History of the Typewriter

—230— but the machine possesses no great excellencies to render a more detailed description necessary. Germania. Two or three distinct machines appear to have been made to which this name is given. One was apparently a close copy of the Underwood typewriter, since it possessed the features of the front stroke, with ribbon movement, etc. Another is a copy of the Jewett Typewriter, already described, and was made under license from the Jewett Company. This bore the distinctive title of Germania No. 3. In 1906, it was stated that the machine would be no longer made in Germany, and any further orders would be fulfilled by American made machines. According to Dupont et Canet’s work on Typewriters, another model is stated to have resembled the Jewett, save that it was operated by means of electricity. We are inclined, however, to think that this last statement is an error, since no one, to whom we have referred this point, seems able to throw any light upon it. The Hammonia. This machine consisted of a metal table, on claw-feet. At the rear of the table was a back- way rod, and in front a raised slip of metal where the im- pression was made. Travelling along the back rod, was a kind of platform, having down one side of it an index. Attached to the rear of the platform, and working loosely in a slot, was a bar of metal, 9 inches long, having on its knife-edge a series of letters engraved. To use the machine, the paper was laid on what may be called the printing table, being held in position by a roller. The type-rod or knife was then moved backwards or forwards until a projection thereon arrived at the letter desired on the index. The end of the “ knife ” was then pressed down, and the im- pression made through a slip of carbon paper which was fed from a coil, housed in a drum at the side of the platform, which travelled between each letter. Hassia. A front stroke visible, having forty-five keys, governing ninety characters by means of a single shift- key. There is no Tabulator. The platen can be easily removed, and the price of the machine is £17 10s. Hazen’s Type-wheel machine seems to be so nearly identical with the People’s and the Champion, that the accounts of those instruments may be perused in order to understand it. The Hansen Writing Ball. In this machine, which is still to be found in many offices on the Continent, the