1856.] on the Security and Manufacture of Bank Notes, 267 



true Art-point. The vignette is a specimen the reverse of that 

 which has been advocated; it is alike deficient in conception and 

 execution. Surface-printing having been chosen as the medium, 

 the Bank authorities were restricted in the apphcation of their Art. 

 The great aim of the Bank has been to secure simple identity 

 and ready recognition through the excellence of the paper, known 

 by its peculiar colour, by its thinness and transparency, as well as 

 by its feel, crisp and tough, patent to the sense of touch alone. 

 The basis of its security to the public rests upon its paper. It is 

 supposed to be unmatchable. As successful imitations of this 

 paper, however, have been made abroad, and passed in this country, 

 too much reliance ought not to be placed upon this superiority of the 

 paper. Again, the fallacy of its security consists in the extreme 

 facility it aifords for reproduction by hand, apart from reproduction 

 afforded either by the Anastatic or Photographic processes. From 

 1837 to 1854, these notes were printed from steel plates, reproduced 

 by the Siderographic or Transfer process; at the commencement of 

 1855, a change took place in the production of the notes by the 

 substitution of surface- printing from electrotypes for steel-plate 

 printing. A variation was then made in the form of the old note, 

 by adopting an engraved signature instead of a manual one — the 

 object being still further to strengthen the identity of recognition. 



The note of the Bank of France for ] 00 francs is a fair specimen 

 of surface-printing : but its inferiority of design indicates that it has 

 been adapted to its limited capabilities, and in this case is liable 

 to those objections which are assignable to our own. The note 

 however for 1000 francs is less exposed to the objections raised 

 against the note for 100 francs, the difficulties of copying by hand 

 being very great. These notes are printed upon both sides at the 

 same time, effected by pulling an impression on the tympan 

 itself before pulling each impression of the note : the reason for so 

 doing is, that when the impression is pulled upon the face of the 

 note, the paper receives two impressions at the same time, — the one, 

 on the face of the note from the printing plate, — the other, on the 

 reverse of the note, transferred from each impression on the tympan 

 pulled previous to the genuine impression. The two impressions 

 must necessarily register. This course has been pursued with 

 the idea that perfect register of the two printings is a good gauge 

 for detecting imitations. There is some reason in this, as it is a 

 most difficult and tedious operation, requiring consummate skill on 

 the part of the workman. It is said that not more than three 

 hundred impressions are printed daily at one press — this does not 

 speak much for economical production. 



Simplicity of design, however, is not to be advocated as solely 

 applicable to a note in all instances. It is more especially suited 

 for national notes, because immediate recognition should be one of 

 their essential features ; but for provincial or local notes, not having 



