第66章

"Writing traced with a quill or gold pen dipped in this ink dries to a pale blue color; but if now a heated iron be passed over its surface, or the page of manuscript be held near a fire, the writing will quickly assume a jet black appearance, resulting from the carbonization of the sugar by a warm acid, and will have become so firmly engrafted into the substance of the paper as to oppose considerable difficulty to its removal or erasure by a knife. On account of the depth to which the written characters usually penetrate, the sheets of paper selected for use should be of the thickest make, and good white cartridge paper, or that known as 'cream laid,' preferred to such as are colored blue with ultramarine; for, in the latter case, a bleached halo is frequently perceptible around the outlines of the letters, indicating the partial destruction of the coloring matter by the lateral action of the acid.

"The writing produced in this manner seems indelible;it resists the action of "salts of lemon," and of oxalic, tartaric, and diluted hydrochloric acids, agents which render nearly illegible the traces of ordinary black writing ink; neither do alkaline solutions exert any appreciable action on the carbon ink. This material possesses, therefore, many advantageous qualities which would recommend its adoption in cases where the question of permanence is of paramount importance. But it must, on the other hand, be allowed that such an ink, in its present form, would but inefficiently fulfil many of the requirements necessary to bring it into common use. The peculiar method of development rendering the application of heat imperative, and that of a temperature somewhat above the boiling point of water, together with the circumstance that it will be found impossible with a thin sheet of paper to write on both sides, must certainly be counted among its more prominent disadvantages."* * * * * * * *

"Fire-proof ink for writing or printing on incombustible paper is made according to the following recipe: Graphite, finely ground, 22 drams;copal or other resinous gum, 12 grains; sulphate of iron, 2 drams; tincture of nutgalls, 2 drams;and sulphate of indigo, 8 drams. These substances are thoroughly mixed and boiled in water, and the ink thus obtained is said to be both fire-proof and insoluble in water. When any other color but black is desired, the graphite is replaced by an earthly mineral pigment of the desired color."* * * * * * * *

"Ineradicable Writing.--A French technical paper, specially devoted to the art and science of paper manufacture, states that any alterations or falsifications of writings in ordinary ink maybe rendered impossible by passing the paper upon which it is intended to write through a solution of one milligram (0.01543 English grain) of gallic acid in as much pure distilled water as will fill to a moderate depth an ordinary soup-plate. After the paper thus prepared has become thoroughly dry, it may be used as ordinary paper for writing, but any attempt made to alter, falsify, or change anything written thereon, will be left perfectly visible, and may thus be readily detected."* * * * * * * *

"Exchequer Ink.--To 40 pounds of galls, add 10 pounds of gum, 9 pounds of copperas, and 45gallons of soft water. This ink will endure for centuries."* * * * * * * *