THE USES TO WHICH CAOUTCHOUC MAY BE APPLIED. 
229 
paper by a black lead pencil, or that of idly 
amusing children by stretching it out, and 
I observing how perfectly it again recovers its 
pristine form, after having been distended 
to a great length in any direction. We 
amuse ourselves with the phenomena with- 
I out profiting by it, as children used to be 
!| amused vsfith the attraction of amber, before 
!i the phenomena of electricity were ex- 
I plained. 
“ It is now time that we should begin to 
make some use of this very valuable sub- 
stance, which, probably, a hundred years 
hence, will administer in a variety of ways 
to the accommodation of our descendants. 
With that view, I shall here venture to 
point out a few of the useful purposes it 
may be made to answer ; not doubting but 
the invention of men, whenever they can 
get the materials in their hands in abun- 
dance, will discover a variety of other im- 
portant purposes it will serve, that have not 
as yet been dreamt of. 
“ 1st. This substance so much resembles 
leather, that it naturally occurs, that it 
might be employed for the purpose of mak- 
ing boots. These would not only admit of 
being made of the neatest shape that could 
be imagined, but also, by being impervious 
to water, or the other corrosive liquors 
abovenamed, would be sufficient to protect 
men from wet, though standing in water. 
For seamen, fishermen, and others, who 
are by their business obliged to wade in 
water, such boots would be of the greatest 
utility. The feet and legs might thus be 
protected from the action of even acids or 
alkaline subtances themselves, wherever 
that should become necessary. 
“ 2nd. Gloves of this subtance would be 
so soft and pliable, as to allow the fingers 
perfect freedom of action; and in those kinds 
of businesses, that require artificers to put 
their hands among acids or corrosive liquors, 
they may become highly convenient. 
“ 3rd. Caps . — The uses that might be 
made of this substance for defending the 
head from wet are infinitely various, and 
might prove highly beneficial. A thin 
covering of this substance might be made 
for travelling hats, which, without adding 
any sensible weight, would be perfectly 
impermeable by wet of any kind. Every 
other kind of covering for the head might 
be thus rendered water-tight, merely by 
giving them a slight coat of caoutchouc, 
which would in no sensible degree alter 
their other qualities. Bathing-caps, in par- 
ticular, could thus be made extremely com- 
modious, and at a small expense. This 
could be done, by covering with a coat of 
caoutchouc an elastic stocking-cap, which. 
merely by being pulled tight over the head, 
would embrace every part of it all round, so 
as to prevent the entrance of water. The 
stocking and the covering being equally 
elastic, they would contract and expand 
together without any sort of difficulty. 
“ 4th. Umbrellas. — Neck-pieces of silk, 
or other materials, cloaks or travelling coats 
of any sort, that should be judged proper, 
could thus be rendered perfectly water-tight, 
without destroying their pliability in the 
smallest degree. It would only be necessary 
to cover them with a coat of this soft var- 
nish after they were made, so as to close up 
the seams. Buckets, too, all of canvas, or 
any other cheap substance, might be made 
water-tight and incorruptible, by merely 
covering them with this matter. Vessels 
also for holding water and other liquors , 
that would not be liable to breakage, might 
thus be made of any size or shape at a 
small expense. In short, it would take 
too much room to attempt to enumerate half 
the uses that might be made of it in the 
household way. 
“ 5th. In the army and navy, its uses 
would be still more numerous and important. 
Tents are an article of very great expense : 
the canvas for them must be of the very best 
quality and closest texture ; and, after all, 
they are seldom proof against continued rain. 
At any rate, the vicissitudes of weather soon 
rot the canvas, and make a new supply in 
a short time be necessary. Were these tents 
covered with a coat of this substance, the 
entrance of rain through it would not only 
be altogether precluded, but also, the very 
wetting of the canvas itself would be pre- 
vented, and, of course, its durability be 
augmented to a tenfold degree. On the 
same principle, the sails of a ship would not 
only be made to hold the wind in the most 
complete manner, but by being covered by 
a thin coat of it on both sides, the sail-cloth 
itself could never be wetted, and, of course, 
its durability be augmented, while its flexi- 
bility would not be diminished. Other 
uses to which it could be applied in the 
army and navy, are so numerous as not to 
admit of being here specified. It is only 
necessary barely to mention, that on a mili- 
tary expedition, to have a vessel capable 
of containing fluids, which, when empty, 
admits of being wrapped up like a handker- 
chief and put into the pocket, might, on 
some occasions, be of inestimable value ; 
and the same at sea. 
“ 6th. Aerostation is now nearly at stand ; 
but it is wonderful that no one ever perceived 
the use that might have been made of this 
substance for that purpose. No kind of 
silk, or other light substance, could ever 
be found, that possessed the smallest degree 
