"As a conclusion, since the great mass of inks on the market are not suitable for records, because of their lack of body and because of the quantity of unstable color which they contain, and because the few whose coloring matters are not objectionable are deficient in galls and iron, or both, we would strongly recommend that the State set its own standard for the composition of inks to be used in its offices and for its records, have the inks manufactured according to specifications sent out, and receive the manufactured products subject to chemical assay. In this way only can there be a uniformity in the inks used for the records throughout the State, and in no other way can a proper standard be maintained."Mr. Swan comments on the report of his chemists, and calls attention to other tests made by himself:
"The conclusions at which I arrived were drawn, as stated, from manufacturers or recording officers, wholly independently of the chemists, but they will be found to coincide in many particulars with theirs.
I did consult them in regard to the practicability of 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 1889reads:
"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.
