The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-09-23
The Lock Controversy.
[Co,re,pond,nccc of The Philadelphia North american,

[Co,respondtnceo Of The Philadelphia North american,
LONDON, Sept. 5, 1851.
You will learn from your present English files
that one of the principal topics of the week is the
famous clock Controversy" Bankers and mer-
chants take deep interest in it. Confidential
cashiers are alarIned-even love sick bellies fear
that their long-treasured correspondence, con-
cealed under a Bramah or Chubb lock- is no lon
ger hid from parents eyes! Mr.. Hobbs has evil
IDENTIFY produced n sensation. The Times admits
as much. 1t gives to the world the anxiously eI-
pected official report the result of certain pc
riments made by Mr.. Hobbs upon the test lock of
England-B h's"G ibrallar'' lock. Informed
you respecting the success OF Mr. Hobbs's expert
ment in previous letter. But | will now give
you some remarks of the Times upon the subject,
and the Official report with some other documents,
which will finish the celebrated Clock contro-
versy." The Tines speaks of the subject one of
great interest, and says II is, indeed, of general
importance. awe believed that had the best
loo ks in the world, and among I'D Bramah and
Chubb were rcckOned quite as impregnabe as Glib
ratar-more 60, indeed, for the key of the Mediter
ranean takenby us, but none among US could
penetrate into the ocks and shoot the bolts of these
makers In this faith had quietly established
selves for vcars and seems cruel this time day,
when men have beer taught to look at their punches
OF keys, and at their drawers and safes, with some
thing like confidence, 10 scatter their feelings to
the windsn' "Our descendants on the other side
of the water are every now and then administer
ing to the mother country wholesome flial lesson,
and recently they have been rubbing US up with
severity which perhaps We nIeried Tor sneerng at
their short comings at the Exhibition" at is well
known however MIR. Chubb may wrestle with the
statement that Mr.. Hobbs has succeeded by per.
fecly fair means in opening his locks az they have
hitherto been made No formal and deliberate
trial has taken place between them to establish the
fact but il nevertheless remains undoubted. Bra.
nah & Co. have acted with more pluck, and have
been beaten in fair, open field They have acted
with SO much bold, open courage, that even when
Mr.. Hobbss SUCCESS was ascertained by us, we
wero reluctant to state the facts positively and cir
cumsRntaly' until the award OF the arbltrators
had been made"
The following document is the report oftho arbi-
traitors, George Rcnnie, chairman, Professor Ed
ward Cowper, and DR.. c. X. Black, to whom was
referred the Bramah Lock controversy.
''Whereas for many years past paddock has been
exhibited in the window of the Messrs. Bramah's
shop in Piccadly, to which was appended label
with the Sc words, The artist who can make an in
strument that will pick open this lock will re-
ceiye 300 guiueas the momcnt IL ia produced and
Mr. Hobbs Of America, having obtained permission
from the Mcssrs. Bramah to make trial Of his skill
in opening the said lock, Messrs. Bremah and Mr..
Hobbs seyerally agreed that Mr.. George Rennie,
+ r. s. London; and Professor Cowper, of Kings
College London and DR.. Black, of Kentucky,
should be the arbitrat between the said parties;
that the trial should be conducted according TO
the rules laid down by the arbitrators, and the
award of 200 euincas decided by them on under
taking that they should see fair play between the
parties. On the 23d of July it was agreed that the
lock should be enclosed in n block OF wood, and
screwed to q door, and the screws sealed the key
hole and hasp only being accessible 10 Mr. Ilobbsi
and, when he not operating. the kcyholc To be
covered with band of iron and sealed by Mr.,
Hobbs; that no other person should have access
10 the keyhole The key was also scaled up, and