The Sun.
London, England, 1836-05-27 00:00:00

HILL'S PRINTING MACHINE.

We visited the exhibition of this machine, which was
thrown open to select friends of Mr. Hill, at No. 44, Chan-
cery-lane, who was in attendance to explain the principle of
the machinery. We saw it put in action with paper fully
as large as the largest evening paper now published. The
machine is put in action by two men working with the ordi-
nary windlass, the same as the common crane : and the
time being kept by the most accurate mode of checking—
namely, the vibration of a pendulum, there were eleven co-
pies perfected on each side in the astonishingly short space
of five seconds ; at which speed, by extending the calcula-
tion to the extreme result, the produce would be seven
thousand nine hundred and twenty copies perfected in hour.
This extraordinary speed of production, should the machine
be applied to newspaper printing, would be an invaluable
acquisition ; but in its present stage, we fear the intended
invention will have many difficulties to encounter, indepen-
dent of prejudice, which is frequently not the least clumsy
obstacle with which an enterprising or ingenious inventor
has to struggle against.
In the first place, to a certain extent, the use of th's ma-
chine must effect a revolution in the modern art of printing,
improved as it has been so much within the last fifty years.
The machine is upon the rotatory principle—the types are
fixed on the surface of cylinders or rollers, each cylinder
containing an entire page of the paper, opposite to which
is a padded cylinder with which the types arc brought into
contact by a powerful pressure upon a similar principle to
that of the common copperplate press. When the machine
is put in action the whole number of the cylinders revolve
with vast velocity, those which hold the types perform-
ing a contrary circuit to that of the padded cylinders.
There is provided for a method by which the register
can be adjusted to the greatest nicety. The inking ap-
paratus is constructed so as to allow of adjustment to any
degree, and in both these cases the alterations can be ef-
fected with scarcely any loss of time, and with the least
possible trouble. At first view there might apdear to
exist in the construction of the machine an objectionable
amount of friction ; but a little closer inspection will show
that on account of the action of the cylinders there is not
much resistance to be overcome, and consequently the fr:ction
is of so much the less importance. The paper used must not
be in single sheets, but in the entire web as produced by the
Paper-making machine, the end of which web being once in-
troduced for printing, it is printed without further attention
on both sides at the rate we have described, turned out per-
fected, and transferred to a cutting-machine, by which
the papers are speedily separated. So far the machine is
perfect. Whenever the types arc transferred to the cylin-
ders there is no difficulty—the inventor will be capable to
perform all that he promises ; but in this we conceive he
has yet several serious difficulties to contend with ; yet,
judging from his ingenuity, if pointed out to him, he may
be able to surmount. Before offering any remarks on the
difference it will require in the mode of composition from
the present system, we would notice a clever adjunct con-
trivance connected with the machine for damping paper, in
which the quantity of water can be modified to any degree,
every part of the paper equally damped, and, consequently,
by which the usual process of turning and consigning the
paper wetted to a standing press, is dispensed with ; but
this mode of damping must, we apprehend, be found effi-
cient only when the paper is used in webs, not in single
sheets.

With regard to the composition department, in the first
place, there must be types cast expressly for the use of the
machine—they arc slightly wedge-shaped in the body, so
that when a line is composed it forms not a flat surface, but
a curve corresponding to the part of the cylinder upon
which it is to be fixed. The compositor is, therefore, under
the necessity of using a composing-stick of a corresponding,
curved shape. The types, instead of the usual nicks, have
a groove accurately made, to correspond, to which is fitted
a thin brass sealeboard, which is put in its place at the finish
of every line that is composed ; and by this means the lines
are fixed as one mass. The galley, or cradle, to which the
types are transferred, is the neat width of the column, and.
there is a contrivance by means of steel scaleboards, of.
fixing more securely every two sticksfull ; but neither of
these scaleboardg in the least affect in appearance the depth
of the beard of the letter. When the column is thus com-
pleted, the galley or cradle is fixed upon the cylinder with
screws, and the number of galleys form the entire circle,
presenting a roller studded with types, and completing the
page of a newspaper.
In the course of the rotatory motion, without the pre-
caution of the introduction of these scaleboards it would he
impossible to prevent types dropping out ; but by this con-
trivance there need be no apprehension of accident from that
cause, even if the composition should have been performed
by a compositor not the most particular in his justification.
This alteration in the system of composing will be one of

the difficulties which the inventor will have to contend with
in the prejudice of compositors—and the alteration in the
mode of making up the form in the prejudiee of printers,
will be another. But it appett.e.l to us that there did exist
exist
a real and very obvious difficulty in completing the m
-14 press. If we could suppose the matter composed at
once perfect without typographical error or alteration by the
author in the proof, there would be less objection as regard,
ds
the composing- department ; but not a letter can he remo.ve
Is re-
not a space can be altered, in env ono line, until it
lieved from the brass scaleboard by which it is bound in its
carved form ; and after such correction being
brass scaleboard must be replaced. In fact, to make the
slightest correction, it is necessary to trader the line ill
'which the error occurs to the composing-stick, the ineonve
t all
nience of which must be obvious to every one who is
conversant with printing.
In the above description of the invention, which reflects
of printing
great credit upon the talents of the constructor, we have
been under the necessity of usinL;technicalities of the art
• made, the
subject will chiefly interest the trade, and consequentlY
which were-unavoidable ; but we presume the
theY
cannot be considered out of place.-2110rning Advertiser.

UNIVERSITIEILENGLISII AND

SCOTCH.

At the first anniversary dinner of the Royal Easter!.
Yacht Club, held in Edinburgh last Monday, Rear-Adt-
ral Sir David Milne in the Chair, Professor Wilson
pressed himself as follows, on his health being proposed in
connexion with the University of Edinburgh : ro.
" Allow me to say, that in returning thanks for this n
nour, and a great honour it is, I am- bewildered, as most
Professors appear to be, with the long line of illustriot
names that have graced our University. There are the
n.,
Blacks, the Cullers, the Gregories, and two or three bee,
dred other illustrious names ; and yet it had been remak
o;
by some, that Universities were sluggish bodies ; eve°. • 5
illustrious Stewart himself remarked that the Universdie
of Oxford and Cambridge resemble two ships that are faso.t•
moored in the river, and are only conscious of the pas.smss
time by seeing the tide running swiftly past their esele
and motionless hulks. Now I deny that—(Cheers ann
laughter)—n..r would I be driven from my del id of it In
though a ghost were to come from the grave to maintao.
it. . Oxford and Cambridge .are the. representatives
be
the education of the youth of four countries—of ;
most majestic,. fearless, and powerful country on earth
and it would be strange indeed if the simile were tru '
that the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge were
like stationary hulks, while the navy of Great Brit3its
is ploughing every sea, not only bearing the thunder-F° a
of war, but also diffusing the milder blessings of peace, arina•
carrying knowledge and civilization throughout the w°
—(Great cheering.) And though our universities ace
smaller in point of endowment, yet they have not t
slighter hold on the love and affection which are borne t°
them in the hearts of youth ; where the poor man, AY:
perhaps the cottar, depriving himself almost of the occ
saries of life, sends his son to sit—l must use the esP,re,„
sion—to sit cheek by jowl with the proudest of the la°"'n,
(Great cheering.) Are our Universities then to be e°--
pared with the useless or prison hulks ? No •
, r
and
they resemble the noble ship
that despises every wave, But
in the loudest storms still rides secure. (Cheers.)
n.
I wish'to speak of the University of Edinbuigh on ay.-0
ciple apart from that—on the principle on which it 'ears
of perfect liberality and equality. There merit alone bica,,
the palm—that is the charter which it holds—the PrveTt,
it enjoys—the right it possesses—the duty incumbentePthe
I may say, that in her have been educated not onlio
recluse student, poring over the midnight lamp, but
many a man has been trimmed in her school of peak'
has has gone from her to the reeling deck, and shed ltts
—has gone from her to the gory plain, and has rernermq the
amid the din of arms, the groans of the wounded, nnujes.
victorious shouts of conquest—he has remembered toe this
ather
sons received at his father's hearth, and in the halls of to
University—all teaching him that honour, and virtue, gee
patriotism, are the best inheritance of every man, *Wt.'
be his station."—(Cheers.)—Glasgow Herald.