<HTML>Hello Phil,    I have seen references to both men inventing this system in 1828.  Pape in the upright and Babcock in the Sq. Pianoforte.     I have noticed that in the past most references are slanted  in favor of the  writers own Country.    In the main and with the exception of   Steinway America did little of this. An example of this being  Chickering  invented the full Iron plate for the grand in 1840.  However it was three years later in  1843  that he got around to getting a patent on it.       In the case of Babcock,   it,s listed in the Pierce Piano Atlas that Babcock invented the overstrung scale or (cross stringing).  In the same book under Pape is listed as introducing cross stringing in Paris in 1839.   As in almost everything that happened that far back  factual information is difficult  to find.        Any help you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks for your interest, Regards, Jack Wyatt,   P.S.   Phil,   don't  pay  any  attention  to           Dale Probst  FOJ.  he  rants  like           that a lot. Just ignore or humor him.  </HTML>