Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-03-20

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS DisCovE-
Rf.
Correfpeadenee oftks National Iateiligenesr
NEW YoRK. Jan. 30, 1910.

Cofrespoadeace Of Tia National IateiageAosF-
NEW York, Jan. 30, 1910.
Considerable sensation has been produ-
ced among our engravers by the news OF
discovery, which is not only likely TO al
feet their interests, to great extent, bat
which, if generally made know, must lead
to consequences affecting the paper cur
rency OF the civilized world, the import.
ance of which it is hardly possible to ex-
aggerate. | am indebted to Mr. Chap
man, the well known artist for an account
OF the invention, and a specimen OF plate
produced through its agency.
The dicovery consists 10 process by
which an elaborate line engraving OF any
SIZE may be so accurately copied that
there sha be no perccpuble difference be-
tween the original and the copy ; by
which an engraving on steel or copper
may be produced from an impression OF
the print--lhe original plate never having
been seen by the copyist-and the C pied
engraving being capable Of yielding from
ten thousand TO twenty thousand impress
SONS. The producer will undertake TO
supply Bank Of England note so exact.
~ copied that the persons who signed and
issued il should not be able To swear which
was the original and which the copy.
From tae specimen in my possession
obtained by this process, aod which is co.
pied from a proof engraving of the head
Of the Saviour, from.the burn OF NJ. Blan-
chard, from the painting OF Dearoche, |
should infer that these claims on the the
part of the discover could be fully sub
Stimulated. The most delicate touches
are Transferred with perfect fidelity, and
this after upwards of four thousands i'm
pressions from the duplicated plate had
beer taken. The London publisher OF
the engraving submitted one of these CO.
PIES, together with proof of the origin.
| al plate, TO several artists, painters and
engravers and the opinions al which
they arrived was, that, although il was
not difficult 10 distinguish the original from
the copy, they were so thoroughly alike that
any person olpractised eye nigh, suppose
the two to be from the same plate; the
one being merely taken with greater care
than the other; they were precisely the
same, line for line, and touch for touch !;
and this example completely established
the principle. They considered the IN
vention the most wonderful and the most
unaccountable that had been made IN
modern times in connexion with art.
Many gueSses have been made as to the
mode by which this marvellous process is
effected, but as yet without result. The
process does not even infer a necessity OF
injuring the print delivered as model,
which is returned unscathed. The ln-
ventor is an Englshman, and an engrav-
er by profession. He has taken out no
patent, neither does be think 1t expedIent
to do so, iaasmuch as, if he do's, any
unprlncipled person nav OF once adopt 1t,
with little probability of the inventor be-
| ing able to prove that his process has
been the medium by which the PRINT has
been produced. A friend of the suthor
o the invention saws. with justice, "There
is no knowing TO what extensive changes
in legislation II may conduce tor, II any
printed or soriuea document can be forged
with so much ease and certainty as to de-
fly detection, the consequences may be
more appalling than we care to anicI-
pate"
The invention embraces the capacity
to reproduce any form Of letter press, OF
any quality Of print, drawing, or itho-
graphy, in an unlimited quantity, in en-
inconcelvaby brief space of time. For
instance, from a single copy OF the Intel
bgencer plates might be produced il
twenty minutes from which Impressions
could be worked off with the ordinary
rapldity of the steam-press. Tue finest
and rarest engravings may be reprinted
al infnitum bank notes may be repro.
duced IN fac simOle, without the slightest
point Of difference aud last, though not
least, books mey be reprinted, as from
stereotypes, in unlimited quantity. In
deed, thu various mechanic cal and ether
interests affected by this remarkable dis.
covery have not yet been hall enamerat.
ed.