forty centuries of ink-第28节

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which　in　this　respect　is　so　ably　represented　in　part

by　Dr。　Charles　A。　Crampton　of　Washington；　D。　C。



Mr。　Swan　in　his　reports　to　the　legislature　of　his

state　for　the　last　twelve　years；　deals　with　the　subject

of　the　constitution　of　〃permanent　inks〃　so　thoroughly；

and　with　it　affords　information　of　so　practical

and　useful　a　character；　that　the　fullest　references　to

them　prove　both　instructive　and　interesting。　In　his

report　of　1891　he　remarks：



〃Upon　commencing　an　examination　of　the　records

in　various　places；　I　was　impressed　with　the

great　importance　of　the　use　of　inks　which　should

be　permanent；　and　the　necessity　of　an　investigation

which　might　prevent　the　further　use　of　inks　that

for　one　reason　or　another　were　unfit　for　use　upon

records。　I　found　that；　as　a　rule；　the　inks　upon

the　most　ancient　records　had　preserved　their　color；

many　undoubtedly　being　blacker　than　when　used；

but　that　the　later　records　lost　the　jet…black　appearance

of　the　older。　This；　it　is　true；　is　not　wholly

due　to　the　change　of　inks；　for　the　use　of　quills；

the　soft　surface　of　the　old　paper；　the　absence　of

blotting　paper　and　the　greater　time　spent　in　writing；

were　all　conducive　to　a　heavier　deposit　of　ink；

but　evidence　is　ample　that　in　comparatively　recent

years　inks　of　poor　quality　came　in　use。　Proof　of

this　is　given　by　an　examination　of　the　records　in

the　state　house。　Up　to　about　1850　it　was　the　custom

in　the　office　of　the　Secretary　of　the　Commonwealth

to　use　for　engrossing　the　acts；　inks　made

of　a　powder　which　was　mixed　in　the　office；　and

until　that　time　the　acts　which　are　engrossed　upon

parchment　show；　with　but　few　exceptions；　no　signs

of　fading。　From　1850　for　several　years　the　writing

in　many　cases　is　becoming　indistinct；　that　upon　an

act　in　1851；　and　upon　two　in　1855；　having　nearly

disappeared。　Since　1860；　acts　showing　different

intensity　of　color　are　found；　but　whether　this　is

their　original　color　or　not　cannot　be　determined。



That　the　fading　can　be　attributed　to　the　parchment；

as　some　claim；　is　disproved　by　the　fact　that

of　the　signatures　upon　the　same　act　a　few　have

faded　while　others　have　not。　Upon　an　act　approved

January　4；　1845；　the　signature　of　the　President　of

the　Senate　has　nearly　disappeared；　that　of　the

Speaker　of　the　House　is　more　legible；　while　that　of

the　Governor；　and　the　figure　4；　which　he　evidently

inserted；　are　jet　black。



〃The　indexes　in　the　volumes　of　archives　in　the

office　of　the　secretary；　which　were　written　about

1840；　were　evidently　made　with　a　different　ink　from

that　used　for　engrossing；　and　faded　so　badly　that

the　important　words　had　to　be　rewritten。



〃In　the　office　of　the　State　Treasurer　the　records

to　about　1867　are　very　black　and　distinct；　but　the

ink　used　during　a　few　years　following　has　faded。



〃The　records　of　births；　marriages　and　deaths；

in　the　registration　volumes　in　the　secretary's　office；

furnish　an　excellent　illustration　of　the　different

qualities　of　the　inks　now　used。　These　records　are

original　returns　made　by　the　city　and　town　clerks；

and　from　1842　to　1889　show　instances　of　the　use

of　inks　which　are　now　almost　illegible。　Here

again　the　fault　cannot　be　attributed　to　the　paper；

for　endorsements　made　in　the　secretary's　office

upon　the　most　faded　returns　at　the　time　of　their

receipt　are　as　black　as　when　made。



〃The　volumes　of　copies　of　the　old　records　of

Lexington；　made　in　1853；　have　faded　until　they

are　quite　indistinct。



〃Some　of　the　old　inks；　though　retaining　their

black　color　have；　from　the　presence　of　acid　in　the

ink　or　paper；　eaten　through　the　paper　as　thoroughly

as　if　the　writing　had　been　done　with　a　sharp

instrument。　In　part　of　one　old　volume　of　court

records；　the　ink；　while　not　injuring　the　paper　or

becoming　illegible　upon　the　face　of　the　leaves；　has

gradually　become　legible　upon　the　reverse；　while

the　heavy　paper　has　been　impervious　to　the　other

inks　used。

　*　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*



To　ascertain　what　kind　of　inks　were　in　use　by

the　town　clerks；　I　examined　the　registration　volumes

before　referred　to；　and；　as　before　stated；

found　many　poor　inks　in　use。　In　a　few　cases　blue

inks　were　used；　and　in　two　violet；　which　is；　as　a

rule；　if　not　always；　a　fugitive　color。　A　number　of

the　returns　in　these　volumes　of　as　recent　date　as

1875　were　almost　illegible；　and　three　made　in　1888

were　nearly　as　indistinct。



〃The　more　I　looked　into　the　subject；　the　more

I　became　convinced　that　the　whole　subject　of　ink

was　one　upon　which　the　persons　using　it　were

comparatively　ignorant。　Consultation　with　experts

satisfied　me　that　good　inks　were　being　injured　by

improper　treatment；　that　the　custom　of　mixing

inks　and　of　adding　water　to　them　was　unsafe；　and

that　among　the　inks　reported　as　in　use　upon　the

records　there　were　many　manufactured　for　commercial

uses　which　should　not　be　used　upon　records；

and　which　the　manufacturers　would　say　were

not　intended　for　record　inks。　I　therefore　sent　to

the　manufacturers　of　the　inks　reported　as　in　use

by　the　recording　officers；　and　to　some　others；　the

following　letter　and　inquiries：



〃　'The　fading　of　much　of　the　ink　used　in　records

of　comparatively　recent　date；　while　as　a　rule　the

records　of　two　hundred　years　ago　are　as　legible　as

when　written；　establishes　the　fact　that　for　permanent

qualities　much　of　the　modern　ink　is　inferior　to　the

ancient；　and　that　inks　are　used　that　are　unfit　for

making　a　record　which　should　stand　for　all　time。



〃　'I　am　led　to　believe　that　most　ink　in　manufacturers

make　inks　which　are　good　for　commercial　and

other　uses　where　there　is　no　desire　for　a　permanent

record；　but　which　they　would　not　recommend　for

use　where　the　important　object　was　the　permanency

of　the　record。　One　of　the　dangers　to　which　our

records　are　exposed　can　be　obviated　by　the　use　of

proper　inks；　and　I　desire　to　obtain　the　opinion　of

the　leading　manufacturers　on　the　subject；　that　I

may　advise　the　recording　officers　of　the　State　what

are；　and　what　are　not；　safe　inks　to　use　for　records。



〃　'I　shall　esteem　it　a　favor；　therefore；　if　you　will

answer　the　enclosed　questions；　and　return　them　at

your　convenience。　Your　reply　will　be　treated　as

confidential　as　far　as　names　are　concerned；　except

in　the　answer　to　question　No。　5；　and　that　will　not

be　printed　if　you　so　request。　Any　general　opinion

which　will　aid　the　recording　officers　in　their　selection

of　ink　or　paper　will　be　welcomed。



〃　'1。　Do　you　consider　it　safe　to　use　for　a　permanent

record　aniline　inks？



〃　'2。　Do　you　consider　it　safe　to　use　for　a　record　logwood　inks？



〃　'3。　Do　your　consider　nut…gall　and　iron　inks

absolutely　safe　for　a　permanent　record？



〃　'4。　Do　you　consider　carbon　ink　the　only　permanent　ink？



〃　'5。　What　inks　of　your　manufacture　would　you

advise　against　using　for　a　permanent　record？



〃　'6。　Do　you　advise　generally　against　the　inks

known　as　writing　fluids；　when　permanency　is　the

first　requisition？



〃　'7。　Do　you　manufacture　a　writing　fluid？



〃　'8。　Do　you　consider　it　safe　to　add　water　to　ink

intended　for　permanent　record；　which　has　grown

thick　by　exposure　to　the　air？



〃　'9。　Do　you　believe　that　the　obliteration　of　ink

is　ever　due　to　the　chemicals　left　in　the　paper？

（This　question　has　been　asked　of　the　paper　manufacturers

also。）



〃　'10。　Do　you　consider　it　safe　to　mix　inks　without

knowing　to　what　chemical　group　the　inks　so　mixed　belong？'



〃Replies　were　received　from　twenty…two

manufacturers。　Several　of　the　inks　in　the　market；

though　bearing　the　name　of　certain　persons；　were

found　to　be　manufactured　for　them　by　manufacturers

who　had　already　answered　the　questions。

Their　replies　were；　therefore；　not　considered。



〃To　the　first　question；　'Do　you　consider　it　safe

to　use　for　a　permanent　record　aniline　inks！'　the

unanimous　answer　was　decidedly　no。　Aniline

black　is　absolutely　permanent；　but　as　it　is　not　yet

known　how　to　render　it　soluble　in　water；　it　has　not

been　much　used　in　ink。



〃To　the　inquiry　in　regard　to　logwood　inks；

nearly　all　answered　no；　and　most　of　those　who　did

not　qualified　their　answers　to　such　an　extent　as　to

imply　distrust。



〃Upon　the　question　of　the　permanency　of　nut…gall　and

iron　inks；　the　answers　were　more　varied；　one　answering

no；　and　four　answering　directly　yes；　the　remaining

answers　being　in　brief　that　such　inks　were　permanent

if　properly　made。



〃To　the　question；　'Do　you　consider　carbon　ink

the　only　permanent　ink？'　the　answers　were　varied

and　contradictory。　Most　of　the　manufacturers

said　a　carbon　ink　could　not　be　permanent；　because

carbon　was　insoluble；　and　some　said　that　no　chemical

union　could　exist　between　carbon　and　the

other　ingredients　in　ink。　Others　claimed　that　carbon

was　the　one　permanent　color；　and　cited　the　old

Indian　and　Chinese　inks　which　have　stood　for　centuries

as　illustrations　of　its　permanency。　These

statements　were　so　widely　di