forty centuries of ink-第33章
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〃Permanency against the action of time is the
quality sought for in this investigation; and it is
claimed that better evidence as to that quality is
furnished by the test of time than by any other;
and manufacturers have shown or referred to
specimens of writing made with their ink many
years ago; as proof of its merit in this particular。
If there was any surety that the standard of quality
was always kept up in all of the oldest inks on the
market; it would be safe to accept that test; but
this may not be a fact; and; as has been stated;
some of the recording officers believe that it is not。
Moreover; if only the old inks were to be accepted;
it would be against the spirit of the age;
which is to adopt the improvements which science
makes possible; and manufacturers who at great
cost of time and money have made improvements;
would be deprived of the compensation which they
deserve。 The old inks were as a rule heavy; and
had a tendency to settle; and the endeavor on the
part of some manufacturers has been to preserve
the permanency; and at the same time produce
thinner inks which would be more agreeable to use。
〃Improvements have been made in the direction
of free…flowing inks; and these are fast becoming
popular; and; while for correspondence and commercial
uses they are undoubtedly sufficiently permanent;
for records many of them are not; and it
was with a view of preventing the use of these
upon records that this investigation was made。
No attention has been given to the permanency
of the inks; as against their removal by acids。
〃The use of proper ink is considered so important
by the British government that the inks
used in the public departments are obtained by
public tender; in accordance with the conditions
drawn up by the controller of H。 M。 stationery
office; with the assistance of the chief chemist of
the inland revenue department; to whom the inks
supplied by the contractor are from time to time
submitted for analysis。 Suitable inks for the various
uses are thus obtained; and their standard
maintained。 The last form of 'invitation to tender;'
or 'proposal;' as we term it; is appended;
as being instructive。
I cannot learn that the United States government
uses any such care as the British government
in the matter of ink; although the question has
been a troublesome one in the departments。
〃The State department issues no special rules
for determining suitable inks; or requiring that particular
inks shall be used。 Proposals are asked for
the lowest bids for the articles of stationery required;
the last form of proposal asking for bids
upon seven black inks; one crimson; and one writing
fluid; which are named。
〃With the market full of inks worthless for records;
the only safety for our records seems to be in
the establishment of a system similar to the English;
which shall fix upon proper inks for various
uses; which all recording officers shall be required
to use。
〃I believe that the recording officers will be
glad to have the question of permanent inks decided
for them; and to know whether inks which
were in use many years ago; and have stood the
test thus far; are maintained at their old standard。
In the face of sharp competition among manufacturers;
they fear they are not。〃
Mr。 Swan; proceeding still further; secured the
services of two of the most distinguished professors
of chemistry in this country; Messrs。 Markoe and
Baird; and submitted to them in camera sixty…seven
samples of different inks; known only by numbers; for
chemical analysis; in a long and exhaustive report on
the work they had set out to accomplish; and also with
a dissertation on the chemistry of inks in general; they
complete their report as follows:
〃As a conclusion; since the great mass of inks
on the market are not suitable for records; because
of their lack of body and because of the quantity
of unstable color which they contain; and because
the few whose coloring matters are not objectionable
are deficient in galls and iron; or both; we
would strongly recommend that the State set its
own standard for the composition of inks to be
used in its offices and for its records; have the
inks manufactured according to specifications sent
out; and receive the manufactured products subject
to chemical assay。 In this way only can there
be a uniformity in the inks used for the records
throughout the State; and in no other way can a
proper standard be maintained。〃
Mr。 Swan comments on the report of his chemists;
and calls attention to other tests made by himself:
〃The conclusions at which I arrived were drawn;
as stated; from manufacturers or recording officers;
wholly independently of the chemists; but they will
be found to coincide in many particulars with theirs。
I did consult them in regard to the practicability of
maintaining a State standard for record ink; which
they have approved。
〃The commendation by the chemists of some of
the so…called writing fluids explains in a degree the
variety of opinions advanced by the manufacturers
in regard to the durability of fluids。 Some of
them will be seen to possess the qualities of ink;
and the name fluid is evidently given to meet the
commercial demand for fluids。
〃Several persons; manufacturers among them;
expressed greater confidence in tests of exposure
of inks to the light and weather than to chemical
analysis。 I; therefore; as a dry test; placed on the
inside of a window pane receiving a strong light;
writing made under exactly the same conditions
with each of sixty…seven inks; which remained
there from March 13 to December 8。 Similar
writing was exposed to light and the weather from
September 25 to December 8; and the result of the
resistance of the inks in both tests is an almost exact
confirmation of the report of the chemists;
inks of the same class varying in their resistance
according to their specific gravity or amount of
added color。
〃It may be safely said; therefore; that of sixty…
seven inks of which I procured samples; all but
seventeen are unsuitable for records; and among
these the chemists say but one is fully up to the
established scientific standard of quantity of iron
sulphate。 The reason is plain;the demand for
commercial inks is large; for record; small; and the
supply has been to meet the demand。〃
The British government advertises for tenders each
year; the requirements for black writing ink in 1889
reads:
〃To be made of Best Galls; Sulphate of Iron;
and Gum。 The Sulphate of Iron not to exceed in
quantity one…third of the weight of the Galls used;
and the specific gravity of the matured Ink not to
exceed 1045 degrees (distilled water being 1000 degrees)。〃
That of Black Copying Ink 〃To be made of the above
materials; but of a strength one fourth greater
than the Writing Ink; and with the addition of
Sugar or Glycerine。 The specific gravity of the
matured Ink not。 to exceed 1085 degrees。〃 And that of
Blue…Black Writing Ink 〃To be made of finest
Galls; Sulphate of Iron; Gum; Indigo; and Sulphuric
Acid。 The specific gravity of the Ink when
matured not to exceed 1035 degrees。〃
Mr。 Swan again remarks in his report of 1892:
〃Many of the inks which should not be used
upon records are free flowing and more agreeable
to use than permanent inks; containing more body。
As long as recording and copying is paid for by
the page; and the object is to accomplish the most
in the least time; these inks will be in popular use;
and used; and blotted off the paper before they
have much more than colored it; only to disappear
eventually。 The State should set a standard for a
record ink; and; while our present system of keeping
records and furnishing supplies will not allow
that its use be required on all public records; as in
England; it would seem practicable for