PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 453 



to describe to mc, and then asked my opinion of it. I told him that I could 

 not judge of it without seeing either a model or drawings. He asked me 

 directly if I could pick it, and I did not say that I could, although I was 

 satisfied from his description that it could be easily opened. Some time 

 afterward I saw a report of a meeting of the Liverpool Archseological 

 Society, at which Mr. William Brown read a paper on locks. The paper 

 was mostly occupied with an account of his own lock, and in it he said 

 that he had explained the lock to Mr. Ilobbs and asked him if he could pick 

 it, and he did not say that he could. From this Mr. Brown argued that it 

 could not be picked. Not long afterward I went to Liverpool and called 

 on Mr Brown. 



"Ah, Mr. Hobbs," he said, "you are the very man I want to see. I have 

 had a new safe made and have had one of my locks put on to it. I want to 

 show it to you." 



It was a dial lock, with a wrench to throw forward the bolt. Said Mr. 

 Brown : 



" What do you think of it; can it be picked ?" 



" I do not know," I said, " whether it can or not. I suppose you do not 

 consider this wrench is anything ?" 



"Oh no," said ^Ir. Brown, " anybody can get that." 



" Well, if I was going to try to pick the lock, I should put on the wrench 

 in this way, and attempt to move the bolt. Then I should feel of these dials 

 with the other hand." 



Presently the bolt moved a little way. 



" Ah," said Mr. Brown, " you are no nearer to it now than you were in 

 the beginning. That is the very thing about this lock." 



"Yes," said I, " I understand; the wheels have false notches." 



I kept him engaged in conversation, telling him how I should try to pick 

 the lock, and he explaining that it could not be picked. Presently his 

 cashier came and told him that a gentleman wanted to see him; and, just 

 as he turned to leave, the bolts flew back. He turned round at the noise, 

 and I quietly remarked to him that he had better lock his safe before he 

 left, as I did not like to be left with so much money before me. The whole 

 affair occupied less than ten minutes. 



Mr. Butler. — The object of making locks like that, without a keyhole, is 

 to prevent them from being blown up with gunpowder. 



Mr. Fisher. — When gunpowder is used, is the safe generally destroyed, 

 or is the lock merely blown open ? 



Mr. Butler. — The door is very apt to be blown off. I remember one case 

 up the North river, where a lumber yard was robbed. The safe was taken 

 from the office and blown up, and a large fragment of the door was found 

 on the top of one of the piles of boards. 



Mr. Stetson. — Do the burglars usually succeed in getting the treasure 

 without interruption when they blow up a safe ? 



Mr. Butler. — They usually smother the noise by covering the safe with 

 cloth. They then secrete themselves till they are certain that no alarm has 

 been given, when they return and take the treasure. 



Mr. Bull. — What has become of the lock that was offered here to be 

 picked some weeks ago ? 



