New-York tribune., 1899-03-26
SPLITTING BANKNOTES.
THE PROCESS Is SIMPLE ENOUGH WHEN You
KNOW HOW.
a poison.

KNOW HOW.
From The Chicago Chronicle.
Some years ago the commercial world was
taken aShast by the announcement that d Ger
tain scientific man could actually split bank
note so exactly into halves hat ii was imp0s-
sibie 10 distinguish the separate pieces Ol paper
from genuine notes.
The authorities Of the Bank Of England took
alarm. for il appeared that this invention would
speedily open the way to a new kind Of fraud.
The imitation Of the engraved plate. however
Woll performed, was always discOVerable 10y OK
perienced eyes, and he must be Good forger,
indeed, who could prepare the paper on Which
the plate was printed so as % initiate the pecul-
lar water marks on the Bank Of England notes
with anything like success But here was a
discovery which set at naught the precautions
Of paper makers. engTaVers and printers.
II was really serious matter. long cOrre-
spOndence ensued between the proprietor OF the
secret an1 the officials OF the bank the former
asking large sum Of money for his knowledge,
and the latter requiring actual proof OF hs ablI-
ty 10 perform the alleged feat
Paragraphs began to appear in the news
papers. and public attention was drawn TO what
seemed a very extraordinary fact-that tn" thin
tissue-paper Of which a banknote is composed
could really be divided into two leaves. II be
came necessary to test the truth OF TINS re-
markable discovery. and so II was arranged that
trial should be made with an actual note of the
Bank of England.
Preliminaries were settled, and note. prop
crly marked, so that it might be afterward
the course Of two or three days back came the
note TO the owners. actually split in two. 1t
was eagerly examined. but in d little time the
bank officials ceased TO feel any alarm. and con-
fidence in the commercial world was quite re-
stored.
1t was true the banknOte was completely
split. but It also true that only one half
Of it the printed impression sufficiently
plain to allow OF its being circulated. Any at
tempt 10 pass the other back half Of the
note would il was declared, be Immediately de
tected
Still. the discovery was curious, and might
lead to disagreeable consequences should any
means Of split banknOtes. Another kind OF ink
was therefore ordered FOR the future to be used
in the printing of the bank securities. SO that in
case any one chose 10 try the experiment the
one half would be left blank.
The secret. however. did not long remain hid
den from the world. Indeed. It's very simplicity
seems to have prevented its being discovered by
the clever men who felt so much anxiety about il.
The method Of splitting paper is just this.
Two pieces Of calico are firmly glued Co the
sides OF the paper. leaving IN" ends OF The calico
loose. ana the whole is perfectly dried. by
gentle and eQuable pull each side the paper
is split completely IL halves. one Of which ad-
heres 10 the calico on one side and the other 10
the opposite
The fact that the adhesion between the paper
and the cloth is greater than that between the
surfaces Of the paper TO each other is the cause
of this phenomenon.
Having now divided the paper the two halves
may be removed by damping, and so loosening
the glue between the calico and the paper
no longer in the possession Of one person Those
happy individuals with banknotes TO spare may
while away a winter evening in trying this ex-
pertinent.