The Delta independent., 1907-05-17


ing operations in the history OF the
world are coming to light In the orr
ent. The amount OF money involved
is great almost beyond reckoning,
and the method OF forgery SO far
reaching. clever and dangerous that
all the financiers OF the east are
alarmed.
The gigantic scheme. SO successful
ly carried out that no living man
knows its extent. 10 practically laid
at the door Of the Japanese. Point
by point the fact that the little brown
nen flooded all Manchuria and stuff
ed the Russo Chinese bank with spur
ious money during the war with Rus
Ella is being established by experts.
Sixteen million pounds. or $4,000. 900.
OF the worthless stun Is said to have
been detected Nobody can guess
how much more is extant
JapLnese enEravers and printers
have manufactured counterfeit bank
note that has defed experts for two
years and puzzles them sull. The
Russo Chinese. the Hongkong and
Shanghai. the Imperial Bank OF China
and the lndo Chinese bank-all these
have felt the sting OF the Japanese
money viper. What effect It will have
can as yet be only coniectured. Even
Europe has suffered.
Appeal has been made to the Jap
ancse government TO enact and en-
force stringent laws TO e1terminate
the swarm o. shrewd conutcrfeiters
in Nippon. and who e!ude the watch.
ful officials OF that empire. II is
claimed scnnt attention has been paid
to ;his request. Japan has had many
things to look after since her costly
conquest OF the Russian bear.
Now Doub, the Truth.
Experts from the hank OF England
and tho American Bank Note com
pany are now on the way TO China TO
assist in ferrcting out the tremen-
oous amounts of bogus money known
TO be mixed with the genuine. Their
findings. II made public. are expected
10 startlc the world. They may be
70 momcntous that they will be sup.
pressed to prevent the totterinI OF
the strongest financial institutions In
Asia. Bankers of the orient fear.
with good reason. tha, they are hold.
inE. locked In their burgla.proof
vaults. tens of millions OF pounds in
counterfeit notes which they took for
genuine. and which will spell ruin
when disclosed.
The money men have not forgotten
that the Hongkong and Shanghai
10 keep its doors open Ave nights
and hvc days at a stretch to handle
n remarkable and unnccountable in
fuX OF bank notes-notes OF which
many have since been found to be
forrcries. and OF which the bank is
not rid
And tho Indo. Chinese bank.
drew It's notes from circulation to in.
vestiEate the character OF those re.
ceivcd. Then a sudden and drastic
system OF scrutiny was put in i'm.
mediate effect Nine out of every ten
notes were rejected: now there is
doubt about many Of the teuths.
Plant In Kobe.
Tho Russian government has de.
mnnded an investigation as to the
effect upon tho Russo Chinese bank
OF the stream OF counterfeit money
which threatens TO engulf the cars
financial craft and bankrupt half his
empire. as It already has Siberia.
Nicholas III. may address n note to
tho powers asking that the Mikado be
urged to adopt measures to strnngle
the counterfeitinK menace charged to
his subjects. There Is ground for
the belief that they would readily ac-
Quiesce through the fear Of the spread
OF the plague and duplication OF the
money OF other nations.
In Kobe has been located a counter.
feiting plant which Is said to have
cost 100000. 1t has ceased opera.
uons, but worthless notes. 80 near
perfection that only the mtnutest
fault can be found by adopts, are
declared to be still coming from the
land Of cherry blossoms. chrysanthe
NUNS and fighting men. Other plants
and ingenious imitators are presum.
ed to be continuing the crooked work
Last summer IN the Russo. Chinese
bank doubt arose as to a certain note
II was for $40, Mexican money. and
numbered .0664. II was as perfect a
reproduction Of the genuine original
as could be conceived. The banks
experts pored for weeks over 1t and
a good note and could find not even
tho slightest discrepancy. Yet the
bank note ofncials had strong cause
TO believe 1t . forgery.
Worst Fears Realized.
Similar doubts had come up In the
Imperial Bank Of China and at the
lndo Chinese bank. Persistent efforts,
however. revealed no visible peculiar.
Nv Of . note-certainly none sum.