H. G. B.

“ Nevertheless, after some years of work, in spite of foes without and traitors within, property purposely injured, machinery wantonly broken, &c., &c., we have steered our little bark safely through the natural and artificial perils by which it was surrounded, and can now point to an office in thorough working order, producing its own monthly magazine and weekly paper, together with the books, reports of societies, chancery bills, cards, and circulars, with which the friends of the movement from all parts of the country kindly favour us. ”

“ However, we are quite sure that persons of [Page 22] fair education, who make up their minds to learn, can do so with even better results than those we have before mentioned. It is not to be expected that a business of this description can be learned without some amount of perseverance, and those who take it up must be prepared to meet with difficulties and overcome them. ”

“ The men had been shamed out of the use of bad words and habits, and he declared that it was impossible to over rate the good achieved, adducing that in the interests of his business nothing would induce him to have a room in which men worked alone. ”

“ The heads of departments are all college men. When we had concluded our tour of inspection, and Mr. Houghton had assured us that his idea of introducing women compositors was due to a visit he had paid to our own Victoria Press, we indeed felt amply rewarded for any anxiety experienced in the establishment of an office which had not only helped English women, but actually influenced the fate of their sisters on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean—far beyond its own immediate centre. ”

“ Among the many and varied employments which have of late years been opened up for women, there are few which promise to be so remunerative and permanent as that of Printing (composing department) . It is an employment which gives scope for the exercise of the highest faculties as well as the nimblest fingers; it requires but very little physical strength; it is not in any way injurious to health ”

“ But those who fill it must have a natural aptitude for business, and possess those qualities which are essential in governing a number of hands in any business. The remuneration would be higher in this case, though much would depend upon the ability of the individual.
The post of reader is also an important one, and requires about the same amount of training. It is essential that a reader should have a practical knowledge of at least the rudiments of printing. ”

“ And in one direction the introduction of women into printing offices may prove beneficial to others as well as to themselves. This has been tested to a great extent in America. Not only did we find women at work in Harper’s splendid office in New York, but during a visit to Harvard, Mr. Houghton, the proprietor of the Riverside Press, kindly [Page 46] took us over his immense establishment, where we found men and women at work, side by side, setting up type. ”

“ A good reader can always obtain a high rate of remuneration.
We have now gone over the whole ground, though, perhaps, very superficially. Our object, however, is not so much to give an exhaustive treatise on the Art of Printing, as a general idea of one branch of it to those who desire to learn; and only by entering a printing office for a given time as a learner, is it possible to acquire any useful knowledge of the business.
[Page 24]
[Page 25]
APPENDIX I. NUMERALS.
Numbers expressed by letters; either Roman or italic caps or lower case are used, thus—Vol. I. chap. xvii. ”

“ Now, charity cannot find an enduring place in the labour market, consequently women cannot be placed in positions of trust and respectability simply [Page 48] because they need remuneration, and those who desire to undertake any work in connexion with printing must be prepared to train themselves.
In confirmation of the opinions we have expressed about the position of a proof reader, we quote the following observation from a practical printer, who has always been friendly to the movement, and is a recognised authority on this point. ”

“ They have another vantage ground which employers will not be slow to recognise—viz., habits of sobriety. They do not ask for a few hours’ leave of absence and remain away a couple of days “on the spree,” which too often forms the man’s excuse for placing the master printer in a position of more or less awkwardness, according to the size of the office. ”

“ For the convenience of binding, printers have recourse to signatures, i.e., letters of the alphabet placed at the bottom of the first page of each sheet, which show the order in which the sheets are to be bound, as well as whether the quires are complete.
And now, perhaps, you may be inclined to ask, “How long does it take a person to [Page 21] learn to set up type sufficiently well to obtain employment?”
To this we would reply, that very much depends upon the age and ability of the learner. ”

“ It may be objected by some that women of education will not care to be placed on the same level as journeymen compositors. This we admit, but only in a qualified sense. They need not object to being on the same level as regards remuneration (if they prove to be equally skilful) , and there is no fear of their being so in any other respects.
The following pages are written for the information of such as are desirous of learning the Art of Printing. ”

“ We have no hesitation in saying that if women will only take up this employment with a determination to surmount any difficulties which may appear at the outset, they will find themselves in a few years in a position to demand such remuneration as few other employments can offer. ”

“ In order to do this, they must decompose, or return the lines back from the galley into the composing-stick, to be rectified accordingly.
If one or more words to be inserted in a line cannot be “got in” by changing the spaces of the line for lesser ones, part of the line must be put back into the close of the preceding one, or forward into the beginning of the subsequent one, or both, till room is obtained. If the insertion be large, several lines will need to be over-run, either backward or forward, till a break is arrived at; when, if it will not come in, a line is to be driven out. ”

“ During the last month we have received letters from different correspondents asking us [Page 45] to send women compositors and proof readers to country offices. For the women who have taken up this trade have proved equal to their work. They “set up type” with expedition and accuracy. We have no hesitation in saying, after our long experience, that young girls learn with greater rapidity than boys of the same age; they are not only more intelligent, but they are far more attentive. ”

“ For persons of more mature age there are special posts to occupy, one of which is that of forewoman. This post requires not less than six months’ training, in order to learn the general routine of the work. ”

“ Before the compositor proceeds to compose, a rule, or thin slip of brass plate, cut to the length of the line, and of the same height as the letter, is placed against the ledge of the composing-stick for the letter to bear immediately against. ”

“ The compositor, having set the proper number of lines in the stick, and emptied them out into the galley, again fills and empties, as before. When a sufficient number of lines have been composed to fill the galley she secures it with side-stick and quoins, and having pulled a proof on the galley-press (see p. 36) , hands it to the forewoman with copy for reading.
The corrections are written on the margin of the proof, right against the line where the faults are found. ”

“ Here, then, properly ends the compositor’s work; the forme, thus finished, being ready to be committed to the pressman.
Besides the several kinds of letters and characters above mentioned, used in printing, there are likewise rules for division lines, borders, and head and tail-pieces, accommodated to the several kinds of letters.
The rules for division lines are of brass, and are made exactly the same height as the letter; [Page 20] otherwise they would hinder the neighbouring letters from printing, or would themselves be hindered. ”

“ Passing the making-up.—Passing to the next hand in order the lines remaining (if any) after a compositor has made up her matter, together with the gauge and proper folio.
Pie.—Type promiscuously intermingled.
Planing down.—To bring down types evenly on their feet, by laying a planer on the page and striking it firmly with a mallet.
Revise.—The last proof of a forme before working it off.
Riding.—Type at the end of a line catching against a lead, or the ends of leads over-lapping each other. ”

“ Those who begin later, say at about twenty years of age, should be able to do the same amount at the end of six months, for which they would receive from twelve to fifteen shillings per week, according to the conditions on which they enter as learners. ”

“ Girls who begin young, say at the age of fifteen, generally learn to set up fairly well in about twelve months, and then begin to acquire speed, so that they can set from 25,000 to 30,000 letters per week. ”

“ Lean face.—Light, thin type.
Letter hangs.—When the page is out of square.
Locking up.—Tightening up a forme by means of quoins.
Longcross.—The bar that divides a chase the longest way.
Low case.—When the compositor has set almost all the letters out of her case.
Making up.—To arrange the lines of matter into pages.
Making margin.—In imposition, arranging the space between the pages of a forme so that the margin will be properly proportioned.
Measure.—The width of a page.
Open matter.—Matter widely leaded or containing numerous break-lines.
Off its feet.—When matter does not stand upright. ”