Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-15

lie men have always been subject to detractiOn
and misrepresentation, they are understood to ex-
pect it and be prepared for it. There is no such
palhation for the offence of wontonly parading
this young mans name in the papers and max
ing him ridiculous. The interview, if it had ac-
tuaEy taken place, would have been an imperti-
nence, and its publication an outrage. Its in
Veution deserves harsher name.
India Rubber.
French artist, having been asked to draw
an alegorical figure of beneyolence, carefully
sketched bit of India rubber. "This," said
he, 'fs the true emblem of benevolence; it gives
more than any other substance" The material
which this artist so complimented has an espe-
cial claim upon the favor of gentlemen of his
profession, since, like charity, it hides and gives
opportunity to repair the errors of the inexperi-
enced or careless draughtsman. This was its
first use in the ar:s, and hence it derived the
name by which it is most commonly known.
II was first introduced to the notice of Europe
ans by NJ. La CoBdamine, French astronomer,
sent by his government, in 1870, to Peru, to
measure an arc Of the meridian. He introduced
also its Indian name, caoutchouc, which was
too awkward combination of letters ever to
find much favor among English speaking
people. M. La Condamine predicted extensive
usefulness for his discovery, but he could not
have foreseen tenth of the varied applications
which the science and inventive skill of this gen.
GRAFTON have found for it. Fifty years ago it
was used only to erase pencil marks, and its
commercial value was insignificant Soon after
the rude overshoes made by the natives of South
America, so seldom seen now, excepI by the i'm
porters and dealers ia the raw material, but
which were in quite common use as a protection
for the feet twenty-five or thirty years ago, be-
gan to be worn. About that time too, Charles
Macintosh of England, having learned that the
gum could be dissolved in spirits of turpentine,
began to manufacture the waterproof fabrics
which, in England still bear his name, by
spreading the dissolved substance between two
layers ofcloth.
Since that time, thanks to the ingenuity of
Goodyear and others, India rubber has been APP
piled to vast variety of uses. Almost every
thing, hard or soft, flexible or rigid, is made Of
it. In the form of threads ii is woven into
elastic fabrics for many purposes. The clumsy,
shapeless overshoes of the old time are re-
placed by neat boots and shoes of various pat
terms which are cheap and durable Hose for
water and other liquids, and flexible tubes for
gas and for innumerable household and scientif-
&c uses, springs for wagons and railroad cars,
packing for machinery, and everything for
which a substance more or less yielding and
elastic, yet impervious to water and air, is
needed, are made of India rubber in what may
be called its natural condition, or vulcan
lied by subsection to heat and combina-
zion with sulphur and other substances. For
articles to which only hard and rigid sub
stance is adapted, it is prepared in different
manner, and as hard rubber it takes the place
of wood, bone, horn, ivory and the metals
for knife handles, toys, cheap iewelry.
combs, the base OF artificial teeth, car
riages, and an endless variety of other
things. We have not heard of its employment
In boat making, but for the light racing boats
now so much used, it seems to our inexperience
admirably adapted by its strength and stiffness.
the ease with which il can be made to take and
retain any shape, the high polish that
can be given to it and its indesructibility
The fact that the demand for this substance is
constantly increasing, and its uses continually
multiplying to such an extent that the present
sources of supply must, at no very distant day
become quite inadequate, has set inventors to
work upon the problem OF finding a substitute
that shall be cheap, abundant and easily manu-.
featured. The rubber itself, as is well known
comes almost altogether from the tropical re.
gions of America, though a comparatively small
quantity is exported from India. II is the pro-
duct of several species of trees, yielding when
incisions are made in their bark, milk-lile san
which when dried becomes the India rubber of
commerce. That from the Amazon regions of
South America is considered the best and H..
superiority has been attributed to some Qualities
derived from the smoke of a species of PALM
nut which, the natives use for fuel in drying
the rubber. Some of the experiments
made with a view of finding substitutes
for rubber, have been in some degree success.
full, and have already produced substances hav-
ing some Of its qualities, and capable OF being
turned TO practical account. One of these is
said TO be a compound of chloride of sulphur,
oil and collodion it is available either as India
rubber or gutta percha, and is in its plastic state
easily moulded, and hard and durable when
well set. 1t can be made Of any color, and takes
high polish. An English inventor uses lin
seed oil oxidized on glass plates by simply
dipping them in the oil repeatedly, and letting
IL dry each time. The thin film thus obtained
Is stripped from the glass, crushed and worked
mp thoroughly between mixing rolls, and small
quantity of shellac added to give il the proper
The substance thus obtained is said
fobe much like rubber iu appearance, and has