AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 421 



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With It, without injury. A tent fitted up for a superior officer, with muslin 

 curtains to the bed, &c., would not burn. A hut, also, of wood and thatched 

 with straw, one half being prepared and the other half not, was tried. 

 The prepared half was not burned while the other was. A small theatre 

 with its scenery and all prepared, resisted every attempt to set it on fire." 



"solid ink." 

 " M. Leonardhi, of Dresden, has invented what he calls ' Alizarine Ink.' 

 He uses forty-two parts of Aleppo galls and three parts of Dutch madder, 

 infuses these in hot water, filters the infusion, and in it dissolves five-and-a 

 half parts of sulphate of iron, and one-fifth part of liquid sulphate of indigo. 

 He then evaporates the solution to dryness, and moulds the residuum into 

 cakes for preservation. One part of the solid ink dissolved into six parts 

 of hot water, gives first quality writing ink. 



"neography, or new method of printing." 

 " The Cercle de la Presse Scientifique has received from a journeyman 

 printer, named Chevallier, the description of a new mode of printing. He 

 sought for a surface better for printing from than that of zinc, as employed 

 in zincography, or of stone, as employed in lithography, or than that of 

 any other substance heretofore used. He also sought to get impressions 

 by various colors at a si?igle operatiotiV^ 



His mode of operation was as follows : He made a drawing on a piece of 

 woven stuff or on any material that would absorb a liquid. The drawing 

 ink was composed of lampblack, Indian ink, gum, sugar, and common salt. 

 Over the drawing he spread a slight coating of gutta percha. When the 

 gutta percha was dry, he washed over the surface with water. Now the 

 ink, being composed of soluble materials, washes out, and the film of gutta 

 percha which covered the parts stained with the ink washes off" ; the stuff 

 then presents a surface peiaetrable by ink in all parts where the drawing 

 had been made, and perfectly impenetrable in those parts protected by the 

 gutta percha. The stuff being thus prepared, the ink and colors are ap- 

 plied in the liquid state at the back, while the sheet to be printed upon 

 is applied at the front. Under the action of a press, the ink and colors 

 pass through the unprotected parts and give a clear impression. Instead 

 of applying the ink and colors as stated, a kind of permanent cushion, made 

 much like the old inking balls, and properly charged with ink or colors, 

 may be put under the " stuff," and many sheets may be worked off before 

 it becomes necessary to renew the ink." 



Mr. Seeley considered neography of doubtful value in the arts. The 

 madder introduced into the solid ink was to him a new material for ink. 

 The tannate of iron resulting from the action of the galls upon the sulphate 

 of iron was an unstable dye, and could not give a permanent ink. 



The Chairman stated that a solution of tannin when applied hot is 

 successful in penetrating the skins of animals, and so converting the raw 

 hides into leather. 



