FORGERY BY PHOTOGRAPHY.

Southland Times, Volume VII, Issue 4, 4 July 1866, Page 3

FORGERY BY PHOTOGRAPHY.

The following communication, in the form of a letter, from G\ W. Perry, photographer, Elizabeth-street, Melbourne, appeared in the Argus of Monday : — " I have been challenged (says Mr P.) to the proof of my assertion, that bank notes printed in blue ink can be photographed. Accordingly I enclose you a photographic impression produced by my process, from one of the Union Bank's blue notes, which I obtained at the bank thiß morning. You will observe that the minutest details ore reproduced with the greatest fidelity and vigor. With this I also send an impression produced by the process which is in ordinary use in photography, which I need scarcely say, is altogether a different affair. I can thus afford to pass over the remarks of Mr Wheeler with the contempt they deserve. At the same time I cannot help expressing regret that so much prejudice and unbelief should exist on any subject connected with the beautiful art of photography, the first principles of which are so little understood even by those who are most expert. The study of chroinophotography. and of photography in natural colors, engaged the attention of some of the mosr scientific men who experimented in photography in its early days, and some progress was made towards accomplishing tliis desirable end, the chief obstacle being the iuability to fix the impression when produced. This pursuit, after having been almost abandoned for some time, has again been revived in England, France, and Germany, and it is at the present time again attracting much attention. The experiments are variable in succes ; the solar spectrum has been reproduced with fidelity, but the chief difficulty remains in most instances, where it did before, in the fixation of the colors in their integrity. The first step \ must ever be the bringing of the refractory colors unders control ; their subsequent reproduced will of course be attended with difficulties, but that man must be very dai-ing who w r ill venture, in his iguorauce, to rffirm its imposcidily. I think I may fairly say, without egotism, that the process by which this note has been photographed is entirely my own invention ; I have never heard or read of the preparations it requires having been used before. The ingredients used are of such a nature as not to bring them under the notice of a photographer in his ordinary practice, and it is not likely that they would be easily discovered unless his studies were directed to chromo-photo-graphy. It is this fact which induces me to withpold the publication of the process for should it become generally known 1 fear it would be fraught with danger to those whoiepose on the fancied security of blue ancl colored bank notes. Should any of your readers be sceptical as to my ability to photograph bank notes priuted in blue ink, 1 shall be happy to furnish a photograph from any note of this description which may be sent to me, it being understood that the note is to share the same fate as the sixpence which the elephant is taught to pick up and drop into the money-box." The Argus adds : — A photograph (on a reduced scale) of a "Union Bank Note has been shown to us by Mr Perry, photographer, Elizabeth-street. It is a negative from a note printed in blue and other colors, and the artist has found no difficulty whatever in obtaining a faithful copy by a process which he has discovered. Mr Perry has also shown us a negative of the same note, obtained by the usual means employed by photographers, and tho' difference between the copies is remarkable. .The artist informs us that, from the negatives- he has obtained, notes I can bo reproduced in nny color or colors. The use of blue ink in note-printing, j therefore, is no security against photo--j graphic forgery.