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第33章

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

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