Mr. Grenfell219 said, he rose to present a petition from Mr. Benjamin Chance, who stated that he had devised a plan to render more difficult the forging of bank-notes, which he begged the House to take into its serious consideration. He knew nothing of this individual, neither was he competent to judge of the efficacy of the plan; but he thought it highly desirable that the Bank of England should endeavour at least to give the public a Bank-note more difficult to imitate than that at present in circulation. When he last called the attention of the House to this subject, his hon. friend opposite stated, that the Bank of England, in their endeavours to effect this object, had expended 80,000l. This statement did not, however, appear to be correct; for, at a recent court of Bank proprietors, at which he was present, the chairman denied the fact.
§ Mr. Pearsesaid, that this plan had already been submitted to the Bank, and found inefficient to the end proposed. The Bank directors were anxious to adopt any measure that could put an end to forgery; but no plan had been laid before them that could effect that object. He was sorry that the hon. gentleman had let fall an expression which seemed to imply that the directors had not done their duty. When he said that the directors ought at least to endeavour to provide a better note, the inference was, that they had not already used the best means in their power for that purpose. Now, he could assert that such was not the fact. No expense had been spared in endeavouring to effect that object; but, of course, when the directors found that the plans submitted to them had not the requisite merit, they were obliged to reject them. The hon. member must be aware that commissioners had been appointed to inquire, whether any efficient plan could be devised to prevent the evil of forgery, and that a report bad been made by those gentlemen, that they could not hit upon one. The Bank had made every effort in their power to attain that end; but they found that the notes of those who came forward with plans were as easily imitable as those at present in circulation. One of the projectors had actually mistaken an imitation of his own note for an impression from his original invention.