The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1913-09-19
ANCIENT SECRETS.
Priceless Recipes That Are Now
Lost to the World.
c0L0R OF THE OLD MASTERS.

~
Modern Artists, to Whom Their
Composition Is Mystery-GrseL
Fire and Roman Mortar.
Numerous are the trade secrets hand
ed down generation by generation
from fnther to son, and vast is the
capital made out of some of them in
the commercial world of today.
Particularly, perhaps, is this the case
among the numerous manufacturers of
piquant sauces and the countless vend-
ers Of patent medicines.
But there is also, it must be remem-
Dered, another side to the case. Many.
aias. are the priceless trade secrets
buried far down below the moldering
DUST or the misty past and lost to the
world, perchance never again to be re.
covered.
10 cite the first example that occurs
10 the mind Of the writer, for instance.
what would Royal academician of the
present day give to be possessed Of the
secret held by the old masters--Ra-
phael. Rubens, Correggio. Van Dvck
ana their compression mixing their
coiors so as to render them imperish.
able and impervious to the ravaege OF
time?
Inc red colors especially of these
artists OF bygone epoch are every
~nt as bright now as they were.
'nree long centuries ago. On the
contrary, the colors of pictures paint.
ca only 100 years ago have lost their
ulster and are faded and decoved to
deplorable extent.
again. In the world Of music. the
manufacturers of vioJins--oId masters
as one may justifiably term them. in
ano'her branch OF 'art-treasured n
recipe Tor a varnj' sh that sank into Tho
Woo OF their Incompatible instru.
s ana melowed it as we'll MS pre-
With suc,l extreme ro,on+,oss 800,
u uus:. no" ever, did they guard their
80. sec' let that it, too. is lost, to all
"p ne aces. irretrievably.
er more than 100 years AGO
nved In @ quaint, old world viz
'as" N Wales working blacksmith
VINO had managed by some means or
oafer 70 bring the welding of steel TO
such pitch of perfection tbot the
!oinc was absc lutely invisible. and the
.einper or the. steel as fine as ON the
"'y IL ieft the testers hands. By his
process ne was able to join tive very
Ahest or sword blades, and after he
nad finished W tia them they were alb.
'o'uteiy as COOL and as sounfi as when
hey had left the factory.
Inc blacksmh his fame spread far
ma Vide and. laturally enough, he at.
''ined great ,putation, but he made
point or inval fably working in soTl.
"oe he Was I, ffered large and. tempt
~ sums to Evnlge his secret, but
ept 1t obstin ately to himself. and
neh ais SPAN of life had run its
ourse he took it with him to another
'ortd.
y ne ancient Greeks had a substance
hich we call Greek fire nd which !
hey used In nav al warfare.
Their method of employing II was
imply this-to throw the substance
pon the surfac of the water, where
famed up ard set fire to the ships |
the enemy. What was it?
Inc only lkno wn substance Of the
resent day that would do this is the |
METAL potassium. bat to set fire to a
MP IN the manper described W ould ]
'ecesSitate the use of at least half a
on or the metal. Where did the
ireeks obtain the substance they used
WITH such effe ct? Or how did they
make 1t? If Greek fire was potassium
he secret OF the process is another
NAT must be numbered with the lost.
Inc man who could disinter the
uried recipe for Roman mortar would
~ bowed down to and wol.shiped by
ne builders Of the present day. How
hey made 1t is a profound secret and
ids fair 10 remain so.
Inc mortar Is. as firm now as it was
,ooo years ago. 1t has calmly scoffed
the ravages Of time and weather.
Inc above Me but few-a very
eW-or the lost and buried secrets of
htiauity which modern scientists and
aechanicia1:' would give much to
earn -I-orG1on Answers.