men of invention and industry-第34章

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Walter；　for　The　Times。　　Other　English　newspaper　proprietorsboth

in　London　and　the　provinceswere　supplied　with　the　machines；　as

many　as　thirty…five　having　been　imported　from　America　between

1856　and　1862。　　It　may　be　mentioned　that　the　two　ten…cylinder

Hoes　made　for　The　Times　were　driven　at　the　rate　of　thirty…two

revolutions　per　minute；　which　gives　a　printing　rate　of　19；200　per

hour；　or　about　16；000　including　stoppages。



Much　of　the　ingenuity　exercised　both　in　the　Applegath　and　Hoe

Machines　was　directed　to　the　〃chase；〃　which　had　to　hold　securely

upon　its　curved　face　the　mass　of　movable　type　required　to　form　a

page。　　And　now　the　enterprise　of　the　proprietor　of　The　Times

again　came　to　the　front。　　The　change　effected　in　the　art　of

newspaper…printing；　by　the　process　of　stereotypes；　is　scarcely

inferior　to　that　by　which　the　late　Mr。　Walter　applied　steam…power

to　the　printing　press；　and　certainly　equal　to　that　by　which　the

rotary　press　superseded　the　reciprocatory　action　of　the　flat

machine。



Stereotyping　has　a　curious　history。　　Many　attempts　were　made　to

obtain　solid　printing…surfaces　by　transfer　from　similar　surfaces；

composed；　in　the　first　place；　of　movable　types。　　The　first　who

really　succeeded　was　one　Ged；　an　Edinburgh　goldsmith；　who；　after

a　series　of　difficult　experiments；　arrived　at　a　knowledge　of　the

art　of　stereotyping。　　The　first　method　employed　was　to　pour

liquid　stucco；　of　the　consistency　of　cream；　over　the　types；　and

this；　when　solid；　gave　a　perfect　mould。　　Into　this　the　molten

metal　was　poured；　and　a　plate　was　produced；　accurately　resembling

the　page　of　type。　　As　long　ago　as　1730；　Ged　obtained　a　privilege

from　the　University　of　Cambridge　for　printing　Bibles　and

Prayer…books　after　this　method。　　But　the　workmen　were　dead

against　it；　as　they　thought　it　would　destroy　their　trade。　　The

compositors　and　the　pressmen　purposely　battered　the　letters　in

the　absence　of　their　employers。　　In　consequence　of　this

interference　Ged　was　ruined；　and　died　in　poverty。



The　art　had；　however；　been　born；　and　could　not　be　kept　down。　　It

was　revived　in　France；　in　Germany；　and　in　America。　　Fifty　years

after　the　discovery　of　Ged；　Tilloch　and　Foulis；　of　Glasgow；

patented　a　similar　invention；　without　knowing　anything　of　what

Ged　had　done；　and　after　great　labour　and　many　experiments；　they

produced　plates；　the　impressions　from　which　could　　not　be

distinguished　from　those　taken　from　the　types　from　which　they

were　cast。　　Some　years　afterwards；　Lord　Stanhope；　to　whom　the　art

of　printing　is　much　indebted；　greatly　improved　the　art　of

stereotyping；　though　it　was　still　quite　inapplicable　to　newspaper

printing。　　The　merit　of　this　latter　invention　is　due　to　the

enterprise　of　the　present　proprietor　of　The　Times。



Mr。　Walter　began　his　experiments；　aided　by　an　ingenious　Italian

founder　named　Dellagana；　early　in　1856。　　It　was　ascertained　that

when　papier…mache　matrices　were　rapidly　dried　and　placed　in　a

mould；　separate　columns　might　be　cast　in　them　with　stereotype

metal；　type　high；　planed　flat；　and　finished　with　sufficient　speed

to　get　up　the　duplicate　of　a　forme　of　four　pages　fitted　for

printing。　　Steps　were　taken　to　adapt　these　type…high　columns　to

the　Applegath　Presses；　then　worked　with　polygonal　chases。　　When

the　Hoe　machines　were　introduced；　instead　of　dealing　with　the

separate　columns；　the　papier…mache　matrix　was　taken　from　the

whole　page　at　one　operation；　by　roller…presses　constructed　for

the　purpose。　　The　impression　taken　off　in　this　manner　is　as

perfect　as　if　it　had　been　made　in　the　finest　wax。　　The　matrix　is

rapidly　dried　on　heating　surfaces；　and　then　accurately　adjusted

in　a　casting　machine　curved　to　the　exact　circumference　of　the

main　drum　of　the　printing　press；　and　fitted　with　a　terra…cotta

top　to　secure　a　casting　of　uniform　thickness。　　On　pouring

stereotype　metal　into　this　mould；　a　curved　plate　was　obtained；

which；　after　undergoing　a　certain　amount　of　trimming　at　two

machines；　could　be　taken　to　press　and　set　to　work　within

twenty…five　minutes　from　the　time　at　which　the　process　began。



Besides　the　great　advantages　obtained　from　uniform　sets　of　the

plates；　which　might　be　printed　on　different　machines　at　the　rate

of　50；000　impressions　an　hour；　or　such　additional　number　as　might

be　required；　there　is　this　other　great　advantage；　that　there　is

no　wear　and　tear　of　type　in　the　curved　chases　by　obstructive

friction；　and　that　the　fount；　instead　of　wearing　out　in　two

years；　might　last　for　twenty；　for　the　plates；　after　doing　their

work　for　one　day；　are　melted　down　into　a　new　impression　for　the

next　day's　printing。　　At　the　same　time；　the　original　type…page；

safe　from　injury；　can　be　made　to　yield　any　number　of　copies　that

may　be　required　by　the　exigencies　of　the　circulation。　　It　will　be

sufficiently　obvious　that　by　the　multiplication　of　stereotype

plates　and　printing　machines；　there　is　practically　no　limit　to

the　number　of　copies　of　a　newspaper　that　may　be　printed　within

the　time　which　the　process　now　usually　occupies。



This　new　method　of　newspaper　stereotyping　was　originally　employed

on　the　cylinders　of　the　Applegath　and　Hoe　Presses。　　But　it　is

equally　applicable　to　those　of　the　Walter　Press；　a　brief

description　of　which　we　now　subjoin。　　As　the　construction　of　the

first　steam　newspaper　machine　was　due　to　the　enterprise　of　the

late　Mr。　Walter；　so　the　construction　of　this　last　and　most

improved　machine　is　due　in　like　manner　to　the　enterprise　of　his

son。　　The　new　Walter　Press　is　not；　like　Applegath　and　Cowper's；

and　Hoe's；　the　improvement　of　an　existing　arrangement；　but　an

almost　entirely　original　invention。



In　the　Reports　of　the　Jurors　on　the　〃Plate；　Letterpress；　and

other　modes　of　Printing；〃　at　the　International　Exhibition　of

1862；　the　following　passage　occurs：　〃It　is　incumbent　on　the

reporters　to　point　out　that；　excellent　and　surprising　as　are　the

results　achieved　by　the　Hoe　and　Applegath　Machines；　they　cannot

be　considered　satisfactory　while　those　machines　themselves　are　so

liable　to　stoppages　in　working。　　No　true　mechanic　can　contrast

the　immense　American　ten…cylinder　presses　of　The　Times　with　the

simple　calico…printing　machine；　without　feeling　that　the　latter

furnishes　the　true　type　to　which　the　mechanism　for　newspaper

printing　should　as　much　as　possible　approximate。〃



On　this　principle；　so　clearly　put　forward；　the　Inventors　of　the

Walter　Press　proceeded　in　the　contrivance　of　the　new　machine。　　It

is　true　that　William　Nicholson；　in　his　patent　of　1790；　prefigured

the　possibility　of　printing　on　〃paper；　linen；　cotton；　woollen；

and　other　articles；〃　by　means　of　type　fixed　on　the　outer　surface

of　a　revolving　cylinder；　but　no　steps　were　taken　to　carry　　his

views　into　effect。　　Sir　Rowland　Hill　also；　before　he　became

connected　with　Post　Office　reform；　revived　the　contrivance　of

Nicholson；　and　referred　to　it　in　his　patent　of　1835　（No。　　6762）；

and　he　also　proposed　to　use　continuous　rolls　of　paper；　which

Fourdrinier　and　Donkin　had　made　practicable　by　their　invention　of

the　paper…making　machine　about　the　year　1804；　but　both

Nicholson's　and　Hill's　patents　remained　a　dead　letter。＇2＇



It　may　be　easy　to　conceive　a　printing　machine；　or　even　to　make　a

model　of　one；　but　to　construct　an　actual　working　printing　press；

that　must　be　sure　and　unfailing　in　its　operations；　is　a　matter

surrounded　with　difficulties。　　At　every　step　fresh　contrivances

have　to　be　introduced；　they　have　to　be　tried　again　and　again；

perhaps　they　are　eventually　thrown　aside　to　give　place　to　new

arrangements。　　Thus　the　head　of　the　inventor　is　kept　in　a　state

of　constant　turmoil。　　Sometimes　the　whole　machine　has　to　be

remodelled　from　beginning　to　end。　　One　step　is　gained　by　degrees；

then　another；　and　at　last；　after　years　of　labour；　the　new

invention　comes　before　the　world　in　the　form　of　a　practical

working　machine。



In　1862　Mr。　Walter　began　in　The　Times　office；　with　tools　and

machinery　of　his　own；　experiments　for　constructing　a　perfecting

press　which　should　print　the　paper　from　rolls　of　paper　instead　of

from　sheets。　　Like　his　father；　Mr。　Walter　possessed　an　excellent

discrimination　of　character；　and　selected　the　best　men　to　aid　him

in　his　important　undertaking。　　Numerous　difficulties　had；　of

course；　to　be　surmounted。　　Plans　were　varied　from　time　to　time；

new　methods　were　tried；　altered；　and　improved；　simplification

being　aimed　at　throughout。　　Six　long　years　passed　in　this　pursuit

of　the　possible。　　At　length　the　clear　light　dawned。　　In　1868　Mr。

Walter　ventured　to　order　the　construction　of　three　machines　on

the　pattern　of　the　first　complete　one　which　had　been　made。　　By

the　end　of　1869　these　were　finished　and　placed　in　a　room　by

themselves；　and　a　　fourth　was　afterwards　added。　　There　the

printing　of　The　Times　is　now　done；　in　less　than　half　the　time　it

previously　occupied；　and　with　one…fifth　the　number　of　hands。



The　most　remarkable　feature　in　the　Walter　Press　is　its　wonderful

simplicity　of　construction。　　Simplicity　of　arrangement　is　always

the　beau　ideal　of　the　mechanical　engineer。　　This　printing　press

is　not　only　simple；　but　accurate；　compact；　rapid；　and　economical。



While　each　of　the　ten…feeder　Hoe　Machines　occupies　a　large　and

lofty　room；　and　requires　eighteen　men　to　feed　and　work　it；　the

new　Walter　Machine　occupies　a　space　of　only　about　l4　feet　by　5；

or　less　than　any　newspaper　machine　yet　introduced；　and　it

requires　only　three　lads　to　take　away；　with　half　the　attention　of

an　overseer；　who　easily　superintends　two　of　the　machines　while　at

work。　　The　Hoe　Machine　turns　out　7000　impressions　printed　on　both

sides　in　the　hour；　whereas　the　Walter　Machine　turns　out　12；000

impressions　completed　in　the　same　time。



The　new　Walter　Press　does　not　in　the　least　resemble　any　existing

printing　machine；　unless　it　be　the　calendering　machine　which

furnished　its　type。　　At　the　printing　end　it　looks　like　a

collection　of　small　cylinders　or　rollers。　　The　first　thing　to　be

observed　is　the　continuous　roll　of　paper　four　miles　long；　tightly

mounted　on　a　reel；　which；　when　the　machine　is　going；　flies　round

with　immense　rapidity。　　The　web　of　paper　taken　up　by　the　first

roller　is　led　into　a　series　of　small　hollow　cylinders　filled　with

water　and　steam；　perforated　with　thousands　of　minute　holes。　　By

this　means　the　paper　is　properly　damped　before　the　process　of

printing　is　begun。　　The　roll　of　paper；　drawn　by　nipping　rollers；

next　flies　through　to　the　cylinder　on　which　the　stereotype　plates

are　fixed；　so　as　to　form　the　four　pages　of　the　ordinary　sheet　of

The　Times；　there　it　is　lightly　pressed　against　the　type　and

printed；　then　it　passes　downwards　round　another　cylinder　covered

with　cloth；　and　reversed；　next　to　the　second　type…covered　roller；

where　it　takes　the　impression　exactly　on　the　other　side　of　the

remaining　four　pages。　　It　next　reaches　one　of　the　most　ingenious

contrivances　of　the　inventionthe　cutting　machinery；　b