Britain at Work
A Pictorial Description of Our National Industries

THE PRODUCTION OF A NEWSPAPER. 209 Hot metal is run in, and as soon as this has cooled there is a half-cylinder of white metal less than an inch in thickness bearing the impression of the original page of type upon its surface and of the exact diameter to fit the cylinders of the printing machines. Obviously a large number of matrices can be prepared from one type surface, and from these any number of plates can be cast, so that the printing of enormous numbers of a newspaper from many machines at the same time involves no more than one setting of the type. As quickly as the stereo- type plates are cast, planed, and cut so that they will exactly fit upon the presses, they are sent down to the machine-room and clamped into position, each page being properly placed so that the printed sheet as it issues from the machine will have its different pages in proper order. When all are in position the end of a vast roll of paper is carefully threaded through the different cylinders, the machine is started, one sees a flash of white and almost simultaneously numbers of copies of the papers, all properly cut, folded, and counted into quires, are thrown out of the press in a stream that never ceases until the roll of paper is exhausted. A printing machine running at high speed is surrounded by the oil stained machinists, touching a screw here, oiling a bearing there, keeping careful watch over the paper as it runs through, for the least error of adjust- ment may mean the destruction of hundreds of copies, and perhaps the loss of a train. The machines, throbbing and pulsating, throw out the papers ceaselessly on tables, and as they come they are seized by willing hands, carried away, packed into bundles, and by hand, by cart, or by railway-train they are being carried over the country within a few minutes of the bare paper passing' between the first pair of rollers. Even then the work of the office does 27 not cease. Most newspapers publish several editions—in the case of evening papers as many as fifteen sometimes. The pages of type are returned on their tables to the composing room. There they are unlocked, and unimportant items are removed to make room for later news that has arrived. In this way columns and even pages are some- times sacrificed, and the whole process of re- casting the plates is gone through again for a second publication. THE PUBLISHING OFFICE OF THE “ DAILY EXPRESS.” All evening newspapers now use what is known as a “ fudge ” on the machines. This is an open space in one of the stereo- type plates into which can be dropped a box bearing a late item of news in single types or in lines. While the machines are actually running there comes news of a great event, the verdict of a jury in an important trial, the latest score of the Australians, or it may be the death of a high personage. In a few seconds these announcements are in type, the running of the machine is stopped, the “box” is dropped into its place, and the machinery revolves once more, impressing some additional information in a position where before was but blank space. Many newspapers in this way publish the result of every important race at meetings all over the country. As one of these great machines is running, the paper passing between the cylinders