RESULTS OF PREVIOUS FAILURES. 121 



It was certain that nothing could be done to restore the 

 confidence of the pubhc, in the vicinity of Boston, or to in- 

 duce them to estabhsh the business for a long time to come, and 

 it would have been useless to visit any other part of the country 

 for this purpose, even if he had had the means, without specimens 

 large enough to be used, so as to prove the utility of the inven- 

 tion. There was, therefore, no alternative but to make such 

 efforts as it was in his power to make to accomplish this object, 

 in order to effect a change of place and circumstances. 



It had been the design of the inventor, previous to the disap- 

 pointment which attended the acid gas process, to introduce it 

 into Europe as soon as practicable ; and arrangements for this 

 purpose wei'e in progi^ess, when proposals highly advantageous 

 were made to him by the extensive manufacturing house of 

 Messrs. Rattier & Guibal, for the introduction of the acid gas 

 improvement into France. 



In reply, they were informed that newly discovered improve- 

 ments had been made, and that as soon as they were sufficiently 

 advanced for exhibition, the writer would avail himself of these 

 proposals. The prosperous condition of the manufacture of 

 gum-elastic in other countries, so far as it was known, was a 

 great encouragement to proceed, and stimulated his efforts to 

 obtain specimens where he then was. Those which had already 

 been made were of small size, and were in appearance like 

 samples of the common India rubber. The confident assurances 

 which the inventor expressed, were also such as had been made 

 in relation to successive improvements, during a period of several 

 years, but which had resulted only in disappointment. It was, 

 therefore, unreasonable to expect those with whom he was con- 

 versant to attach much importance to his views of the case, 

 although they might give him credit for sincerity. The great 

 difficulty now was to bring the minds of others to appreciate the 

 subject as he did himself The most that could be hoped for in 

 the community where he then resided, was to get the improve- 

 ment so far advanced, as to be able to present it in foreign 

 countries, or in some other section of his own country. 



