rising as are the results achieved by the
Hoe and Applegath Machines, they cannot be considered satisfactory
while those machines themselves are so liable to stoppages in working.
No true mechanic can contrast the immense American ten-cylinder presses
of The Times with the simple calico-printing machine, without feeling
that the latter furnishes the true type to which the mechanism for
newspaper printing should as much as possible approximate."

On this principle, so clearly put forward, the Inventors of the Walter
Press proceeded in the contrivance of the new machine. It is true that
William Nicholson, in his patent of 1790, prefigured the possibility of
printing on "paper, linen, cotton, woollen, and other articles," by
means of type fixed on the outer surface of a revolving cylinder; but
no steps were taken to carry his views into effect. Sir Rowland Hill
also, before he became connected with Post Office reform, revived the
contrivance of Nicholson, and referred to it in his patent of 1835 (No.
6762); and he also proposed to use continuous rolls of paper, which
Fourdrinier and Donkin had made practicable by their invention of the
paper-making machine about the year 1804; but both Nicholson's and
Hill's patents remained a dead letter.[2]

It may be easy to conceive a printing machine, or even to make a model
of one; but to construct an actual working printing press, that must be
sure and unfailing in its operations, is a matter surrounded with
difficulties. At every step fresh contrivances have to be introduced;
they have to be tried again and again; perhaps they are eventually
thrown aside to give place to new arrangements. Thus the head of the
inventor is kept in a state of constant turmoil. Sometimes the whole
machine has to be remodelled from beginning to end. One step is gained
by degrees, then another; and at last, after years of labour, the new
invention comes before the world in the form of a practical working
machine.

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 improve