104 A Safety Paper for Cheques . [February, 
facSt, the harder a man’s life is in the main, the more deter- 
mined he seems to have some hours of luxury at the end of 
his day of toil. Hence some of the most skilful and indus- 
trious of mechanics are most liable to indulge in their staple 
luxury of drink. To say that a thing is a luxury is not the 
equivalent to saying that it can practically be easily dis- 
pensed with. And one is undoubtedly well within the mark 
in saying that a r pet dog is one of the cheapest, safest, and 
most innocent of luxuries. 
VI. A SAFETY PAPER FOR CHEQUES. 
A®/ E have to notice an unobtrusive but yet important 
invention, destined, unless we are greatly mistaken, 
to put a final stop to one of the most ingenious and 
formidable frauds of the present day. As the commercial world 
is but too well aware, a man who is supposed to be financially 
sound, sometimes makes the disagreeable discovery that a 
cheque bearing his signature has been presented and paid 
at his bankers, the sum being much larger than that shown 
by the counterfoil. The banker has committed no error or 
oversight in the matter, the drawer’s signature is indisputably 
authentic, , but the figures and words expressing the sum 
have evidently been altered. For this purpose the writing 
must have been wholly or partly effaced and other figures 
or words carefully substituted. This process, difficult as it 
may appear, presents nothing impracticable to a man con- 
versant with the nature of colouring matters. The inks in 
common use, numerous as they are, and various as is their 
composition, are all capable of being discharged by chemical 
agents, some of them of an acid, and some of an alkaline 
nature. The knowledge of how this operation may be 
effected is not confined to upright men. A rogue may study 
and experiment for this end as carefully and patiently as a 
colour-mixer might in attemptingto bring out a new discharge 
style in calico printing. Further, though we do not believe 
that any chemist of recognised eminence would knowingly 
give advice to any intending forger, yet it would be easy to 
