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maintaining a State standard for record ink； which
they have approved。
〃The commendation by the chemists of some of
the so…called writing fluids explains in a degree the
variety of opinions advanced by the manufacturers
in regard to the durability of fluids。 Some of
them will be seen to possess the qualities of ink；
and the name fluid is evidently given to meet the
commercial demand for fluids。
〃Several persons； manufacturers among them；
expressed greater confidence in tests of exposure
of inks to the light and weather than to chemical
analysis。 I； therefore； as a dry test； placed on the
inside of a window pane receiving a strong light；
writing made under exactly the same conditions
with each of sixty…seven inks； which remained
there from March 13 to December 8。 Similar
writing was exposed to light and the weather from
September 25 to December 8； and the result of the
resistance of the inks in both tests is an almost exact
confirmation of the report of the chemists；
inks of the same class varying in their resistance
according to their specific gravity or amount of
added color。
〃It may be safely said； therefore； that of sixty…
seven inks of which I procured samples； all but
seventeen are unsuitable for records； and among
these the chemists say but one is fully up to the
established scientific standard of quantity of iron
sulphate。 The reason is plain；the demand for
commercial inks is large； for record； small； and the
supply has been to meet the demand。〃
The British government advertises for tenders each
year； the requirements for black writing ink in 1889
reads：
〃To be made of Best Galls； Sulphate of Iron；
and Gum。 The Sulphate of Iron not to exceed in
quantity one…third of the weight of the Galls used；
and the specific gravity of the matured Ink not to
exceed 1045 degrees （distilled water being 1000 degrees）。〃
That of Black Copying Ink 〃To be made of the above
materials； but of a strength one fourth greater
than the Writing Ink； and with the addition of
Sugar or Glycerine。 The specific gravity of the
matured Ink not。 to exceed 1085 degrees。〃 And that of
Blue…Black Writing Ink 〃To be made of finest
Galls； Sulphate of Iron； Gum； Indigo； and Sulphuric
Acid。 The specific gravity of the Ink when
matured not to exceed 1035 degrees。〃
Mr。 Swan again remarks in his report of 1892：
〃Many of the inks which should not be used
upon records are free flowing and more agreeable
to use than permanent inks； containing more body。
As long as recording and copying is paid for by
the page； and the object is to accomplish the most
in the least time； these inks will be in popular use；
and used； and blotted off the paper before they
have much more than colored it； only to disappear
eventually。 The State should set a standard for a
record ink； and； while our present system of keeping
records and furnishing supplies will not allow
that its use be required on all public records； as in
England； it would seem practicable for the secretary
of the Commonwealth to advertise for proposals
for inks of a certain standard； which the
manufacturers should be bound to maintain； and
that these should be used in all the State offices。
With a State standard ink adopted； its use by
recording officers would soon follow。〃
In 1894 Mr。 Swan's indefatigable efforts were
crowned with success； the state of Massachusetts
adopting his recommendations included in the following
act：
〃SECTION 1。 No person having the care or custody
of any book of record or registry in any of
the departments or offices of the Commonwealth
shall use or allow to be used upon such books any
ink excepting such as is furnished by the secretary
of the Commonwealth。
〃SECTION 2。 The secretary of the Commonwealth
shall from time to time advertise for proposals
to furnish the several departments and offices
of the Commonwealth in which books of record or
registry are kept with ink of a standard and upon
conditions to be established by the secretary at
such periods and in such quantities as may be required；
and may contract for the same。
〃SECTION 3。 The ink so furnished shall be examined
from time to time by a chemist to be
designated by the secretary of the Commonwealth；
and if at any time said ink shall be found to be
inferior to the established standard the secretary
shall have authority to cancel any contract made
for furnishing said ink； and the quantity so found
inferior shall not be paid for。〃
Professor Markoe； referred to before； was appointed
〃chemist〃 by the Secretary of the Commonwealth
and prepared what he considered the best formula； for
a standard ink； which was competed for by a number
of ink manufacturers after proper advertisement； and
a contract awarded。 Mr。 Swan says that this departure
was received with favor by recording officers。
No change was made in the formula until after the
death of Professor Markoe in 1900； when Dr。 Bennett
F。 Davenport of Boston was selected as his successor。
He submitted a modified formula to be employed in
the manufacture of an official or standard ink。 It
was adopted and such an ink is without exception now
used by all recording officers of both Massachusetts
and Connecticut。
In 1901 the United States treasury department
adopted a similar ink except that it permitted the
introduction into it of an unnamed blue coloring
material。
Early in 1894 and during the legislative session of
the state of New York； after consultation with General
Palmer； the then secretary of state； I prepared a
bill somewhat on the lines as laid down in the Massachusetts
statute。 The press all over the state at once
took up the matter and urged that some such measure
should be enacted into law。 A New York City newspaper
discussed it as follows：
〃A bill is to be introduced in the legislature
this week； probably to…morrow night； providing for
an official ink to be used by every public officer
throughout the State of New York in the writing
of public documents and in making entries in the records。
〃The official ink is for the purpose of making
public records permanent and to guard against
fraud by the alteration of the records。 As the
law stands at the present time in the state every
official； whether municipal； county or state； is
allowed to purchase and use for the records of his
office whatever ink he may choose。 The consequence
is that there is no uniformity in public
records throughout the state； and entries； transcripts
and certificates are written with hundreds
of various kinds of inks。
〃The serious part of the business； however； is
the evanescent character of some of the kinds now
used； especially of the cheaper grades。 These are
the inks made from aniline and other dyes which
are held in solution in water。 Such inks are made
from a fine； cheap powder； of which nigrosine is
used in making black inks； eosine for red； and
methylene for blue ink； and they cost only a few
dimes a gallon to manufacture。 The writing made
with such inks quickly dries by the evaporation of
the water； when it merely requires the application
of a little soap and water to wash them out； leaving
the paper absolutely clean； besides being fugitive。
〃It is said that as a result of the present lack
of system in this matter there are now public records
of the city of New York in which the ink has
entirely faded。 These records have been made
within the past forty years； and are now worthless
because of the character of the inks originally used。
〃In the Police department of this city a blue
ink is often used which is made from prussian
blue。 A large portion of the entries in the books
of the Police department are made with ink of this
kind； and the warrants and other public documents
with which the police have to do are similarly written。
〃A little soap and water will wipe out this writing；
so that the record can be easily altered at any
time。 The use of this ink in the Police department
is said to date from the time of Tweed； which
is significant of the original purpose for which it。
was adopted。
〃A permanent writing fluid such as it is now
proposed to adopt throughout the state would not
only secure uniformity in the character of the inks
used； but it would also throw many obstacles in
the way of altering the records。
〃The present Secretary of State is heartily in
accord with the proposed legislation。 He was
seen last week by Mr。 David N。 Carvalho； who
has made a life study of the subject and who drew
the bill and is pushing the reform。
〃Mr。 Carvalho said yesterday： 'This ink； whose
use it is intended to secure in the making of public
records in this state； is more costly than those
made from aniline and other dyes； which fade and
wash。 In it the black particles are suspended in
water by the addit