PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 943 



Oil account of the sulphur mixed with the gutta pcrcha. A mile 

 of this wire cost eight hundred Prussian thalers." 



In 1847, Samuel T. Armstrong went to London and purchased 

 the right to use the four English patents (Bewley's Brooman's, 

 Hancock's and Keene's,) in the United States, and had them regis- 

 tered by our Patent Oifice, at a heavy expense. 



In 1847, Samuel T. Armstrong with Lorenzo Higins, made the 

 first telegraph wire covered with gutta percha in this country, by 

 a machine on a similar principle but not identical with that now 

 used. This was a single cable made for the Magnetic Telegraph 

 Company to cross the North river. It was No. 9 iron wire with 

 half an inch in diameter of gutta percha over it. 



Thomas M. Clark and John W. Norton, both of New York city, 

 laid this cable. It was the first sub-marine cable insulated with 

 pure gutta percha ever made in the world. Mr. Armstrong con- 

 tinued to manufacture until 1851. At that time Mr. S. C. Bishop 

 joined Mr. Armstrong, and afterwards carried on the business 

 alone. In January, 1862, the Bishop Gutta Percha Company was 

 formed of which Mr. Bishop is manager. The company have 

 increased their facilities for manufacturing sub-marine and other 

 cables, as well as a great variety of useful articles made from 

 gutta percha. Their works are at Nos. 208, 210, 212 East 25th 

 street, near the East river, where vessels can easily be loaded with 

 cables directly from the manufactory. All sub-marine cables used 

 in the United States were made by this company, and are now 

 working satisfactorily. 



The Chairman read, by title, the following address at the Uni- 

 versity convocation for 18(>6, by one of the most distinguished 

 savans in the country, for the purpose of inserting a large part 

 of it in the proceedings of the Association. The sound views 

 inculcated therein, bear upon the same points to which the Chair 

 had, several years ago, directed attention, and being from the 

 head of one of our leading universities, the hope was expressed 

 that they would lead to a wholesome reform, and be the means of 

 imparting to every college graduate such practical knowledge as 

 will be of daily use in his intercourse with those who are now 

 engaged in the development of the material resources of this 

 continent. 



