The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-04-01
THE ART OF PRINTING.
Tho Invention OF Printing-Its Influence ~ a
Motor Of Civiiization-Its Progress and

w.
cietyn refers to the unparalleled impulse given to
the progress OF civilization about the close OF the
fifteenth century shy the simultaneous invention,
or at least Introduction from the East OF the mari
ner's compass, gunp0wder and artillery, an I'M
proved system OF arithmetic, and especially of the
art of printing which says DR.. Taylor, "has given
combination and energy 20 the public opinion OF
nations and bestowed on the entire community
power of sharing in the deliberations OF the state
The invention developed no new element OF civiza-
tion but 1t gave intensity and extent to ALL In
nothing has the influence OF printing, and more par
ticulary that OF journals, been more remarkably
displayed than Ia the extension and enforcement OF
Individual rights" The art OF printing, con-
triDuting as no other means could to the
diffusion OF knowledge ana to higher de-
gree OF intelligence among the people, Is, there-
fore, rightly looked upon as one OF the principal
motors Of civilization. The printed works ana
journals invited thought, research and discussion,
and discussion renders men acute. nqusltive, dex-
ferrous prompt in attack, ready Ill defence, lull OF
resources.' And no agency has assisted more In
lberating the people from the traldom OF political
despotism than the press for, quoting the language
of Edmund Burke In the House OF Commons, they
the journals and other acknowledgements misgov-
eminent at distance and snuT the approach OF
tyranny in every tainted breeze"
AsIATIC ORIGIN OF THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER.
AS "taIl oaks from little acorns grow,'' so did this
mighty engine OF progress originate in little begin
nings. In late lecture delivered in this city by the
Rev. DR.. Martin professor OF the Imperial College,
at Pekin in China, the reverend lecturer claimed the
honor OF having invented the art OF printing and
also the art OF manufacturing paper for The Chinese
TO some extent this claim Is und0uot-
cdy wei founded. The people OF East
ern Asia knew the secret Of manufacturing
cotton paper probably centurieJ before the
Christian era. Even the Saracens and Arabs knew
9TH rrAfit nnfn
the year 704 OF the Christian era, when the Arabs
learned from the conquered people-whither the
knowledge had been brought from Chtha--the ar: OF
making paper and soon alter estlDllshed PAPER
factory at Mecca. During the Crnsades and after,
particularly IN The thirteenth aud fourteenth CEN
turtles large quantities Of this Arabian paper were
brougat t. Europe to be used for copying books and
for public records. instead OF parchment Wncn naa
become scarce and very high priced. Gotten was
then unknown in Europe; but among the Germans
hemp culture was veTy extensively followed, and
most Of the linen then made was manufactured in
Germany. Inc apparent similarity or the linen
fabrics to those made OF cotton soor gave rise To the
belief tina: paper might also be made out OF linen,
and thus the rist paper factories were erected III
Germany, probably not more than haif o century
before Johannes Genshelsch OF Gutenberg started
the first printing press at Mayeace.
TIE CHINESE ORIGINATE PRINTING.
In ea1 r 70 me aT o OF sos ug mat ccero
in his essay "De Nalula Deorul,' suggested Ii by
giving directions how to make J0iT,oe tttearuro--
forms Of letters on type from metal. But the Chinese
printed books long before tins. and, as Rev. Dr.
Martin asserted IN his lecture, hal many libraries
~
volumes centuries before Christ Their method or
printing was by engraving the whoe page upon one
block OF solid hard wood mixing the raised surface
ard pressing the paper against IT with soft brushes
Though they have now introduced hand presses they
The solid block, and could not yet be in
duced to abandon it for movable types.
HOW IT'S Knowledge CANE TO EUROPE.
The accounts brought by Marco Polo of the skill
anu advancement in manufactures among the
Eastern nations, particularly of the people Of Cathay,
by which name China was then known, followed BY
the explorations OF subsequent Travellers by land
and sea- revealed to the Europeans this primitive
art OF printing IN use among the Chinese and at the
beginning Of the fifteenth century we find IL adopted
in the West FIRST it was applied only to the manu-
facture OF playing cards and for furnishing llustra
TORS 70 manuscript works. and gave thus rise to the
art OF engraving.
TIE INyENrIoSs OF GUTENBERG, FAUST AND
sCHoEFFER.
This use OF the Chinese art was continued for half
o century, aud though here and there some artist
used separate blocks to produce one impression 1t
tory as Johannes Gutenberg, struck the true idea
by making each letter OF the alphabet ''bock" by
itself, and with them composing words and seG-
fences with The same ease "a one could write. Ills
first experiments were made al Strsburg III Alsata,
then province OF the German empire, and he co1-
tnued there for twenty Jears but with Ill success.
lie is known to have mad press OF nearly the same
construction as the socalled Franklin press on exs
hibiilon IN the Smithsonian institute at Washington,
end at winch Franklin worked "a printers appren-
tce. Gutenberg, after spending his fortune, re
moved to MayeEce and became there associated
with John rust or Faust. wealthy and learned man
OF that ancient town. and both employed as assis-
tant Peter schoeiier, copyist, and man OF
in-law OF Faust Here the invention was
perfected, and instead of words for types cut by
Gutenberg cast metal was used mt the suggestion or
ScEoercr, who also invented the puncer OF hard
Ilca TO give sharper edges to the type ana greater
purity u he impressions. The irst issue from this
press was Ia l45J, letter OF indulgence OF Pope
Nicholas v % unbeeving were the people at that
time vi the possibility OF producing by printing. at
cheap price. what had heretofore been the Work OF
years at large expense. that when Faust offered
copies or the Nuigatc translation OF the Bible for
sale at Paris at tract oil the price for which
they could then lie got he was arrested as
sorcerer.
THE PROGRESS or PRINTING TO THE PRESENT DAY.
1hus we have briefly traced the origin Of the art OF
printing and oI the maj uiactu eoi paper. From the
tine that Gu lenberg Faust and Sciioefer first set
the "unc0nqueraDe army OF the leaden soldiers Of
thought -as a German Philosopher named the
types-!n motion UP to III day the progress OF nl-
pr0vement IL the art OF perpetuang IN print the
thoughts AM ideas OF man has Deen vast and unn-
terrupea, and ali nations have coptriuuted 10 n.
What during The first perioi was found impossible
the printing OF ornamental initial letters. and hic
were then continued 10 be inserted by the hand OF
the former cOpyisti-has now been reached to sucn
perfection that lcitrrprcs3 Impression often, par
tcularly when done IA several coors resents an
exquisite picl ure.
In this connection the printing press SHOULD not
be forgotten, THIS great auXtltary, Through the I'M
provement OF which alone Guttcnbcrg's invention
could exert the high innuoBce upon the civilization
OF mankind which II las exercised and does st
weld. The press "a irst constructed by Gutenberg,
about the year i4gs remained nearly the In
UP TO the close OF the last century, wnen In 1899,
tue first decided Improvement wai introduced ~
william Nicholson, in England The German Fred
rich Koeng, afterwards engaged in improving this
instrument for spreading knowledge and inte,-
gcnce, aud after many failures Ia Germany and i.ng
land lie at last succeeded in building press sed
by steam power, on which, November 2s 1914, the
London Times was printed Tor the first time. In
this press the form OF types moved horizontally I'M
der the cylinder over which the payer revolvcd,
being thus imprinted upon the form passing under
the cylinder. his press gave about 1900 i'm
pressions per hour. The next Important I'M
proyement made by Cowper 4 Apple
gath, VINO IN 1878 constructed a.other press
Tor the Tunes which, by reducing the size OF
the cylinders. enabled them to incrcas, their num-
Der, and tnus PRINT 200 copies per hour. Most OF
the printing presses IN IN tins country for news
paper ana book printing were OF this System unt
1897, and while many were the improvements added
none changed the fundamental principle on which
they were Quilt the horizontal fern or ''bedr pas
ing under the cyliaders on which the paper re-
vowed.
IOE's PRESSES.