JB_003_342.xml

Title: [[Copyist’s hand: part of a booklet, comprising]

Description: [Copyist’s hand: part of a booklet, comprising folios 341 to 357]

nd [wm 1798]

1

Mr B is not quite certain with regard to the correctness of the copy, not having

examined it himself.

Thoughts

On the means of preventing Forgery, in the case of Paper Money: particularly Bank

of England Notes. –

§.1 Of Forgery in the way of Fabrication: - particular Safeguards proposed. –

[marginal heading:] 1 Forgery is either by 1. Fabrication, or 2 Alteration.

Forgery in general, and of Bank Paper in particular, is committed either in the

way of Fabrication, or in the way of Alteration.(a)

The distinction is a fundamental one: the plan of operation, to be pursued in

combating the criminal enterprize, being altogether different in the two cases.

[marginal heading:] 2. Safeguards against Fabrication. –

I Particular Expedients

1. Real Portrait from Copper-Plate

To begin with the case of Fabrication: being the case which in my view of the

matter presents the greatest difficulty. I will state in the first place the

particular expedients that have occurred to me: by this means, the general

principles, by which those expedients were suggested, will place themselves in

the clearer point of view.

1. In the room of the Emblematical figure, exhibit the head of some real person:

– some Officer of the Corporation: - either temporary such as the Governor; or

permanent, such as the Cashier: the Engraving to be executed by the most skilful

Artist whose services can be engaged.+

[marginal note:] For the use of this additament, see § 3 p. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.

[marginal heading:] 3

2. Plates multiplied

by

2. As a means of reducing the expence (resulting from the

want

(a) Fabrication where a Paper Note which never passed through the hands of the

Bank, is made to assume the appearance of a Bank Note: alteration, or (as it may

be termed) falsification, where, in a real Bank Note, a fictitious larger sum is

contrived to be substituted to a genuine smaller sum.

JB_003_344.xml

Title: [[Copyist’s hand: part of a booklet, comprising]

Description: [Copyist’s hand: part of a booklet, comprising folios 341 to 357]

nd [wm 1798]

5

§.2. Of Forgery in the way of Fabrication – General Principles.

§.2. Sequel – General Principles relative to the framing of Safeguards against

this branch of Forgery. -

[marginal heading:] 1

1. Obstructive Safeguards, are preferable to ensnaring ones. –

1. Methods, which have for their object the prevention, or at least the

obstruction, of the attempt (viz by taking away all prospect, or diminishing at

least the probability, of making it with success) are preferable to those, in

which the aim is confined to the detection of the crime. In a word, expedients

of the preventive or obstructive kind (as they may be termed) are preferable to

those of the detective or ensnaring kind. –

[marginal heading:] 2.

2. Secret marks (being ensnaring) are inadequate.

2. Secret marks, (being expedients of the ensnaring kind) are essentially

inadequate: and even the more so, the greater the subtlety of the contrivance.

In these the aim is – that they shall escape the eye, of a person engaged in the

commission of the crime.. - But, if the mark relied on be so unapparent, and

consequently the variance between the genuine Note (on which it stands

impressed) and the spurious Note (in which it is supposed it will be omitted to

be impressed) be to such a degree proof against observation, as to escape the

eye of an artist, and of an artist too, whose life is at stake upon the

discovery, much more certainly will this be the case, in regard to the

unpracticed and incurious multitude.(a)

3. The

Note. –

(a) Expedients, here spoken of as being of the ensnaring kind, may well be termed

so, since, by leaving the appearance of facility, to the result which their aim

is to render difficult, the tendency of them is rather to invite, than to

discourage, the attempt. - In the eagerness of the pursuit after detection, they

shut the door against the more eligible object prevention. Expedients of the

preventive kind, on the other hand, embrace both objects at once: prevention, to

a superior degree of certainty: detection, to a degree superior still:

prevention, in the instance of the multitude of ingenious profligates, who, but

for this bar,

might

JB_003_357.xml

Title: [[Copyist’s hand: part of a booklet, comprising]

Description: [Copyist’s hand: part of a booklet, comprising folios 341 to 357]

nd [wm 1798]

31

Mr. Bentham’s Plan for preventing Forgery of Paper Money.