62 



NEW YORK INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION. 



[1854. 



processes adopted in the pvoductiou of these plates appear to be all of 

 the most improved description founded on sound philosophical principles, 

 "whilst some of them are claimed as the invention of Mr. Mathiot, of 

 the Coast Survey Electrotype Laboratory, under whose able direction 

 the whole worlc is conducted, a brief description of those processes 

 may not be unacceptable.* 



Tho original plate as received from the engraver, is immediately 

 electro-silvered, and then washed wit'.i an alcoholic solution of iodine 

 and exposed to sunshine or bright light. This is found effectually to 

 prevent the adhesion of the electro deposit to the original plate 

 (probably by the interposition of an infinitesimal film of the vapor of 

 iodine), without in the slightest degree imparing the sharpness of the 

 impression, the thicliness of the coating of iodine vapour being esti- 

 mated by IMr. Mathiot at one forty-four millionth part of an inch : or, 

 upon the supposition that the iodine remains upon the plate in its 

 elementary state then the thickness of the deposit is estimated at the 

 " one eighteen thousand millionth part of an inch !" 



The plate thus idoized is placed in the vat or decomposition trough 

 in a vertical position (the necessary connections with the battery and 

 other arrangements being effected, as usual), and as soon as a 

 sufficient surface layer is produced which usually takes about twelve 

 hours), the plate with its surface layer is removed to another vat, in 

 which it is placed horizontally with its face upwards, and the positive 

 pole or plate of copper immediately over it, at a distance of about an inch, 

 — the temperature of the copper solution in this liorizontal bath being 

 maintained uniformly day and night at about 180°. . This is effected 

 by means of a simple furnace with self-regulating damper and an 

 internal coil or helix of pipe, with an upper and a lower tube leading to 

 the corresponding parts of the vat or bath, in which the required 

 temperature is thus maintained by the circulation of the tluid in the 

 ordinary manner ; it being found that a peck of charcoal will maintain 

 100 g.allons of the copper solution a't any required point between 100° 

 and 200° for twelve hours; the result of such increase of temperature 

 being that a plate of copper one-eighth of an inch thick, and containing 

 10 square feet of surface, can be produced in forty-eight hours, or at 

 the rate of 3 lbs. to the square foot in twenty-four hours. The quality 

 of the metal produced under such increased temperature being more- 

 over found to be of a very superior description, rivalling in hardness 

 ductility, and elasticity the best rolled or hammered copperplate. 

 This is satisfactorily exemplified in a couple of broad strips of copper, 

 one-eighth of an inch tliick, which are exhibited near these plates. One of 

 the strips is flat, and found to be exceedingly hard and sonorous ; the 

 other is twisted up into a sort of open single knot, to prove the perfect 

 ductility and tenacity of the metal. It may also be mentioned that 

 about 2,000 impressions were printed from the first electrotype duplicate 

 taken from the original plate in the Exhibition without its showing 

 any appearance of deterioration, although the lines are many of them 

 exceedingly light and delicate, — so much so, that it is said by compe- 

 tent judges that the original engraved plate would probably have 

 failed in producing one thousand equally good impressions. 



Mr. Mathiot manufactures or produces the negative silver plates of 

 his batteries by electro deposition, and in order to remove from their 

 platinized surfaces the impurities of the zinc plates, which are in- 

 variably found to attach themselves thereto, he immerses them daily 

 in a solution of per-chloride of iron, which is found to immediately re- 

 store the action of the plate, and thus constantly maintain the " tone" 

 of the battery. 



Mr. Dilko's account of the Smithsonian Institution contains niucli 



interesting information which will be read with pleasui'e by all, although 



it may not possess the charm of novelty to many of our readers, who 



are familiar with the progress of this valuable Institution, through 



its published records and the frequent references made to it in 



American Scientific and Literary Periodicals. We subjoin a few 



extracts. 



The Smithsonian Institution. 



This magnificent establishment, founded at AVashington out of funds 

 beque.athed for that purpose by an English gentleman, is exercising so 

 mvich influence throughout the United States, and I may also say through- 

 out the world, that I feel bound to give some account of it, and .also 

 of its course of action. Mr. Hugh Smithson, one of the family of the 



* See Canadian Journal, Vol. I., p. 226, for a full report of this process. 



present Duke of Northumberland, died at Genoa, on the 27th of June, 

 1829, leaving a fortune of about £120,000. By his will he desired 

 that the income arising therefrom should be paid to his nepliew, H. G. 

 Hungerford, during his life, and that the property itself should de- 

 scend to his children, if he had any, absolutely ; but the will went on 

 to say — 



"In case of the death of my said nephew without leaving a child, 

 or children, or of the death of the child or children he may have had, 

 under the age of 21 years, or intestate, I then bequeath the whole of my 

 property (subject to an annnnity of 100 pounds to John Fitall, and 

 for tlie security and payment of which, I mean stoclc to remain in 

 this country) to tlie United States of America, to found at Washington, 

 under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for 

 the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." 



The circumstances of this bequest are somewhat remarkable. 

 Nothing is known of the reasons which induced the testator to select 

 a city in the United States for the site of the proposed Institution. 

 He had never been, it is believed, in America, .and is supposed to have 

 had no predilection for republican forms of Goveimment ; nor does it 

 appear, from anything found among his book and papers, or from the 

 recollections of his associates, that he had ever taken a special 

 interest in the people of the United States. In June, 18.35, Mr. 

 Hungerford died without issue, and in July, 1836, a bill was passed 

 by Congress to empower the President of the United States to appoint 

 a speciiil Agent who should act in England, and receive the amount 

 thus become due to the United States' Government. 



In September 1838 the money, §515,169, was paid over by the 

 English Court of Chancery to the Hon. Richard Rush, the agent ap- 

 pointed by the Government of the United States ; and eight years 

 after, on the 10th of August, 1846, an Act was passed for the purpose 

 of establishing the Smithsonian Institution. 



" This Act creates an establishment to be called the Smithsonian 

 Instiiution, composed of the President and Vice-President of the 

 United States, the Secretaries of State, of the Treasury of War, and 

 the Navy, the Postmaster-General, Attorney-General, and Mayor of 

 Washington, with such others as they may elect Honorary Members. 

 It devolves the immediate government of the Institution upon a 

 Board of Regents, of fifteen members ; namelj', the Vice-President of 

 the United States, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the 

 Mayor of the city of Washington, ex officio, three members of the 

 Senate to be appointed by the President thereof, three members of the 

 House to be appointed by the Speaker, and six persons to be chosen 

 from the citizens at large, by joint resolution of the Senate and House, 

 two of whom shall be members of the National Institute, and the other 

 four inhabitants of States, and no two from the same state. 



"The Act .also establishes a permanent loan of the" original fund 

 ($515,169) to the United States at six per cent, interest; appropriated 

 the accumulated interest, then amounting to §242,129, or so much as 

 might be needed, together with so much of the accruing income as 

 might be unexpended in any year, for the erection of a building ; 

 provided for the establishment of a Library, Museum, Chemical 

 Laboratory, &c., and left most of the details of the organization to the 

 Board of Regents." 



The very general terms of the bequest gave rise to difficulties as 

 to the best mode of carrying the wishes of the testator into effect ; but 

 the Board of Regents having in the outset been fortunate enough to 

 secure the services of .Joseph Henry, L.L.D., of Princeton College as 

 Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Institution, they empow- 

 ered him to draw up a programme of orgiinization, which was 

 adopted by the Regents in 1847, and as the principal points in this 

 programme are given in Professor Henry's Report to the Board, 

 dated 1st of January, 1851, I have thought it better to quote a few 

 passages. 



" Smithson left his property, in case of the death of his nephew, 

 to whom it was first bequeathed, ' to found at Washington under the 

 name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase 

 and diffusion of knowledge among men.' These are the only words 

 of the testator to serve as a guide to the adoption of a plan for the 

 execution of his benevolent design. They are found, however, when 

 attentively considered, to admit of legitimate deductions sufficiently 

 definite and comprehensive. 



" 1. The bequest is made to tho United States, in trust for the good 

 of mankind. 



