No. XXII.] APPENDIX. 301 



vidual labour and knowledge was most useful, we consulted together on 

 every matter, and by our mutual exertions, acting together to one end for 

 the benefit of the Bank, we have been enabled to overcome every difficulty, 

 and to bring the process into practical operation for all the manifold 

 varieties of cheques and notes which the Bank of England requires for its 

 purposes. Independently of the original idea, which was exclusively my 

 own, the responsibility of settling the various processes for carrying out 

 the system devolved equally upon Mr. Hensman, Mr. Coe, and myself, 

 but upon Mr. Hensman and Mr. Coe falls the labour of conducting the 

 operations. 



The original form or pattern of the various notes and cheques which 

 have been adopted, was accomplished and settled under the direction of 

 Mr. Hankey and the Court of Directors, before any of us commenced our 

 labours, and, though the particular manner in which the note was designed 

 added very materially to our difficulties, it was an imperative condition 

 with the Bank that we should in no way deviate from that design ; but we 

 were compelled to reproduce it exactly as designed, a condition which has 

 been so rigorously adhered to, that in only one case has any deviation been 

 made. In that instance the lines have simply been allowed to be somewhat 

 more open than in the original design, as it was found that even in the 

 original plate the work had been made so fine that the successful printing 

 could not be insured for large quantities. 



When we found that we were bound to copy implicitly designs 

 specially adapted to plate-printing, we almost despaired of success, for in 

 all other instances where surface-printing has been adopted, the design has 

 been suited to the nature of the printing. This difficulty, however, only 

 served as an incentive to further exertion, though I must confess that as 

 we proceeded, step by step, we were by no means certain that we should 

 not be compelled to abandon some part of our original design. With the 

 exception of these stringent conditions, we were permitted to conduct our 

 operations entirely in our own way; and to the kind consideration of 

 Mr. Hankey, the late Governor, and Mr. Hubbard and Mr. Weguelin, the 

 present Governor and Deputy- Governor of the Bank of England, our 

 success must in a great measure be ascribed. 



The cutting of the original design is necessarily the basis of future 

 operation. The whole of the written part of the note was originally cut by 

 Mr. Beckett, the engraver to the establishment, but the Britannia was 

 designed by Mr. Maclise, and engraved by Robinson. This engraving was 

 the basis of our operations. After various experiments, the cutting of the 

 Britannia in a manner suitable for easy duplication was executed on a 

 steel die, by that veteran engraver Mr. Thompson, whose artistic feeling is 

 fully recognized by the public. The other parts of the notes and cheques 

 were in a great measure cut by Mr. Skirving, in some cases upon pieces of 

 brass, in others on plates of copper, about 2 an inch in thickness. In no 

 case is the original ever employed for printing, but is simply used to make 

 moulds, so that, throwing out of consideration accidental mechanical or 

 chemical injuries, they will retain their integrity for any length of time 

 without change, and will enable any number of duplicates to be made 

 therefrom. From our inquiries, we have reason to think that there are 

 very few persons who have attained sufficient perfection to execute this 

 class of work in the manner which the Bank requires, but the finished 



