* 140
PROGRESS OF CARP-MAKING IN ENGLAND.
[Class XVII.
of Genoa paper was ever consumed in manufacturingplaying-cards; if so, the sale must have been far greaterthan within the last 50 or GO years, for that quantity ofpaper would have produced 5,000,000 packs of cards,whereas the amount was only 507,672 packs for the homeand export trade in 1851. And as live or six card-makerssupply the demand, it appears doubtful whether so largea number as a hundred masters could ever have obtaineda living by the trade. Genoa paper was preferred bycard-makers up to a late period, for its silkiness, for itspower of receiving the colour freely, and tor taking the‘flint or glazing better than the harsh English paper. Atpresent there may be a few reams still consumed by theold-fashioned makers; but the bulk of the paper is nowmade here, cards being almost all glazed by passing thembetween copper-plates through rollers, instead of glazingthem with a dint, as formerly.
In the early part of the reign of George III . card-playing was very prevalent.
Until lately the importation of cards was prohibitedin Russia , where the manufacture of cards is a royalmonopoly. The whole income derived from their sale isapplied towards the maintenance of the Foundling Hos-pital. The manufacture of playing-cards is carried on,on a very large scale, at Alexaudrotfski, near St. Peters-burgh. The machinery applied to the manufacture ofcards in the Imperial Manufactory is the invention ofMr. Applegath, and is under the direction of GeneralWilson. All the modern improvements for the manufac-ture of cards are to be found in that establishment, manyhaving been furnished by Mr. De La Rue. His patentprocess was adopted for a superior description of cardsmany years since. The cards printed at Applegath’smachine are in water-colours; and although upwards of14,000 packs are manufactured daily, the supply is notequal to the demand. The best Russian playing-cardsare excellent, surpassing most continental cards in theglaze and all the essential qualities of good cards.
The demand for playing-cards has not kept pace withthe increased population of this country; the duty of oneshilling per pack* operating, with other circumstances,such as musical evenings, reading societies, &c., againsttheir greater use.
No person is allowed to manufacture playing-cards inthis country except in the cities of London and West-minster, and in the city of Dublin, in Ireland . Theirmanufacture is prohibited in Scotland . The duty is up-wards of two hundred per cent, on the cost of manufac-ture, besides the duty on paper, which amounts to about6 (1. on a dozen packs.
In consequence of the re-issue of second-hand playing-cards being allowed, forged aces, with the London makers’names, have been introduced from abroad, and used forspurious cards, which are sold for second-hand, thuscausing detriment to the English manufacturer and lossto the revenue. The permission to re-issue second-handcards seems to have been retained in deference to thoseby whom club-houses are supplied, the cards when onceplayed with, becoming the perquisites of the servants,who obtain a certain price from the original vendor, bywhom they are again sold. This opens the door for thecontraband cards with forged aces, and is undoubtedly agrievance that Government ought to remove. If the dutywere reduced from one shilling to three pence per pack,it would put au end to smuggling, forgery, and perjury,as regards cards ; the sale would increase, a larger quantityof paper would be consumed, and employment given to anumber of extra hands.
The duty and export aces are printed at Somerset
* Cut-corner cards are the waste of card-makers, and arenot allowed to be sold in regular packs, although they maybe sold as waste, provided half an inch be cut off one corner.The wording of the Act of Parliament relative to this sub-ject is so imperfect, that for two or three years cut-cornercards were regularly manufactured and sold ; but the Com-missioners of Stamps and Taxes declared the sale illegal,and took proceedings for certain penalties against theretailers. There are still manufacturers who sell theseillegal cut-corner cards, to the injury of the fair trader,notwithstanding the threat of heavy penalties.
House ou paper furnished by the card-makers, who havealso to pay thirty pounds for every ace-plate, engraved by-Messrs. Perkins and Co., and sent by them to the InlandRevenue Office. If the aee-plate, on which there aretwenty aces, be engraved on steel, it will last for a consi-derable time, but it is notwithstanding a heavy charge onthe manufacturer of playing cards, as tivo different acesare required, one for the home trade, the other for expor-tation. Every card manufacturer is required to give twosecurities in 500/. each before a licence can be obtained.When aces are wanted by the card-maker, a requisitionis seut to Somerset House, and a ream, containing 9,GOO,is usually drawn at one time. An officer is sent round tothe different card-makers with seals, one of which isaffixed to each pack required for immediate sale. Accord-ing to the number of seals furnished to each maker bythe officer, the amount of duty of Is. per pack must bepaid on the first of each month. The aces remain instock at the manufacturer’s, the quantity in hand beingascertained by officers sent from time to time to inspectthem. Should any deficiency be found, the duty must bepaid on such deficiency, and the manufacturer is called toaccount for the irregularity. When playing-cards arerequired for exportation, the manufacturer has to enterinto a heavy bond, with security, to insure the bond fidelanding of the cards at the port named in such bond, amia drawback of three halfpence per pound is allowed on allcards exported ; but it often happens that the expense ofthe bond for small parcels is such as to make it a matterof indifference whether the drawback be obtained or not;and it certainly checks the sale of cards for exportation,for many persons would buy two or three dozen, whenthey do not wish to take grosses, to form an assortment ofstationery for exportation.
The amount of duty paid on playing cards in 1850 was11,782/. 10s., sterling, being on 235,650 packs. Thenumber exported, on which there was no duty, amountedin the same year to 320,888 packs.
In the last year, 1851, there was a diminution of duty-paid cards, as well as exports. The number of duty cardssold was 226,576, being 0,000 less than in 1850, and281,106 packs for exports, being 48,782 packs less thanin 1850.
The general mode of painting playing-cards is by sten-cilling with water-colours mixed with paste. The card-board used in England consists of four sheets of paper;two strong sheets of cartridge are first pasted for theinside of the board: they are hung up to dry, well pressed,and afterwards covered on each side with a sheet ofpaper, which should be strong and well sized. The out-lines of the honours, as well as the ornamental backs, areprinted with a letter-printing press. The pips are sten-cilled, 20 cards being the usual quantity on a sheet offoolscap. They are packed in what is technically calledworks; each work should yield 16 dozen and 8 packs ofcards. They are well dried and aired, aud then rubbedover with Castile soap, that the fiiut with which they areglazed may pass smoothly over without tearing the card-board. The operation of glazing with a flint is tedious,and causes much waste. "When glazed, they are taken tothe cutter, and from him to the women-sorters; they arecarefully looked over, all defective cards being put asidefor a cheaper description. All the picked cards are laidat what is called the head of the table, and constitutethose denominated “ Moguls ” (best quality); the seconds,or slightly defective, come next, and are called “ Harrys;”the last and most defective are the “ Highlanders.”" Awork of 1G dozen that turns out well should yield thefollowing proportions: from 8 to 10 dozen of Moguls, 3or 4 dozen Ilarrys, and the remainder Highlanders. Theyare put in wrappers, with a thread tied round each pack,sealed by a revenue officer when required, and put up inparcels of six packs, which are called sixaines.*
There was little or no improvement in the manufacture