170 



THE TIMES NEWSPAPER. 



" THE establishment of the ' Times Newspaper,' " says Mr. Babbage 

 (Economy of Machinery and Manufactures, C. Knight, London, 1832), 

 "is an example, on a large scale, of a manufactory in which the division 

 of labor, both mental and bodily is admirably illustrated, and in which 

 also the effect of domestic economy is well exemplified. It is scarcely 

 imagined by the thousands who read that paper in various quarters of 

 the globe, what a scene of organized activity the factory presents during 

 the whole night, or what a quantity of talent and mechanical skill is put 

 in action for their amusement, and information. Nearly a hundred 

 persons are employed in this establishment, and during the sessions of 

 parliament twelve reporters are constantly attending the Houses of 

 Commons and Lords, each, in his turn, after about an hour's work, 

 returning to translate into ordinary writing the speech he has just heard 

 and noted in short hand. In the mean time, fifty compositors are 

 constantly at work, some of whom have already set up the beginning, 

 whilst others are committing to type the yet undried manuscript of the 

 continuation of a speech, whose middle portion is travelling to the office 

 in the pocket of the hasty reporter, and whose eloquent conclusion is, 

 perhaps, at that very moment making the walls of St. Stephen's vibrate 

 with the applause of its hearers. These congregated types as fast as they 

 they are composed, are passed in portions to other hands, till at last the 

 scattered fragments of the debate, forming, when united with the ordinary 

 matter, eight and forty columns, re-appear in regular order on the platform 

 of the printing press. The hand of man is now too slow for the demands 

 of his curiosity, but the power of steam comes to his assistance; ink is 

 rapidly supplied to the moving types by the most perfect mechanism, 

 four attendants incessantly introduce the edges of large sheets of white 

 paper to the junction of two great rollers, which seem to devour them 

 with unsatiated appetite, other rollers convey them to the type already 

 inked, and having brought them into rapid and successive contact, 

 re-deliver them to four other assistants, completely printed, by the almost 

 momentary touch. Thus, in one hour 4,000 sheets of paper are printed 

 on one side, and an impression of 12,000 copies from above 300,000 

 moveable pieces of metal, is produced for the public in six hours." 



