Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-11
ally as a supplementary instrument, being
a. sensitive organ Of touch.
Mixing the n1ca

Making the Dies.
From the finished wax model is made an
| electrotype, and from the latter is produced
the die for the coin by simple process. A
| machine is used width operates on the prin-
ciple of the Paragraph" employed in
drawing. While blint point is guided by
hand over every curve and intricacy Of the
wax medallion. another point tipped with
a diamond. reyolvesEapidiy and cuts away
the size of the future coin. Thus an exact
reproduction Is obtained Of the original
model but In 1t every coarse detail of the
wax medallion eec4pes fine and delicate
die. Of course must be in intaglio. To get
the intaglio from thSeameo is easy enough.
The cameo, which is of hard steel, is
squeezed against a disk Of soft steel under
having received a perfect impression, has
only to be tempered, and is then ready to
serve as die. For minting each coin two
dies are used necessarily-one in the
stamp" or hammer, and the other in the
'anvip' beneath. Every time the hammer
| Is transformed INTO a piece of authorized
money of the United States.
The 0hicinl Seals.
The seals used by the various departments
of the government were made by private
parties, some of them dating a long time
| course, is the great seal of the United
States. Under the law 1t can never be used
without written order from the President.
Secretary Gresham would not put it on a
document at the request of Mr.. Cleveland
unless the order was given in writing. For
this purpose the President signs a regular
printed form, which says: Il hereby au-
thorze and direct the Secretary of State
to cause the seal of the United States to be
affixed to, etc" The document may be
letter accrediting minister. letter of re-
call, letter Of coincidence addressed to
foreign potentate, or what not.
The seal Of the treasury was made by
Edward Stabler of Sandy Springs neighbor-
hood, Maryland. He was a famous expert
In his time at that sort Of work. In ITS
the Continental Congress appointed a COM
mittee "to prepare a seal for the. treasury
and navy" The seal adopted was Of the
same design as that now in use. and bore
the legend: "Thesaur. Amer. Septent. Sigil.'
This stood for four Latin words, sgnifying
Seal of the Treasury of North America"
By the year 1910 the seal was so worn that
Stabler was authorized by special act OF
Congress to produce a fac smile of 1t. This
fac simile is still in constant service.
All of the other departments, except that
of Agriculture, have official seals, and Sec
rotary Morton Is looking out for a design
for one The War and Navy Departments
put their seals on commissions of officers.
The seal of the Department of Justice ap.
pears on pardon warrants, While that oil
the interior Is dLlNeu 10 COIlIniSSioHS VI
land agents and various other documents.
The seal of the Post Office Department is
the only one that may be said to be Eek
pressed in fancy" 1t Is stamped upon a
disk of gold leaf. and is further adorned
with streamers of blue silk ribbon.
The White House has seal of its own.
but it is considered only Quasi-offcial.
1t is merely little hand stamp of bronze,
with dolphin for handle. The design
re presents the arms of the Union, being, in
fact, almost reproduction on a small scale
of the great seal. Around the edge is the
inscription: 1.-The seal of the President of
the United States" This seal is affixed to
communications addressed to the Senate by
the President, but it il not sacred to that
purpose, and is sometimes put on unofficial
notes. e14 :, RENE BACiE.