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project was abandoned。
In 1816； Mr。 Cowper obtained a patent （No。3974） entitled；〃 A
Method of Printing Paper for Paper Hangings； and Other Purposes。〃
The principal feature of this invention consisted in the curving
or bending of stereotype plates for the purpose of being printed
in that form。 A number of machines for printing in two colours；
in exact register； was made for the Bank of England； and four
millions of One Pound notes were printed before the Bank
Directors determined to abolish their further issue。 The regular
mode of producing stereotype plates； from plaster of Paris
moulds； took so much time； that they could not then be used for
newspaper printing。
Two years later； in 1818； Mr。 Cowper invented and patented （No。
4194） his great improvements in printing。 It may be mentioned
that he was then himself a printer； in partnership with Mr。
Applegath； his brother…in…law。 His invention consisted in the
perfect distribution of the ink； by giving end motion to the
rollers； so as to get a distribution crossways； as well as
lengthways。 This principle is at the very foundation of good
printing； and has been adopted in every machine since made。 The
very first experiment proved that the principle was right。 Mr。
Cowper was asked by Mr。 Walter to alter Koenig's machine at The
Times office； so as to obtain good distribution。 He adopted two
of Nicholson's single cylinders and flat formes of type。 Two
〃drums〃 were placed betwixt the cylinders to ensure accuracy in
the register；over and under which the sheet was conveyed in it
s progress from one cylinder to the other；the sheet being at
all times firmly held between two tapes； which bound it to the
cylinders and drums。 This is commonly called； in the trade； a
〃perfecting machine；〃 that is； it printed the paper on both sides
simultaneously； and is still much used for 〃book…work；〃 whilst
single cylinder machines are often used for provincial
newspapers。
After this； Mr。 Cowper designed the four cylinder machine for The
Times；by means of which from 4000 to 5000 sheets could be
printed from one forme in the hour。 In 1823； Mr。 Applegath
invented an improvement in the inking apparatus； by placing the
distributing rollers at an angle across the distributing table；
instead of forcing them endways by other means。
Mr。 Walter continued to devote the same unremitting attention to
his business as before。 He looked into all the details； was
familiar with every department； and； on an emergency； was willing
to lend a hand in any work requiring more than ordinary despatch。
Thus； it is related of him that； in the spring of 1833； shortly
after his return to Parliament as Member for Berkshire； he was at
The Times office one day； when an express arrived from Paris；
bringing the speech of the King of the French on the opening of
the Chambers。 The express arrived at 10 A。M。； after the day's
impression of the paper had been published； and the editors and
compositors had left the office。 It was important that the
speech should be published at once； and Mr。 Walter immediately
set to work upon it。 He first translated the document； then；
assisted by one compositor； he took his place at the type…case；
and set it up。 To the amazement of one of the staff； who dropped
in about noon； he 〃found Mr。 Walter； M。P。 for Berks； working in
his shirt…sleeves！〃 The speech was set and printed； and the
second edition was in the City by one o'clock。 Had he not
〃turned to〃 as he did； the whole expense of the express service
would have been lost。 And it is probable that there was not
another man in the whole establishment who could have performed
the double workintellectual and physicalwhich he that day
executed with his own head and hands。
Such an incident curiously illustrates his eminent success in
life。 It was simply the result of persevering diligence； which
shrank from no effort and neglected no detail； as well as of
prudence allied to boldness； but certainly not 〃of chance；〃 and；
above all； of highminded integrity and unimpeachable honesty。 It
is perhaps unnecessary to add more as to the merits of Mr。 Walter
as a man of enterprise in business； or as a public man and a
Member of Parliament。 The great work of his life was the
development of his journal； the history of which forms the best
monument to his merits and his powers。
The progressive improvement of steam printing machinery was not
affected by Mr。 Walter's death； which occurred in 1847。 He had
given it an impulse which it never lost。 In 1846 Mr。 Applegath
patented certain important improvements in the steam press。 The
general disposition of his new machine was that of a vertical
cylinder 200 inches in circumference； holding on it the type and
distributing surfaces； and surrounded alternately by inking
rollers and pressing cylinders。 Mr。 Applegath estimated in his
specification that in his new vertical system the machine； with
eight cylinders； would print about 10；000 sheets per hour。 The
new printing press came into use in 1848； and completely
justified the anticipations of its projector。
Applegath's machine； though successfully employed at The Times
office； did not come into general use。 It was； to a large
extent； superseded by the invention of Richard M。 Hoe； of New
York。 Hoe's process consisted in placing the types upon a
horizontal cylinder； against which the sheets were pressed by
exterior and smaller cylinders。 The types were arranged in
segments of a circle； each segment forming a frame that could be
fixed on the cylinder。 These printing machines were made with
from two to ten subsidiary cylinders。 The first presses sent by
Messrs。 Hoe & Co。 to this country were for Lloyd's Weekly
Newspaper； and were of the six…cylinder size。 These were
followed by two ten…cylinder machines； ordered by the present Mr。
Walter； for The Times。 Other English newspaper proprietorsboth
in London and the provinceswere supplied with the machines； as
many as thirty…five having been imported from America between
1856 and 1862。 It may be mentioned that the two ten…cylinder
Hoes made for The Times were driven at the rate of thirty…two
revolutions per minute； which gives a printing rate of 19；200 per
hour； or about 16；000 including stoppages。
Much of the ingenuity exercised both in the Applegath and Hoe
Machines was directed to the 〃chase；〃 which had to hold securely
upon its curved face the mass of movable type required to form a
page。 And now the enterprise of the proprietor of The Times
again came to the front。 The change effected in the art of
newspaper…printing； by the process of stereotypes； is scarcely
inferior to that by which the late Mr。 Walter applied steam…power
to the printing press； and certainly equal to that by which the
rotary press superseded the reciprocatory action of the flat
machine。
Stereotyping has a curious history。 Many attempts were made to
obtain solid