The new South-news., 1905-07-15
MAKING POSTAGE STAMPS.


on The polished surface Of which man
Ss~iy and patiently cuts. line by liue.
she portrait or other emblem whirh ha.
been adopted for 'hIs particular stamp.
steel engraving is ~hat IL called sn
incised plate: that Is. every line which
Is TO show IN The nnisbed print j. ruf
into The surface instead ~ being left In
relief. ~ In wood engraving.
The die which The ousrayer cuts Is y
negative" in other words. reversal
of the design which The stamp will
show. The reason for this soon be.
comes apparent
When The die IN nnisbrd and proofs
show II TO be satisfactory, Il IL hard.
sned and facd 10 ,hr bed Of q powerful
press. over Il is then passed n steel
roller, the circumference of which ia
several times perhaps fonr times tho
diameter 81 The die Immense pressure
is applied. 80 that every llno on the
surface Of the die IL Impressed upon
the surface Of The roller ns many times
as The circumference ~ the ROLLER %
larger than the area 81 The dc. in
this way four perfect copies ~ ihe de
are reproduced on ihc roller. but re-
veracd. Each of these Impressions IL
positive"
This roller ~ now hardened iu turn
in order that q may ifansmii ihe lm-
presslons once more. ihiH time 10 ihe
plate from which the actual printing
A. to be made This plate ~ also of
siccl The slzo is sufficient 10 print o.
whole sheet of STAMPS from 2oJ % 800
--at single Impression.
Into The surface of this plate fhe im-
precision on ihe ROLLER is forced hy great
pressure. once for each stamp in N,
subsequent sheet. ana then lhe plate
Is hardened These Impressions nrc
negatives. so ihnt ihe prints from thcm
tho stamps themselves will be posi-.
lives.
The reason for all this preliminary
work ~ most Interesting. ~ the FIRST
place, printing could NOT boz done from
a single die. because 81 the vast guam.
titles ~ stamps required. iu the second
place. u could not be- done from the
roller. because on that ihe lines nrc 10
relief instead OF being lncfed nBi 90
The Third place. Il would not bo feasible
10 have several dies. or a urge hume
her of them, engraved. both because
the expense would Boo prohibilye and
because no two would bc absolutely
alike The present system makes u
certain that every stamp OF a certain
lot Is exactly lihn every other OF She
snmc lot.-a great safeguard against
counisrfcllIue.
When three ptIniIrg plates have
been made. ihcy are all fastened 10 the
bed Of special printing press. When
the machinery d. started ihe first plate
- linked. then automatically linked un-
fii II iH Ike mirror The wlplng re-
moves nll the luk cxcepi what eiings
in the lines of the 200 duplicate en-
cravings which dot the surface.
over tho plntei Is laid sheet Of
dampcncd paper. the plate Is slightly
warmed IN order 10 permit the Ink to
swell, and heavy pressure Is applied.
Meanwhile the second plate Is rgcciy-
Ing i,s Ink. aud then the third 4 pines
..,,a,., !. = =, =. -. - !. !. ...Au ma ea,;
s's,snrr Of as ainsr 77rkN lE'
swrourht n great sayyg Of time over
The old process of printing by hand
when The printed sheets are dry they
20 to the cumming machine. In which
they pnss between a dry roller on one
aide aud one mnistcncd with mncllag'
ON The other. From these rcllers ihci
nre east out. wet sid up, upon an end
less webb. which carries them through
n ricam.hcnied box
They come out dry, rcndy Tor th'
pcrforations which permit thom 10 h'
torn apart easily. These are yer,
easily made by passing the sheets hc
tween one cylinder studded with stce
pins and another perforated with holes
10 match the pins, The two act 10
rcthcr like The jaws OF a conductor
punch.
The las, process Is pressing th'
sheets by hydraulic power Ca counter
act the tendency 10 curl, which Is i'm
parted by the murilnre.
The printing OF stamps, like the
printing Of gold and silver certificates
aud bank notes, n subject TO the mos'
careful aud constant inspection.
Every sheet of paper Is counted be
fore Il Is delivered to the printer; and
before ne goes home at night he musi
return exactly the same number ol
sheets either of perfect stamps o'
spoiled paper. aud no seconds c'
samples are given away 20 visitors F.
Edward Willsion frentz, In Youths
Companion.