considered I'M
measurably inferior to the Occident in civlliZa-
tjon and in enlightenment. there are some arts in
which the Asiatics are superior to their fellow
creatures in Europe and in America. Some OF
these relate to magnetism and to other forces
of nature which are as yet unrevealcd to the
white races But the majority Of the arts IN
which the Orientals excel are of n criminal
character Rudyard Kipling. than whom there
is no more skilful portrayer Of East Indian
life. shows us how 1t is possible on the banks
of the Ganges 10 purchase murder case all
complete. including the corpse, for hfty-four
rupees" which is equivalent to about $50
Of American money. while the historian Ma
caulay. who spent portion of his adminsfra-
tive career at Calcutta, was wont to assert 'hat
"for smooth excuses. elaborate tissues of cir
"cumsiantial falsehood. chcanery, perjury. ana
'particularly forgery. there is no class of human
beings that can compare with the Behgaiee.
Under the circumstances 1t is not surprising
to learn that the Postmaster-General of Ben
gal with n view of placing check upon the
numerous forgcrcs which have been pcrpe-
trated at the expense Of the postofiicc. has been
obliged to issue orders of an exceptional nature
for their prevention. In future 1t is not the
signature Of a person that will he required
by the authorities for n postal moncy-ordcr, but
an impression of his thumb.
Signatures and seals can he copied with so
much skill as to defy any distinction from the
original. But there is no means OF countcr1elt-
ing the impression of the thumb The papii-
larry ridges on the inside of the end JOINT of the
latter are in no two cases alike or even smar'
and. moreover. they never change, remaining
practically constant in the same person from
the cradle TO the grave. They are. therefore,
an incomparably surcr criterion of identity than
any other bodily feature. \ man can never op-
litcrate the tclltalc writing on his hnger-tps.
which appears even when the skin has bceh
destroyed by fire or acids. and ii has served for
the recognition of dead bodies beaten out of
shape by the waves and Is also apparent IN me
ease of Egyptian mummies that date from the
times of the Jewish pairiarchs.
Although this is the first occasion on which
the Use of finger marks has ever been officially
introduced into modern postal service. yet II
was nauguratcd rs far back as 1850 by Sir
William Hcrsche in India in connection with
the Pension Bureau. for the purpose OF identl-
fying the pensioners the Indian being mbued
with the idea not altogether unknown in this
couniry-that pension once granted should
be pIlI aS long rs tntTc - III! one ahI' w pass
forged receipt on thc authorities. Moreover.
there are some people who are OF the opinion
that the placing of the finger upon the wafer
seal of legal document. which Is still Gus
tomary in certain countries. in order to give
value 10 the deed at the time Of the adminlsra-
ton Of the oath. Is a relic Of some old custom
Of leaving finger print upon II.
In the United States the markings or the
thumblps are already in use in Il number Of
States for the Identification Of habiiual crimi-
nails The action Of thu P'stmastcr-icneral OF
Bengal suggests the possibility Of its extension.
not merely in connection with our postal ser
vice hut also with regard to the signing Of wills.
checks and other legal documents of one kind
and another In that event forgery which at
the present moment i one Of the most trouble
some and difficult crimes with which the a,i-
thorlilcs have to deal. would quickly become an
obsolete art.