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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 addition of gum。 This kind of ink
has an affinity for oxygen； and hence it oxidizes
and turns black。 When unadulterated it only becomes
blacker with the passage of time； and cannot
be washed from the paper by the use of water。'
〃 'I could show you；' continued Mr。 Carvalho；
'public records of this city made within forty
years which are entirely illegible and consequently
worthless； because cheap inks were used in the
writing。 These include not only records of wills
in the Surrogate's office； but entries and transfers
of real estate which are likely to come up in the
course of litigation at any time； thereby affecting
the rights of many citizens。
〃 'I can tell you at once upon seeing an old
document the character of the ink that was used in
the writing； and I have seen many old papers over
a hundred years of age in which the writing was
as clear as the day it was made； simply because a
good writing ink was used。 On the other hand
writing made with cheap aniline ink may under
certain circumstances fade out within a year； and
in a book which is much handled is almost certain
to be rubbed out in time。
〃 'It has frequently happened that in the course
of litigation； especially over real estate； that old
records made with poor inks have been produced
which the court refused to accept as evidence；
thereby depriving some citizen of his rights。 At
the present time many officials in this state； in
fact； the majority of them； are using these cheap
and worthless inks and the records they are making
will be of little or no value in a few years。
〃 'It is to put a stop to this abuse that the present
bill has been drawn up； and there is no argument
which can be raised against it。' 〃
It appears that there was one； however； as the bill
failed to pass for the stated reason that it came under
the head of 〃class〃 legislation。 The great state and
city of New York with costly and magnificent depositories
continue to place in them； for safe…keeping；
valuable records and other ink…written instruments
which will become illegible before the present century
comes to an end。
Professor Lehner； a German chemist； in 1890 published
a treatise 〃Die Tinten…Fabrikation；〃 which has
been translated and added to by Dr。 Brannt； of Philadelphia；
editor of 〃The Techno…Chemical Receipt…Book；〃 who remarks：
〃The lack of a recent treatise in the English
language containing detailed descriptions of the raw
materials and receipts for the preparation of Inks；
and the apparent necessity； as shown by frequent
inquiries； for such a volume； were the considerations
which led to the preparation of The Manufacture of Ink。〃
This work compiles a great number of formulas；
and rather favors the views of the chemist Dr。 Bostock
respecting the iron and gall inks。 The book
possesses value for reference purposes to the manufacturer。
Auguste Peret； author of 〃The Manufactu