164 MR. J. C. DYER ON THE ORIGIN OF 



time impeded his labours, and greatly restricted his means 

 of completing the many other schemes then conceived by 

 him, and waiting to be matured. 



In the year 1809 Mr. Perkins communicated to me the 

 entire details of his method of preparing the steel dies and 

 transferring engravings for the prevention of forgeries, and 

 for multiplying engraved designs, with a view to having 

 the invention patented in England for our joint account. 

 From the success attained in America, he anticipated the 

 adoption of his system by the banks in this country, espe- 

 cially as it was susceptible of great improvements in the 

 style of work to be printed on the notes, from the high 

 state of the graphic arts in London, as compared with what 

 could be formed in America. Accordingly I took out 

 patents, and minutely specified the method of carrying the 

 invention into effect. I then obtained a very elaborate 

 and beautiful design, from the classic pencil of the late 

 Mr. Robert Smirke, P.R.A., and had it engraved by Eaim- 

 bach on prepared steel, to be transferred to plates for print- 

 ing bank-notes. But after many fruitless efforts to induce 

 the banks of England and Scotland to take up the plan 

 for their notes, I was obliged to give up the task as quite 

 hopeless at that time ; nor could I then induce the book- 

 sellers to adopt the transferring system for illustrating 

 works for the press, for which it was so well adapted, as it 

 has since proved to be. 



The saying that "^ there is a time for all things,^' seemed 

 to apply in this case, and to show that the time had not 

 arrived for exciting any general or strong interest on the 

 question of the '' bank-note forgeries," then so extensively 

 practised, owing to the slight labour or ingenuity required 

 to counterfeit the " one pound notes " in general circula- 

 tion ; wherefore the frequent hanging of men for a feat so 

 easily performed was suffered to continue for many years, 

 without any loud calls upon the Bank to take some steps to 



