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In 1862 Mr。 Walter began in The Times office； with tools and
machinery of his own； experiments for constructing a perfecting
press which should print the paper from rolls of paper instead of
from sheets。 Like his father； Mr。 Walter possessed an excellent
discrimination of character； and selected the best men to aid him
in his important undertaking。 Numerous difficulties had； of
course； to be surmounted。 Plans were varied from time to time；
new methods were tried； altered； and improved； simplification
being aimed at throughout。 Six long years passed in this pursuit
of the possible。 At length the clear light dawned。 In 1868 Mr。
Walter ventured to order the construction of three machines on
the pattern of the first complete one which had been made。 By
the end of 1869 these were finished and placed in a room by
themselves； and a fourth was afterwards added。 There the
printing of The Times is now done； in less than half the time it
previously occupied； and with one…fifth the number of hands。
The most remarkable feature in the Walter Press is its wonderful
simplicity of construction。 Simplicity of arrangement is always
the beau ideal of the mechanical engineer。 This printing press
is not only simple； but accurate； compact； rapid； and economical。
While each of the ten…feeder Hoe Machines occupies a large and
lofty room； and requires eighteen men to feed and work it； the
new Walter Machine occupies a space of only about l4 feet by 5；
or less than any newspaper machine yet introduced； and it
requires only three lads to take away； with half the attention of
an overseer； who easily superintends two of the machines while at
work。 The Hoe Machine turns out 7000 impressions printed on both
sides in the hour； whereas the Walter Machine turns out 12；000
impressions completed in the same time。
The new Walter Press does not in the least resemble any existing
printing machine； unless it be the calendering machine which
furnished its type。 At the printing end it looks like a
collection of small cylinders or rollers。 The first thing to be
observed is the continuous roll of paper four miles long； tightly
mounted on a reel； which； when the machine is going； flies round
with immense rapidity。 The web of paper taken up by the first
roller is led into a series of small hollow cylinders filled with
water and steam； perforated with thousands of minute holes。 By
this means the paper is properly damped before the process of
printing is begun。 The roll of paper； drawn by nipping rollers；
next flies through to the cylinder on which the stereotype plates
are fixed； so as to form the four pages of the ordinary sheet of
The Times； there it is lightly pressed against the type and
printed； then it passes downwards round another cylinder covered
with cloth； and reversed； next to the second type…covered roller；
where it takes the impression exactly on the other side of the
remaining four pages。 It next reaches one of the most ingenious
contrivances of the inventionthe cutting machinery； by means of
which the paper is divided by a quick knife into the 5500 sheets
of which the entire web consists。 The tapes hurry the now
completely printed newspaper up an inclined plane； from which the
divided sheets are showered down in a continuous stream by an
oscillating frame； where they are met by two boys； who adjust the
sheets as they fall。 The reel of four miles long is printed and
divided into newspapers complete in about twenty…five minutes。
The machine is almost entirely self…acting； from the pumping…up
of the ink into the ink…box out of the cistern below stairs； to
the registering of the numbers as they are printed in the
manager's room above。 It is always difficult to describe a
machine in words。 Nothing but a series of sections and diagrams
could give the reader an idea of the construction of this
unrivalled instrument。 The time to see it and wonder at it is
when the press is in full work。 And even then you can see but
little of its construction； for the cylinders are wheeling round
with immense velocity。 The rapidity with which the machine works
may be inferred from the fact that the printing cylinders （round
which the stereotyped plates are fixed）； while making their
impressions on the paper； travel at the surprising speed of 200
revolutions a minute； or at the rate of about nine miles an hour！
Contrast this speed with the former slowness。 Go back to the
beginning of the century。 Before the year 1814 the turn…out of
newspapers was only about 300 single impressions in an hourthat
is； impressions printed on only one side of the paper。 Koenig by
his invention increased the issue to 1100 impressions。 Applegath
and Cowper by their four…cylinder machine increased the issue to
4000； and by the eight…cylinder machine to 10；000 an hour。 But
these were only impressions printed on one side of the paper。
The first perfecting pressthat is； printing simultaneously the
paper on both sideswas the Walter； the speed of which has been
raised to 12；000； though； if necessary； it can produce excellent
work at the rate of 17；000 complete copies of an eight…page paper
per hour。 Then； with the new method of stereotypingby means of
which the plates can be infinitely multiplied and by the aid of
additional machines； the supply of additional impressions is
absolutely unlimited。
The Walter Press is not a monopoly。 It is manufactured at The
Times office； and is supplied to all comers。 Among the other
daily papers printed by its means in this country are the Daily
News； the Scotsmam； and the Birmingham Daily Post。 The first
Walter Press was sent to America in 1872； where it was employed
to print the Missouri Republican at St。 Louis； the leading
newspaper of the Mississippi Valley。 An engineer and a skilled
workman from The Times office accompanied the machinery。 On
arriving at St。 Louisthe materials were unpacked； lowered into
the machine…room； where they were erected and ready for work in
the short space of five days。
The Walter Press was an object of great interest at the
Centennial Exhibition held at Philadelphia in 1876； where it was
shown printing the New Fork Times one of the most influential
journals in America。 The press was surrounded with crowds of
visitors intently watching its perfect and regular action； 〃like
a thing of life。〃 The New York Times said of it： 〃The Walter
Press is the most perfect printing press yet known to man；
invented by the most powerful journal of the Old World； and
adopted as the very best press to be had for its purposes by the
most influential journal of the New World。。。。 It is an honour to
Great Britain to have such an exhibit in her display； and a
lasting benefit to the printing business； especially to
newspapers。。。。 The first printing press run by steam was erected
in the year 1814 in the office of The Times by the father of him
who is the present proprietor of t