date

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

nd [wm 1798]

21

§.4. Of Forgery in the way of Alteration. –

[marginal heading:] 4.

Classes of Notes exposed to falsification, setting aside the above safeguards.

According to this view of the matter, a One pound Note (supposing the appearance

as between class and class to be in other respects the same) will be capable of

being altered into a Two pound Note, or into a Ten pound Note, but not into any

other. A Five pound Note will not be capable of being altered any other. A Forty

pound Note will be capable of being altered into a Fifty Pound Note, or into a

Sixty pound Note: A Twenty pound Note, into a Thirty pound Note: and so on. What

may be the number of such different classes at present in circulation, and what

the respective sums, I do not pretend to know: nor would it be as much as worth

enquiring; since fresh classes (that is notes for sums not at present extant)

may come to be issued at any time.

[marginal heading:] 5.

In the existing plan the security derived from diversity of appearance is

supposed to be employ’d

Forgery in the way of alteration having been practised (if I may speak from a

loose recollection derived from Newspapers) and that with a degree of temporary

success, in more instances than one, the idea of making a difference in point of

general appearance in this view, has already (I am inclined to think) not only

suggested itself, but been carried into practise: in some instances at least:

whether throughout is more than I am informed of

[marginal heading:] 6

- but not those which depend on indication of the diversity.

What I am apprehensive of is – that if, in this view or any other any such

differences have been studiously made, they are not of such a nature as to be

(according to the second of the rules above given) expressible in words. What is

certain is – that, whatever may be the differences, no such notification of

them, as is proposed in the third rule, is to be found in any instance. But, so

long as no such notification is given, the differences, expressible is not

expressible in words, will

be
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  • Title: [nd [wm 1798] To the Bank Alteration]
    Description: nd [wm 1798]

    To the Bank

    Alteration

    26

    Note will be capable of being altered into a Fifty Pound Note or into a Sixty

    Pound Note: A Twenty Pound Note, into a Thirty Pound Note: and so on. What may

    be the number of such different classes at present in circulation, and what the

    respective sums, I do not pretend to know: nor would it be so much as worth

    enquiring: since fresh classes i:e: Notes for sums not at present extant, may

    come to be issued at any time.

    Forgery in the way of alteration having been practiced, (if I may speak from a

    loose recollection derived from Newspapers), and that, with a degree of

    temporary success, in more instances than one, the idea of making a difference

    in point of general appearance in this view has already, (I am inclined to

    think) not only suggested itself, but been carried into practice, in some

    instances at least: whether throughout is more than I am informed of .

    What I am apprehensive of is – that if, in this view or any other, any such

    differences have been studiously made, they are not of such a nature as to be

    (according to the second of the rules above given) expressible in words. What is

    certain is – that whatever may be the differences, no such notification of them

    as is proposed in the third rule is to be found in any instance.

    But
  • 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]

    19

    §.4. Of Forgery in the way of Alteration

    §.4. Of Forgery in the way of Alteration – General Principles.

    [marginal heading:] 1. The ground of attack and defence is here much narrower,

    and altogether different.

    In this department of Forgery, the field of attack being, in comparison of the

    other, so extremely narrow, so accordingly will be the field of defence. The

    subject matter of operation being, by the supposition, a genuine Note, the

    imposition confines itself to that part of the paper which bears the words

    expressive of the sums promised by the Note.

    The plan of attack being moreover so extremely different in the two cases, so

    accordingly will be the plan of defence.

    In the former case, the leading principle is complication. In the present case,

    the principles of defence are as simple as they will be found effective.

    [marginal heading:] 2. Principles of security as against Alteration

    1. Make the difference pervade the whole

    Note.

    1. In Notes of different classes (the class being constituted by the sum) the

    difference in point of general appearance as between class and class should be

    as conspicuous and striking as possible: and the obstruction thus afforded to

    falsification will be the greater, if the diversity can be made to extend over

    the whole, or the greatest part, of the matter contained in the Note.

    [marginal heading:] 2. be describable by words

    2. These differences should moreover (according to the rule already given) be of

    such a nature as to be capable of being sufficiently described by words.

    [marginal heading:] 3. and indicated on each Note for all the Notes.

    3. The Plan of description should be so simple, and the number of words,

    requisite for the expression of the whole system of difference, consequently (if

    possible) be so small, as that each individual Bank
  • 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]

    25

    §.5. Plan for a Bank Note, with a view to both branches of Forgery. –

    [marginal heading:] 1. General Plan for a Bank Note &c according to

    the above indications –

    Upon the whole, the Plan of construction suggested by the above principles for

    the matter of a Bank Note would, be distributed into four paragraphs or

    compartments.(a) –

    [marginal heading:] 1. Tenor

    1. In the upper compartment, the words of the engagement itself as worded at

    present, with the dates and signatures employed at present, from an engraving on

    Copper Plate as at present; but accompanied by a Portrait of the Governor, also

    from an engraving on Copper as proposed, with the legend as proposed - The

    situation of the Portrait, either at the left hand corner of the Paper, at the

    beginning of the line, as at present, or in the center of the compartment.

    [marginal heading:] 2 – Warning against Forgery.

    2. In the second compartment from the top, the warning against Forgery, expressed

    in letter-press as above: with the Portrait of the Cashier; situated, as before,

    either on the left hand or in the center.

    [marginal heading:] 3. Classes distinguished.

    3. In the third compartment from the top, a notification of the different classes

    of Notes; as above proposed, expressive of their several characteristic

    differences in point of appearance.

    [marginal heading:] 4. Indication of cutting.

    4. Lastly, in a fourth compartment might be exhibited, a notice descriptive of

    the method to be observed in cutting a Note in two, for the purpose of

    conveyance: for which purpose a line marking the track for the knife or

    scissors, together with ten or twelve words to point out the use of the line,

    would be sufficient.(b)

    Note.

    (a) In case of such a division the course of the lines might instead of running

    parallel to the longer side of the Paper, as at present, run parallel to the

    shorter side.

    (b) That the form of the Note has been modified for this purpose

    and