21.02.2013 Views

Advances in Fingerprint Technology.pdf

Advances in Fingerprint Technology.pdf

Advances in Fingerprint Technology.pdf

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Figure 1.12 Sir William Herschel. (Drawn by John Berry.)<br />

his name even now is mentioned many times daily <strong>in</strong> most f<strong>in</strong>gerpr<strong>in</strong>t<br />

bureaus <strong>in</strong> the world. After all, didn’t Henry, while travel<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a tra<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />

India, suddenly have a flash of <strong>in</strong>spired genius whereby he quickly worked<br />

out the system of 1024 groups utiliz<strong>in</strong>g whorl patterns, as I have already<br />

described? In order to record this magnificent mental feat, I have read, Henry<br />

hastily scribbled the essential equations on his stiff and clean white shirt cuff.<br />

I embellish the legend every day: “I’m go<strong>in</strong>g to search <strong>in</strong> the ‘A’ Division<br />

Henry collection,” I announce. If I manage a successful “cold search” from<br />

f<strong>in</strong>ger impr<strong>in</strong>ts found at a crime scene, I complete a register <strong>in</strong> the office and<br />

under the head<strong>in</strong>g Method of Identification, I write “A” Henry. I should know<br />

better, but habit makes a slave of thoughtlessness. It just is not true: Sir<br />

Edward Henry shrewdly gave his name to the classification system worked<br />

out by his Indian employees Khan Bahadur Azizul Haque and Rai Bahadur<br />

Hem Chandra Bose. Haque is alleged to have muttered to confidants that<br />

Henry could not even understand the system when it was patiently expla<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

to him.<br />

There are always two versions to a controversy. Henry appeared before<br />

the Belper Commission <strong>in</strong> 1900. Lord Belper had been asked to chair a<br />

committee to decide what identification system should be used <strong>in</strong> Great<br />

Brita<strong>in</strong>. Henry was asked po<strong>in</strong>t blank if the 1024 bundle system was his own<br />

<strong>in</strong>vention, and he firmly announced that it was; <strong>in</strong> the past, writers have<br />

tended to support Henry’s claim. They po<strong>in</strong>t out that as the English official

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!