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alternatives remained for him to adopt。 One was to commence an
expensive； and it might be a protracted； suit in Chancery； in
defence of his patent rights； with possibly his partner； Bensley；
against him； and the other； to abandon his invention in England
without further struggle； and settle abroad。 He chose the latter
alternative； and left England finally in August； 1817。
Mr。 Richard Taylor； the other partner in the patent； was an
honourable man； but he could not control the proceedings of
Bensley。 In a memoir published by him in the 'Philosophical
Magazine；' 〃On the Invention and First Introduction of Mr。
Koenig's Printing Machine；〃 in which he honestly attributes to
him the sole merit of the invention； he says； 〃Mr。 Koenig left
England； suddenly； in disgust at the treacherous conduct of
Bensley； always shabby and overreaching； and whom he found to be
laying a scheme for defrauding his partners in the patents of all
the advantages to arise from them。 Bensley； however； while he
destroyed the prospects of his partners； outwitted himself； and
grasping at all； lost all； becoming bankrupt in fortune as well
as in character。〃＇6＇
Koenig was badly used throughout。 His merits as an inventor were
denied。 On the 3rd of January； 1818； after he had left England；
Bensley published a letter in the Literary Gazette； in which he
speaks of the printing machine as his own； without mentioning a
word of Koenig。 The 'British Encyclopaedia；' in describing the
inventors of the printing machine； omitted the name of Koenig
altogether。 The 'Mechanics Magazine；' for September； 1847；
attributed the invention to the Proprietors of The Times； though
Mr。 Walter himself had said that his share in the event had been
〃only the application of the discovery；〃 and the late Mr。 Bennet
Woodcroft； usually a fair man； in his introductory chapter to
'Patents for Inventions in Printing；' attributes the merit to
William Nicholson's patent （No。 1748）； which； he said； 〃produced
an entire revolution in the mechanism of the art。〃 In other
publications； the claims of Bacon and Donkin were put forward；
while those of the real inventor were ignored。 The memoir of
Koenig by Mr。 Richard Taylor； in the 'Philosophical Magazine；'
was honest and satisfactory； and should have set the question at
rest。
It may further be mentioned that William Nicholson；who was a
patent agent； and a great taker out of patents； both in his own
name and in the names of others；was the person employed by
Koenig as his agent to take the requisite steps for registering
his invention。 When Koenig consulted him on the subject；
Nicholson observed that 〃seventeen years before he had taken out
a patent for machine printing； but he had abandoned it； thinking
that it wouldn't do； and had never taken it up again。〃 Indeed；
the two machines were on different principles。 Nor did Nicholson
himself ever make any claim to priority of invention； when the
success of Koenig's machine was publicly proclaimed by Mr。 Walter
of The Times some seven years later。
When Koenig； now settled abroad； heard of the attempts made in
England to deny his merits as an inventor； he merely observed to
his friend Bauer； 〃It is really too bad that these people； who
have already robbed me of my invention； should now try to rob me
of my reputation。〃 Had he made any reply to the charges against
him； it might have been comprised in a very few words： 〃When I
arrived in England； no steam printing machine had ever before
been seen； when I left it； the only printing machines in actual
work were those which I had constructed。〃 But Koenig never took
the trouble to defend the originality of his invention in
England； now that he had finally abandoned the field to others。
There can be no question as to the great improvements introduced
in the printing machine by Mr。 Applegath and Mr。 Cowper； by
Messrs。 Hoe and Sons； of New York； and still later by the present
Mr。 Walter of The Times； which have brought the art of machine
printing to an extraordinary degree of perfection and speed。 But
the original merits of an invention are not to be determined by a
comparison of the first machine of the kind ever made with the
last； after some sixty years' experience and skill have been
applied in bringing it to perfection。 Were the first condensing
engine made at Sohonow to be seen at the Museum in South
Kensingtonin like manner to be compared with the last improved
pumping…engine made yesterday； even the great James Watt might be
made out to have been a very poor contriver。 It would be much
fairer to compare Koenig's steam…printing machine with the
hand…press newspaper printing machine which it superseded。
Though there were steam engines before Watt； and steamboats
before Fulton； and steam locomotives before Stephenson； there
were no steam printing presses before Koenig with which to
compare them； Koenig's was undoubtedly the first； and stood
unequalled and alone。
The rest of Koenig's life； after he retired to Germany； was spent
in industry； if not in peace and quietness。 He could not fail to
be cast down by the utter failure of his English partnership； and
the loss of the fruits of his ingenious labours。 But instead of
brooding over his troubles； he determined to break away from
them； and begin the world anew。 He was only forty…three when he
left England； and he might yet be able to establish himself
prosperously in life。 He had his own head and hands to help him。
Though England was virtually closed against him； the whole
continent of Europe was open to him； and presented a wide field
for the sale of his printing machines。
While residing in England； Koenig had received many
communications from influential printers in Germany。 Johann
Spencer and George Decker wrote to him in 1815； asking for
particulars about his invention； but finding his machine too
expensive；＇7＇ the latter commissioned Koenig to send him a
Stanhope printing pressthe first ever introduced into Germany
the price of which was 95L。 Koenig did this service for his
friend； for although he stood by the superior merits of his own
invention； he was sufficiently liberal to recognise the merits of
the inventions of others。 Now that he was about to settle in
Germany； he was able to supply his friends and patrons on the
spot。
The question arose； where was he to settle？ He made enquiries
about sites along the Rhine； the Neckar； and the Main。 At last
he was attracted by a specially interesting spot at Oberzell on
the Main； near Wurzburg。 It was an old disused convent of the
Praemonstratensian monks。 The place was conveniently situated
for business； being nearly in the centre of Germany。 The
Bavarian Government； desirous of giving encouragement to so
useful a genius； granted Koenig the use of the secularised
monastery on easy terms； and there accordingly he began his
operations in the course of the following year。 Bauer