8 



ing medals, than any other ruling machine on any other princi- 

 ple ; but as a passage in your communication seems to intimate 

 something of that sort, I beg leave to make a few remarks on 

 that subject. 



Early in 1817, when I undertook the making of a ruling ma- 

 chine, the only means tried for moving one, were two modifica- 

 tions of the inclined plane, viz. the wedge and the screw. Only 

 the former was then in use. Two machines constructed on this 

 plan were in this city, and were supposed to be the only two 

 ever made in this country. Mr. Richard Fairman, of our estab- 

 lishment, owned one of them, and its possession was thought to 

 give him great advantages over other artists. A ruling machine 

 in those days was considered an important acquisition, but to get 

 up one on the wedge principle was such a formidable undertak- 

 ing that few had the resolution to encounter it. It was an awk- 

 ward and unwieldy contrivance, and though the wedges or in- 

 clined planes were six or eight feet in length, its range of work 

 was only three or four inches, and the working of it was labori- 

 ous, slow and tedious. I had therefore only the screw to look to. 

 It is very desirable that a ruling machine for the ordinary work 

 of the engraving office, should be so constructed, that various 

 parts of the plate may be brought under the etching point with 

 facility and despatch. I could hit upon no way of doing this 

 with the screw, without more labor than I had to spare. I there- 

 fore gave it up, and took in its place the principle of the wheel 

 and axle, which I thought admirably adapted to the purpose. 

 All the essential parts were of simple forms, and required no ex- 

 traordinary skill or implement to produce them; its movement 

 was light and easy, the carriage could be shifted from one point 

 to another without trouble or delay; its dimensions were not 

 more than one third of those of the wedge machine, and its range 

 was six times as great. These advantages were obvious and de- 

 cisive. Mr. Fairman gave up his wedge machine, and lost no 

 time in procuring one on my plan, and when seen in London, it 



met with the decided preference of the most eminent engravers 

 of that city. 



You say that the machine which I had made for Mr. Gobrecht, 

 was without the appendage necessary to adapt it to medal ruling. 

 I assert that Mr. G. had already been put in possession of this ap- 

 pendage by me, and at my suggestion, before the machine was 





