men of invention and industry-第30章

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In　1816；　Koenig　designed　and　superintended　the　construction　of　a

single　cylinder　registering　machine　for　book…printing。　　This　was

supplied　to　Bensley　and　Son；　and　turned　out　1000　sheets；　printed

on　both　sides；　in　the　hour。　　Blumenbach's　'Physiology'　was　the

first　entire　book　printed　by　steam；　by　this　new　machine。　　It　was

afterwards　employed；　in　l8l8；　in　working　off　the　Literary

Gazette。　　A　machine　of　the　same　kind　was　supplied　to　Mr。　Richard

Taylor　for　the　purpose　of　printing　the　'Philosophical　Magazine；'

and　books　generally。　　This　was　afterwards　altered　to　a　double

machine；　and　employed　for　printing　the　Weekly　Dispatch。



But　what　about　Koenig's　patents？　　They　proved　of　little　use　to

him。　　They　only　proclaimed　his　methods；　and　enabled　other

ingenious　mechanics　to　borrow　his　adaptations。　　Now　that　he　had

succeeded　in　making　machines　that　would　work；　the　way　was　clear

for　everybody　else　to　follow　his　footsteps。　　It　had　taken　him

more　than　six　years　to　invent　and　construct　a　successful　steam

printing　press；　but　any　clever　mechanic；　by　merely　studying　his

specification；　and　examining　his　machine　at　work；　might　arrive　at

the　same　results　in　less　than　a　week。



The　patents　did　not　protect　him。　　New　specifications；　embodying

some　modification　or　alteration　in　detail；　were　lodged　by　other

inventors　and　new　patents　taken　out。　　New　printing　machines　were

constructed　in　defiance　of　his　supposed　legal　rights；　and　he

found　himself　stripped　of　the　reward　that　he　had　been　labouring

for　during　so　many　long　and　toilsome　years。　　He　could　not　go　to

law；　and　increase　his　own　vexation　and　loss。　　He　might　get　into

Chancery　easy　enough；　but　when　would　he　get　out　of　it；　and　in

what　condition？



It　must　also　be　added；　that　Koenig　was　unfortunate　in　his　partner

Bensley。　　While　the　inventor　was　taking　steps　to　push　the　sale　of

his　book…printing　machines　among　the　London　printers；　Bensley；

who　was　himself　a　book…printer；　was　hindering　him　in　every　way　in

his　negotiations。　　Koenig　was　of　opinion　that　Bensley　wished　to

retain　the　exclusive　advantage　which　the　possession　of　his

registering　book　machine　gave　him　over　the　other　printers；　by

enabling　him　to　print　more　quickly　and　correctly　than　they　could；

and　thus　give　him　an　advantage　over　them　in　his　printing

contracts。



When　Koenig；　in　despair　at　his　position；　consulted　counsel　as　to

the　infringement　of　his　patent；　he　was　told　that　he　might

institute　proceedings　with　the　best　prospect　of　success；　but　to

this　end　a　perfect　agreement　by　the　partners　was　essential。　

When；　however；　Koenig　asked　Bensley　to　concur　with　him　in　taking

proceedings　in　defence　of　the　patent　right；　the　latter　positively

refused　to　do　so。　　Indeed；　Koenig　was　under　the　impression　that

his　partner　had　even　entered　into　an　arrangement　with　the

infringers　of　the　patent　to　share　with　them　the　proceeds　of　their

piracy。



Under　these　circumstances；　it　appeared　to　Koenig　that　only　two

alternatives　remained　for　him　to　adopt。　　One　was　to　commence　an

expensive；　and　it　might　be　a　protracted；　suit　in　Chancery；　in

defence　of　his　patent　rights；　with　possibly　his　partner；　Bensley；

against　him；　and　the　other；　to　abandon　his　invention　in　England

without　further　struggle；　and　settle　abroad。　　He　chose　the　latter

alternative；　and　left　England　finally　in　August；　1817。



Mr。　Richard　Taylor；　the　other　partner　in　the　patent；　was　an

honourable　man；　but　he　could　not　control　the　proceedings　of

Bensley。　　In　a　memoir　published　by　him　in　the　'Philosophical

Magazine；'　〃On　the　Invention　and　First　Introduction　of　Mr。

Koenig's　Printing　Machine；〃　in　which　he　honestly　attributes　to

him　the　sole　merit　of　the　invention；　he　says；　〃Mr。　Koenig　left

England；　suddenly；　in　disgust　at　the　treacherous　conduct　of

Bensley；　always　shabby　and　overreaching；　and　whom　he　found　to　be

laying　a　scheme　for　defrauding　his　partners　in　the　patents　of　all

the　advantages　to　arise　from　them。　　Bensley；　however；　while　he

destroyed　the　prospects　of　his　partners；　outwitted　himself；　and

grasping　at　all；　lost　all；　becoming　bankrupt　in　fortune　as　well

as　in　character。〃＇6＇



Koenig　was　badly　used　throughout。　　His　merits　as　an　inventor　were

denied。　　On　the　3rd　of　January；　1818；　after　he　had　left　England；

Bensley　published　a　letter　in　the　Literary　Gazette；　in　which　he

speaks　of　the　printing　machine　as　his　own；　without　mentioning　a

word　of　Koenig。　　The　'British　Encyclopaedia；'　in　describing　the

inventors　of　the　printing　machine；　omitted　the　name　of　Koenig

altogether。　　The　'Mechanics　Magazine；'　for　September；　1847；

attributed　the　invention　to　the　Proprietors　of　The　Times；　though

Mr。　Walter　himself　had　said　that　his　share　in　the　event　had　been

〃only　the　application　of　the　discovery；〃　and　the　late　Mr。　Bennet

Woodcroft；　usually　a　fair　man；　in　his　introductory　chapter　to

'Patents　for　Inventions　in　Printing；'　attributes　the　merit　to

William　Nicholson's　patent　（No。　1748）；　which；　he　said；　〃produced

an　entire　revolution　in　the　mechanism　of　the　art。〃　　In　other

publications；　the　claims　of　Bacon　and　Donkin　were　put　forward；

while　those　of　the　real　inventor　were　ignored。　　The　memoir　of

Koenig　by　Mr。　Richard　Taylor；　in　the　'Philosophical　Magazine；'

was　honest　and　satisfactory；　and　should　have　set　the　question　at

rest。



It　may　further　be　mentioned　that　William　Nicholson；who　was　a

patent　agent；　and　a　great　taker　out　of　patents；　both　in　his　own

name　and　in　the　names　of　others；was　the　person　employed　by

Koenig　as　his　agent　to　take　the　requisite　steps　for　registering

his　invention。　　When　Koenig　consulted　him　on　the　subject；

Nicholson　observed　that　〃seventeen　years　before　he　had　taken　out

a　patent　for　machine　printing；　but　he　had　abandoned　it；　thinking

that　it　wouldn't　do；　and　had　never　taken　it　up　again。〃　　Indeed；

the　two　machines　were　on　different　principles。　　Nor　did　Nicholson

himself　ever　make　any　claim　to　priority　of　invention；　when　the

success　of　Koenig's　machine　was　publicly　proclaimed　by　Mr。　Walter

of　The　Times　some　seven　years　later。



When　Koenig；　now　settled　abroad；　heard　of　the　attempts　made　in

England　to　deny　his　merits　as　an　inventor；　he　merely　observed　to

his　friend　Bauer；　〃It　is　really　too　bad　that　these　people；　who

have　already　robbed　me　of　my　invention；　should　now　try　to　rob　me

of　my　reputation。〃　　Had　he　made　any　reply　to　the　charges　against

him；　it　might　have　been　comprised　in　a　very　few　words：　　〃When　I

arrived　in　England；　no　steam　printing　machine　had　ever　before

been　seen；　when　I　left　it；　the　only　printing　machines　in　actual

work　were　those　which　I　had　constructed。〃　　But　Koenig　never　took

the　trouble　to　defend　the　originality　of　his　invention　in

England；　now　that　he　had　finally　abandoned　the　field　to　others。



There　can　be　no　question　as　to　the　great　improvements　introduced

in　the　printing　machine　by　Mr。　Applegath　and　Mr。　Cowper；　by

Messrs。　Hoe　and　Sons；　of　New　York；　and　still　later　by　the　present

Mr。　Walter　of　The　Times；　which　have　brought　the　art　of　machine

printing　to　an　extraordinary　degree　of　perfection　and　speed。　　But

the　original　merits　of　an　invention　are　not　to　be　determined　by　a

comparison　of　the　first　machine　of　the　kind　ever　made　with　the

last；　after　some　sixty　years'　experience　and　skill　have　been

applied　in　bringing　it　to　perfection。　　Were　the　first　condensing

engine　made　at　Sohonow　to　be　seen　at　the　Museum　in　South

Kensingtonin　like　manner　to　be　compared　with　the　last　improved

pumping…engine　made　yesterday；　even　the　great　James　Watt　might　be

made　out　to　have　been　a　very　poor　contriver。　　It　would　be　much

fairer　to　compare　Koenig's　steam…printing　machine　with　the

hand…press　newspaper　printing　machine　which　it　superseded。　

Though　there　were　steam　engines　before　Watt；　and　steamboats

before　Fulton；　and　steam　locomotives　before　Stephenson；　there

were　no　steam　printing　presses　before　Koenig　with　which　to

compare　them；　Koenig's　was　undoubtedly　the　first；　and　stood

unequalled　and　alone。



The　rest　of　Koenig's　life；　after　he　retired　to　Germany；　was　spent

in　industry；　if　not　in　peace　and　quietness。　　He　could　not　fail　to

be　cast　down　by　the　utter　failure　of　his　English　partnership；　and

the　loss　of　the　fruits　of　his　ingenious　labours。　　But　instead　of

brooding　over　his　troubles；　he　determined　to　break　away　from

them；　and　begin　the　world　anew。　　He　was　only　forty…three　when　he

left　England；　and　he　might　yet　be　able　to　establish　himself

prosperously　in　life。　　He　had　his　own　head　and　hands　to　help　him。



Though　England　was　virtually　closed　against　him；　the　whole

continent　of　Europe　was　open　to　him；　and　presented　a　wide　field

for　the　sale　of　his　printing　machines。



While　residing　in　England；　Koenig　had　received　many

communications　from　influential　printers　in　Germany。　　Johann

Spencer　and　George　Decker　wrote　to　him　in　1815；　asking　for

particulars　about　his　invention；　but　finding　his　machine　too

expensive；＇7＇　the　latter　commissioned　Koenig　to　send　him　a

Stanhope　printing　pressthe　first　ever　introduced　into　Germany

the　price　of　which　was　95L。　　Koenig　did　this　service　for　his

friend；　for　although　he　stood　by　the　superior　merits　of　his　own

invention；　he　was　sufficiently　liberal　to　recognise　the　merits　of

the　inventions　of　others。　　Now　that　he　was　about　to　settle　in

Germany；　he　was　able　to　supply　his　friends　and　patrons　on　the

spot。



The　question　arose；　where　was　he　to　settle？　　He　made　enquiries

about　sites　along　the　Rhine；　the　Neckar；　and　the　Main。　　At　last

he　was　attracted　by　a　specially　interesting　spot　at　Oberzell　on

the　Main；　near　Wurzburg。　　It　was　an　old　disused　convent　of　the

Praemonstratensian　monks。　　The　place　was　conveniently　situated

for　business；　being　nearly　in　the　centre　of　Germany。　　The

Bavarian　Government；　desirous　of　giving　encouragement　to　so

useful　a　genius；　granted　Koenig　the　use　of　the　secularised

monastery　on　easy　terms；　and　there　accordingly　he　began　his

operations　in　the　course　of　the　following　year。　　Bauer　soon

joined　him；　with　an　order　from　Mr。　Walter　for　an　improved　Times

machine；　and　the　two　men　entered　into　a　partnership　which　lasted

for　life。



The　partners　had　at　first　great　difficulties　to　encounter　in

getting　their　establishment　to　work。　　Oberzell　was　a　rural

village；　containing　only　common　labourers；　from　whom　they　had　to

select　their　workmen。　　Every　person　taken　into　the　concern　had　to

be　trained　and　educated　to　mechanical　work　by　the　partners

themselves。　　With　indescribable　patience　they　taught　these

labourers　the　use　of　the　hammer；　the　file；　the　turning…lathe；　and

other　tools；　which　the　greater　number　of　them　had　never　before

seen；　and　of　whose　uses　they　were　entirely　ignorant。　　The

machinery　of　the　workshop　was　got　together　with　equal　difficulty

piece　by　piece；　some　of　the　parts　from　a　great　distance；the

mechanical　arts　being　then　at　a　very　low　ebb　in　Germany；　which

was　still　suffering　from　the　effects　of　the　long　continental　war。