have accelerated motion, and at the same time render the work of the man who inks the type unnecessary, the above gentlemen were joined by Mr. G. Woodfall and Mr. R. Taylor, the former of whom however soon retired. The remaining three, in no wise discouraged by the tediousness and expense which all who are conversant with the progress of any invention in machinery well know to be unavoidable, persevered amidst unforeseen perplexities, which were doubtless not diminished by the parties' deficiency in practical mechanical knowledge.

"It was at length discovered that the intended improvement of the common press could not be brought to bear; and that much labour and prodigious expense would be thrown away, unless more radical alterations were invented.

Cylindrical printing was now thought of- and after some two or three years of renewed exertion, a small machine was brought forth, the characteristic of which was, that instead of the printing being produced by a flat impression (similar to the press) the sheet passed between a large roller and the types still flat; and in lieu of the old fashioned balls, used by hand to beat over the types and so to communicate the ink to their surface, skins were strained round smaller rollers, on which it was contrived to spread the ink, and under which the forme, i. e. the frame in which the types are fixed, passed in its way to the printing cylinder. Considerable promise of success attended this production; and after continued experiments it was deemed practicable to extend the general principles to a more powerful machine. To print a newspaper was considered highly desirable-and on exhibiting to Mr. Walters, proprietor of the Times newspaper, the machine already erected, and showing what further improvements were templated, an agreement was entered into with that gentleman for the erection of two large machines for printing his Journal. So secret had been the operations of the patentees, that the first public intimation of their invention was given to the reader of The Times on Monday the 28th of November 1814, who was told that he then held in his hand one of many thousand impressions thrown off by steam. At this time but few persons knew of any attempt going on for the attainment of the above object; whilst among those connected with printing, it had often been talked of, but treated as chimerical.

con

"The machines at the Times office, cumbrous and complicated as subsequent improvements have made them appear, are yet, in many respects, admirably adapted to the purpose for which they were erected, and it is believed will outlast many contrivances for printing which have been since brought out.

"The next advance in improvement was the manufacture of a machine for Messrs. Bensley, distinguished from those before mentioned, by the mode of perfecting (or printing on both sides) so that the sheet of white paper is placed in the feeder and delivered from the machine printed on both sides. In addition to the essential difference between this machine and those previously made, it came forth with many obvious improvements, though still unquestionably complex: and for the first attempt at effecting register (causing the pages to fall precisely on the back of one another) a greater degree of success than might have been expected was attained, subsequent experience showing the many difficulties to be surmounted in the accomplishment of this object. Deficiencies were now detected in the inking: the strained skins were found uneven in their surface; and attempts were made to clothe the rollers with an elastic preparation of glue, treacle, &c. which has at length attained perfection.*

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By this time the invention had attracted the attention of various individuals, who thought the manufacture of printingmachines an easier task than they afterwards found it to be; and far the greater number of attempts, we believe, failed almost as soon as undertaken. A machine, however, similar in its capacities to that last mentioned, but much more simple in its construction, has been brought out-under the direction of some eminent

* So sanguine were the patentees of having now arrived at the ne plus ultra of their labours that they issued a Prospectus, dated March 18, 1817— offering three different sorts of machines at a high scale of prices, and, besides demanding a large sum to be paid as purchase money, further requiring a considerable annual premium, calculated upon a principle most effectually to prevent any one from venturing to erect a machine. This prospectus presented a Table of Expenses and Savings, which, upon being now perused by those who have had some experience of the value of printing machines, can only create a smile, or perhaps a wish that they could realize all the advantages so confidently held forth! It needs scarcely be added, that after the issuing of this prospectus, the original patentees never sold a single machine!