2o6 
described  in  the  German  patent  No.  76,773,  having  first  been  freed 
from  water  and  dirt  by  melting.  Mixtures  may  be  made  according 
to  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  intended,  in  a proportion  of  50 
parts  wax  and  50  parts  Caoutchouc,  or  40  wax,  10  oil,  and  50 
Caoutchouc.  Outside  of  palm  wax  (carnauba  wax),  few  vegetable 
waxes  are  known  that  possess  a high  melting  point,  and  it  is  ad- 
visable, therefore,  as  in  German  patent  No.  111,088  to  raise  the 
melting  point  of  the  wax  liefore  kneading.  It  is  also  ad\  isable  that 
the  rubber  be  first  well  dried.  The  result  claimed  is  a homogeneous 
product,  possessing  the  characteristics  of  Gutta-percha  and  particu- 
larly, the  electrical  properties  of  the  latter. 
Gentsch’s  (iutta-percha,  it  is  stated,  behaves  like  the  natural 
product,  except  that  it  possesses  a higher  softening  point  and  becomes 
firm  again  at  a somewhat  higher  temperature  than  natural  Gutta- 
percha. This  is  held  to  be  greatly  to  its  advantage,  as  making  it 
serviceable  as  an  insulator  for  wires  made  or  erected  in  situations 
where  the  temperature  is  apt  to  rise  above  the  normal.  Added  to 
this  advantage  is  the  low  cost  of  production,  as  compared  with 
natural  Gutta-percha.  In  addition  to  its  use  in  insulation  work, 
the  new  material  is  mentioned  as  being  suitable  for  manufacturing 
certain  belting  and  for  various  other  industrial  uses,  the  new  product 
being  given  different  characteristics  for  each. 
A report  of  a visit  to  Mr.  Gentsch’s  factory,  by  Ed.  C.  de 
Segundo,  A.M.I.C.E.,  in  February  last,  describes  the  work  as  there 
carried  on  as  comprising  these  ingredients:  Wax  (mineral),  tar  or 
pitch,  resin,  and  India-rubber.  A mixture  of  resin,  wax  and  tar 
was  thrown  into  a kneading  machine,  steam  being  applied  from 
below,  to  keep  the  temperature  at  the  proper  point.  Twenty 
minutes  later,  the  mass  having  been  kneaded  meanwhile,  the  steam 
was  turned  off  and  the  rubber  (cut  into  small  pieces)  added,  being 
fed  in  slowly  to  prevent  jamming  of  the  knives  of  the  kneading 
machine.  The  machine  was  stopped  from  time  to  time  to  test  the 
condition  of  the  mass,  and  at  the  end  of  three  hours  the  solution  of 
the  rubber  was  found  to  be  complete  and  the  mass  was  removed 
from  the  machine  and  passed  between  rollers,  coming  out  in  slabs 
J inch  thick — the  finished  material.  While  the  best  Para  rubber  was 
used,  Mr.  Segundo  considers  this  unnecessary,  believing  that  a 
mixture  of  rubbers  of  lower  grades  would  effect  the  same  purpose. 
The  inventor  is  said  to  have  occupied  himself  with  this  material 
for  seven  years,  and  after  five  years  of  observation  and  testing,  the 
German  postal  authorities  certify  that  it  is  a proper  substitute  for 
Gutta-percha  for  insulating  wires  and  cables.  Two  cables,  in  fact, 
have  been  laid  for  the  Government — a submarine  cable  about  5^ 
miles  long  in  the  North  Sea  and  a telegraph  cable  about  ^ mile 
long  in  a river.  These  cables  were  made  by  Felten  & Guilleaune 
(Mulhein-on-Rhine)  who  acquired  the  German  patents  in  March, 
1901,  and  who,  as  a result  of  their  experience  with  the  material, 
have  since  acquired  the  x\ustrian,  Plungarian  and  Russian  patents, 
and  have  begun  the  manufacture  of  the  material  in  Austria  as  well 
as  in  Germany. 
The  English  rights  have  been  acquired  by  the  New  Gutta-Percha 
Company,  Eimited,  registered  on  July  30  with  a capital  of  ^’200,000, 
and  with  offices  at  Dashwood  House,  New  Broad  Street,  London,. 
