AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 479 



there is no scientific society of Europe which has not made him an honor- 

 ary member. 



^.Cuvier entertained already on the appearance of the first treatise, a very 

 high opinion of Ehrenberg, saying that this naturalist's discoveries will 

 entirely change our ideas in natural history, and he declared Ehrenbcrg's 

 performance an immortal one. 



Ehrenberg improved considerably the microscope, which was very imper- 

 fect when he commenced his first labors ; and his merits in tliis line of optics 

 stand as high as of any other inventor. It must be also stated that there 

 is no branch of natural science in which he does not excel. 



In personal intercourse he is amiable, humble, unpretending, like most 

 of the great men, listening apparently with great attention to what stran- 

 gers have to tell him, and answering with great politeness any question in 

 science made to him. 



Mr. Meigs stated that a reporter from the office of the Sun newspaper, 

 had presented the following note, at the last meeting : 



That is a specimen of bituminous clay, found fifty miles from Bahia, Bra- 

 zil, two hundred miles from Rio Janeiro. It burns better than the finest 

 Cannel coal, and experiments instituted by an English engineer, show that 

 it yields one-fifth more gas than the very best Liverpool coal. Mr. Leon- 

 ard can tell you how it burns. 



Wm. Filmer, of 17 Dutch street. New York, electrotypist, exhibited 

 plates for the Ledger newspaper, made at his laboratory — plates from which 

 four hundred and fifty thousand copies are now printed every week. The 

 application of our plan is new, and the greatest in this counti-y, and has been 

 so for six or eight years past. This country deuiands a much greater number 

 of impressions than Europe does, and this demand called forth our inven- 

 tion. The type in page by powerful press is forced into cold wax, which is 

 then finely coated by means of fine badger brush, &c., with black lead, 

 which being the best conductor of electricity which we have been able, after 

 extensive experiments, to successfully apply. The plate is then immersed 

 in a solution of sulphate of copper — is deposited thick or thin as required ; 

 perhaps three to four ounces on a page. We call this primary sheet or 

 card, a shell. This must afterwards be consolidated for suitable strength 

 by pouring into the type spaces on its back, sufficient lead and antimony. 

 Tin, common stereotype metal answers the purpose. This mode supersedes 

 all the old stereotype processes. Plates from wood cuts impressed in wax 

 are used, but we print better from electrotypes. 



Mr. Meigs. — How thick deposits can you have with sharp well defined 

 edges ? 



Mr. Filmer. — As thick as you please ; but the general surface will be 

 mibbly, (uneven.) It will print millions of copies. Outlines, especially 

 of delicacy, are best on the wood cut. Shade best on our plate. 



Mr. Stetson. — Impressions from wood cuts are the best. 



Mr. Filmer. — The impressions from our plates are better after .50,000 

 copies have been taken off ! 



