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connection with the plan of forming a general catalogue of American li- 

 braries. 



My action in the matter was checked by the discouraging opinions of 

 several stereotypers, whom I consulted. I did not indeed believe the 

 difficulties, which they suggested, to be insuperable ; but I was so situated 

 that it was impossible for me at once, to institute the experiments necessaiy 

 to show the practicability of stereotyping titles separately. 



In the meantime the librarian and directors of the American AntiquarlaTi 

 society, having heard of the plan, opened a correspondence with me on the 

 subject, with a view of employing it in the republication of their own 

 catalogue. The enero-etic aid and ingenious suggestions of one of the 

 <lirectors, the Rev. Edward E. Hale, of Worcester, gave a new impulse to 

 the scheme, and induced me to propose its adoption by the Smithsonian 

 Institution sooner than I had anticipated. 



The suggestions of Mr. Hale were seconded by the practical skill of Mi'. 

 Wilcox, an ingenious electrotypist of Boston, who made the electrotyped 

 ])age of separate movable titles, which I have already submitted to your 

 inspection. It is a beautiful piece of work. It demonsti-ated to the con- 

 viction of the most incredulous, the practicability of this method of printing 

 catalogues. 



After the plan had been made public by a paper, which I presented in 

 August last, to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 Mr. John K. Rogers, agent of the Boston type and stereotype foundry, 

 devised a method of accon^.plishing the purpose by means of the CQmmo]i 

 process of stereotyping. He caused a page to be made for exhibition at 

 the Mechanics' fair in Boston. He has since l)een at the expense of another 

 page, very handsomely executed and with several improvements, which I 

 have now the pleasure of submitting to your examination. This page 

 establishes the applicability of the common stereotype process to our 

 purpose. The company which Mr. Rogers represents, is ready to enter 

 into a contract to do the work, at a very small advance upon the usual 

 price of stereotyping. Whatever the result may Ite, our thanks are due to 

 Mr. Rogers for his intelligent and liberal efforts. 



Meanwhile my attention was directed to a new process of stereotyping, 

 which promises to form an era in the art. A gentleman from Indiana, 

 Mr. Josiah Warren Is the inventor. The material which he uses for ste- 

 reotyping costs not more than three cents an octavo page. The process is 

 so sim])le, that any man of average ingenuity could learn to practice it 

 successfully by two or three days instruction. The cost of apparatus for. 

 carrying on the work is very small. The rapidity of execution is such, 

 that one man can produce at least twenty-five octavo pages a day, all 

 finished and ready for use. The plates give a beautiful impression. They 

 seem as durable as common stereotype plates, and so for as now known, 

 they are not in any great degree more liable to injury. 



If this Invention bears successfully the severe tests of practical men, it 

 will have been brought forward at a most favorable period for lliis project. 

 It will be seen, by the specimens which I herewith present, that it offers 

 extraordinary facilities for the kind of work which we re(juire, and it will 

 reduce the expense very greatly. 



This preliminary point of tlie practicability of stereotyping by titles, 

 may therefore be considered as established. Tliat it can be done' by the 

 electrotype process, as well as by the ordinary luode of stereotyping, is 



