Reports of Judges. 79 



gutta percha and the ocean telegraph. An American, Mr. C. F. 

 Durant, of New Jersey, is the first man to record the fact of its 

 adaptability for casing marine cables. (See his patent for dissolv- 

 ing gutta percha by use of chloroform, about 1846 or 1847.) 



No. 1321. Eagle Slate Company, Eagle Eoofing Slate. The 

 specimens shown are of very good quality, and have the merit of 

 being light and thin. Recommend third premium. 



HORACE H. DAY, ) 



M. S. KERRIGAN, (- Judgdi. 



ADOLPH OTT, ) 



FIFTH GROUP. 



To the Board of Managei's: 



Gentlemen — The undersigned judges in Department IV, Group 

 5, report that they have carefully examined the several articles 

 referred to them. Taken collectively, these specimens of skill and 

 ingenuity furnish evidence of continued advance and improvement 

 in the method used to accomplish a desired end. In deciding 

 upon the comparative value of the samples entered for competi- 

 tion, great scrutiny has been exercised in order to weigh impar- 

 tially^ the evidences of utility found in each. The following is the 

 result of the deliberations of the judges; articles of the same class 

 are given in their relative order of merit, together with a brief 

 summary of such points of excellence in each as are deemed 

 worthy of special notice. 



The whole number of Blackings is five, of boxes four, on exhibi- 

 bition. Of these 626, 281, 79, 18, and 951 are entered for compe- 

 tition. The article bearing the number 626, Thomas H. Spencer, 

 inventor, . is decided to be the best on exhibition. It must also 

 be stated, incidentally, that this is beter than any of its class known 

 to the judges. Its merits are, it contains the smallest amount of 

 free sulphuric acid, and gives a fine polish, but is inferior in the ' 

 latter quality to the Central Park blacking. No. 281. The latter 

 contains more acid. 



N. B. Each of these blackings contains free sulphuric acid, 

 except the liquid blacking; but the latter contains too much acetic 

 acid. Of the boxed, for competition, Doughty's blacking box and 

 cartridge, No. 18, appears the most practical. 



Respectlully, 



F. F. ENGLEHART, ) 



E. F. CHANDLER, i '''^^^^ 



