The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-09
The Inadequacy Of Former Printing


At the beginning of the century the
Times was at the bottom of the list OF
London morning journals as regards
the numbers sold. its contemporaries
being ranked as follows in proportion
to their circulation: Cd the .h0rn'@g
Chronicle. CO the MorHiag Post. (S)
the Morning Herold. (4) the Morning
.4drcrifStr. The circulation OF the
Times did not then exceed IT, 90 copies
dailV Seven years earlier the dNty
circulation OF the Noraiag Posi- was but
;,u copies. and its progress had been
rapid: vet that of the Times was even
more marvellous during the l0following
years. From having the smallest cir
culatinn of any London contemporary.
the circulation of the Tunes became 50
much larger than thai i ANY of Them
that the ordinary printing appliances
proved inadequate 10 provide lha cop
les for which there Was 4 demand,
When the number bought WAS LOO IL
was easy enough TO supply them with
press which turned out between SOu,
and 4uU copies an hour; but when
many thousands were called for such 4
press proved wholly inadequate.
Mr.. Walter had made several at
tempts to effect Improvements in the
printing press He consulted Marc
lsambard Brunei. one of the great
mechanics o. his day. who gave his
best attention to the matter and then
intimated his inability to execute what
WAS required Mr.. Walter advanced
| money TO Thomas Martyn. who thought
| he had made an important discovery;
! bat the ideas of Martyr were not real
! il.d in practice While engaged in
seeking for a person who could give
| scope and effect to his wishes, Fried
rich koanig, q German, who was born
at Eisleben. in SaNony. I14. was la
! boring to effect improvements in the
i printing press. was confident OF sub
! stituting steam for manual labor in his
! new press. and was anxiOuslr waiting
| for an opportunity to give scope to his
| views and for a patron 10 countenanct
and advance them. He had visited
England in the hope of finding there
the opening and the support which h'
could not obtain in his native country
He found sympathizer in Thoma.
Bensley, with whom he entered into
an agreement in 1907.
Two yeara later, when q working
model of Koenig's improved press hac
been completed. Bensley brought th'
matter before Mr.. Walter. who. fol
the moment was so fully occupie,
with other engagements that he coul,
not entertain a new scheme. In Isl;
Koenig had finished one of his new
printing presses, and the conductors o
the principal London journals were in
vited to see it in operation, Mr.. Ferry
of the Morning Chronicle, a very shrew'
man. and the editor of most success
full newspaper, would not even accep
the invitation, declaring that, in hi
opinion, no newspaper was worth $
many years purchase as would equa
the cost of the new machine. MI
Walter accepted the invitation. care
fully eKamincd koenig's improve
press, and AT oueo ordered two doubl
presses on the same mOdGis
Two years elapsed before these press
es were constructed and at work. Il,
; mors OF the new invention were circu
lated, despite the secrecy to which a
concerned had been pledged, and til
Times pressmen, VINO believed tia
their means OF likelihood would be s
an end when steam was 4ppl!e4 t
printing, vowed vengeance upon tll
inventor. The new presses were eret
ted in rooms adjoining those wherci
the old presses were in operation. A
o'alock in the morning of the 29t
of NoyemLeF, 1914, Mr.. Walter entere
: the Office with several damp printe
sheets in his hand, and informed tn
startled pressmep at work there th;
the '.Tiales was already printed /
steam. that if they attempted Fiolept
there was force ready 10 suppress i
but that if they were peaceable the
wages should be continued. to eyel
; one OF them till similar emnloymel
could be secured in proof OF h
stats;asnt he handed to them copies
the first newspaper which had issue
from steam press. The readers
that days Times were informed of II
revolution of which it was Il visibl
token. Tritiing though the speed ma
pGW seem, it was then thought a
founding that press could throw ,.H
,, as Koenig's did, /. 400 copies az honi
and this beginning is mennF4Fie As III
step in series OF Improvements sr
more remarkable than that which wa
,pQraunced AT the time to be the sreal
est thai i;ati hean effected in the art
printing since tie discovery OF the al
itself The Ain:t1enfh tleHiYTgs
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