Writing-paper is dipped, five or six sheets together, into a tub of size, and afterwards pressed to force out the superfluity. It is then hung up again in the drying-room. Printing paper is sized in the stuff. Every sheet is now examined, imperfections re moved, and bad sheets taken out. A large pile of paper is then made, and pressed with great force, to render the sheets quite flat and smooth.. The piii+ is then taken down, sheet by sheet, and another made, by which new surfaces are brought in contact with each other, and the pile again pressed strongly. This operation, which is called parting, is done two or three times for the best papers. The paper is now counted into quires, folded, and packed up into reams.
Various wire-marks, or water-marks, as they are called, were formerly applied to paper to distinguish it. Hand-made paper is now commonly marked with the name of the maker, and the date of the year when it was made.
The paper making machine, invented by Pourdrinier, and improved by Dickinson and others, is a very beautiful combination of mechanism. The pulp is first made to flow from the vat upon a wire frame or sifter, which moves rapidly up an41 down so as to force the fine filaments of pulp through the wire whilst it retains any knots and lumps. The pulp then flows over a ledge in a regular and even stream, and is received upon an endless web of wire gauze, which presents a surface of five or six feet long. The wire web moves forward with a motion so regulated as to determine the thickness of the paper ; at the same time a lateral motion is given to the wire web, which assists to spread the pulp evenly, and also to facilitate the separa tion of the water ; by which means the pulp solidifies as it advances, and is at the same time prevented from flowing over the sides by straps which regulate the width of the paper. Before the thickened pulp leaves the wire web, it is pressed by a roller covered with felt, and is then taken up by an endless web of felt which forms an inclined plane ; the web absorbs a further portion of the moisture. The pulp is now seized by a pair of rollers, between which it is pressed, and then it passes upon another inclined plane of felt, which conducts it to another pair of pressing rollers. The pulp is now paper, and only requires to be made dry and smooth. To effect these objects the machinery conducts it over the polished surface of a large cylinder heated by steam ; from this cylinder it passes to a second, larger and hotter ; and then to a third, which is still hotter than the second. After
this it is subjected to the pressure of a wool len cloth, which confines it on one side while the cylinder smooths it on the other. It is then conducted by another roller to a reel, on which it is wound, perfectly dry and smooth, and ready to be cut into sheets for use. In two or three minutes the pulp, which is intro duced upon the wire web at one extremity of the machine, is delivered at the other in the state of perfect paper. In many of the paper machines, a partial vacuum is produced under the endless wire web by,means of large air putnps or of revolving fans ; and the atmos phere is thus made to press upon the pulp, whereby the moisture, is forced through the wire.
Machines for cutting paper into sheets of my required size have been invented, in many varieties : they are separate from the paper nailing machine, and are beautiful contri vances. One recently introduced by Messrs.
. icletcalf, and called the Indus ai Cutting Machine, has a sharp blade which works horiZontal table. One 'end , of the blade is connected With a lever moved and as the wheels revolve, the blade is bfronight clown Withcutting action. The Machine May be woriced either. by steam Or by hand power ; and it 'is calculated not only for paper inalierS, but, for all trades in which papers or 'pasteboard have to be cut.
In respect to commercial and fiscal regula tions, the paper trade is now deservedly attracting public attention, with a view to the removal of a duty which is found not only to be financially oppressive, bift to be hurtful in a literary point Of view. The publisherthe present work, and other publishers con cerned in the issue Of low-Priced but carefully prepared publications, have sliewn that a pre mium is paid to inferior literature, to literary garbage,' by the 'existing duty 'on paper; and that Many well not profitable works would have yielde a sufficient Profit had not this duly exerted its repressing infin ence.
, The quantity of paper 'charged with excise duty in the United Kingdoni in the last three years was ; 1818 121,826,229 lbi.
1849 - 132,182,900 1850 141,012,17i The quantities exported to foreign eountiieS ivere AS followS : i848 tbs.
1849 908,319 1850 7,781,53d In other words, our exports of paper amount to only four or five per Cent of 'our mintifae ture.