6 HISTORY OF ELECTRO-METALLURGY. 



Jordan's Experiments. Meanwhile the announcement of the 

 Athenaeum was quoted in the London Mechanics' Magazine for May 

 llth, 1839, which brought forth a letter from Mr. C. J. Jordan, a 

 book printer, dated 22d May, 1839, and published on the 8th June 

 of the same year in the London Mechanics' Magazine. In this letter 

 Mr. Jordan describes his experiments upon the same subject, detail- 

 ing the method of procuring electrotypes, and offering hints for their 

 application which have since been acted upon with considerable suc- 

 cess. The following is a copy of Mr. Jordan's letter, which was, no 

 doubt, the first published description of the art in this country : 



" Engraving by Galvanism. 



" Sir, Observing in the last page of a recent Number of your 

 Magazine, a notice extracted from the Aihenazum, relative to a dis- 

 covery of Professor Jacobi, its perusal occasioned the recollection of 

 some experiments performed about the commencement of last 

 summer, with the view of obtaining impressions from engraved 

 copper plates, by the aid of galvanism, which led me to infer some 

 analogy in principle with those of the Russian Professor, and may 

 probably give me the right to claim priority in its discovery and 

 application. These experiments were abandoned from the want of 

 that most important element in pursuits of this nature time ; the 

 writer's share of the said element being occupied in a manner more 

 imperative than pleasing. I regret, however, not having made it the 

 subject of an earlier communication, as this would have placed my 

 pretensions beyond doubt ; but, inasmuch as the notice alluded to is 

 given from memory, and is undescriptive, while I may be enabled to 

 exhibit the modus operandi, my assertion may be at least partially 

 substantiated. 



" It is well known to experimentalists on the chemical action of 

 voltaic electricity, that solutions of several metallic salts are decom- 

 posed by its agency, and the metal procured in a free state. Such 

 results are very conspicuous with copper salts, which metal may be 

 obtained from its sulphate (blue vitriol) by simply immersing the 

 poles of a galvanic battery in its solution, the positive wire becoming 

 gradually coated with copper. This phenomenon of metallic reduc- 

 tion is an essential feature in the action of sustaining batteries, the 

 effect, in this case, taking place on more extensive surfaces. But 

 the form of voltaic apparatus which exhibits this result in the most 

 interesting manner, and relates more immediately to the subject of 

 the present communication, may be thus described : It consists of 

 a glass tube, closed at one extremity with a plug of plaster of Paris, 

 and nearly filled with a solution of sulphate of copper ; this tube and 

 its contents are immersed in a solution of common salt. A plate 

 of copper is placed in the first solution, and is connected, by means 





