SCIENCE IN THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD 



type machines may be greater even than handwork. 

 Where there is no necessity for numerous corrections, 

 however, the linotype setting is probably the best, and 

 the cheapest, of any of the mechanical type-setting 

 processes. 



The kind of machine that makes its own types auto- 

 matically and individually from holes punched in 

 strips of paper, such as the Lanston monotype machine, 

 has practically all the good features, and very few of 

 the bad ones, of the other two. It is a relatively delicate 

 mechanism, however, and for this reason much more 

 liable to get out of order than either of the other 

 machines. Nevertheless, the monotype machines have 

 practically superseded all others for the fine class of 

 work formerly done by hand. 



Both the linotype and monotype machines are such 

 marvels of ingenuity that they are worth considering 

 somewhat in detail. As they have been described re- 

 cently by an eminent authority on the subject, I take 

 the liberty of quoting him in part here. 



THE MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE 



"The linotype machine, invented by Ottmar Mergen- 

 thaler, of Baltimore, Maryland, became commercially 

 successful during the early '905. The machine is 

 less than five feet square, and weighs about two thousand 

 pounds. It consists of a bank of keys connected with a 

 magazine containing about fifteen hundred brass 

 matrices small plates about an inch wide the thick- 

 ness varying with the type character. On one edge is 



