CATALOGUES, STATISTICS OF HUNTING, &c.
145
Comparative Power of Production of lland-Presses and Steam-Machines. —Comparing thopress tuul tlie cylinder machine, tho size of the paper and the quality of tho work being thosame, tho pross will produce 1,250 copies and the machine 7,000 in the day, at about tho samecost for labour ; and comparing tho pross with tho platten machine, the press will yield 1,000copies, and tho machine 4,000, at tho same cost; the quality of tho work always being in favourof the press.
This high rate of production, however, is only attainable whore tho number of copies requiredis largo: where tho numbers to be printed do not excood 2,000, not more than one-half thesoquantities can bo obtained on the average; and when less than 2,000 little advantage is gainedby using tho steam-macliino.
Tlie machines, however, have an advantage ovor the pross in size, which doubles, and in tholarger machines, trebles tho quantity produced ; while tho press can only print 8 pagesof tho Catalogue at each impression, some of tho machines printed 48 pages at oneoperation.
Taking tho small Official Catalogue as an examplo:—290,000 complete copies wore printedat 15 cylinder machines, in 42 days ; it would have required 47 haud-pressos 97 days to havoproduced tho same result ; or, while 15 machines, with 15 men and 30 boys, produced 7,000copies of the Catalogue daily, 47 presses, and 94 men, could havo produced but 3000.
Tho following Table exhibits tho division of labour, and tho Number of Persons actuallyengaged on tho Catalogue during tho week ending May 3,1851, day and night; also tho AverageNumber of Persons employed from the opening to tho close of tho Exhibition:—.
Day.
Night.
tft
O
Average No. of PersonsEmployed from Feb. 15 toOct. 18, 1851.
Men.
Boys.
Men.
Hoys.
Men.
Boys.
Days.
Nights.
Compositors
74
w
60
_
3
44
_
2l6
37
Headers
6
6
5
5
3
4
4
216
37
Proof-pullers
3
3
-
3
4
215
37
Pressmen -
24
-
24
-
3
28
-
174
23
Machine-men
17
38
17
38
3
17
38
44
5
Wetters of Paper
6
-
6
5
2
-
216
3°
Warehouse -
2
6
3
6
3
3
8
216
2
132
5 °
118
49 .
102
5 °
182
l67
152
Tho Total Number of Persons employed in tho Sale of the Catalogues, &c., in tho ExhibitionBuilding, from May 1 to October 18, 1851, was 10 ; at the City Offices 0 ; Total 22.
Printing Ini'.-— Tho cost of this article forms no inconsiderable item in the expense ofprinting. Tho ink used for tho Catalogues was manufactured by Messrs. IShaokell andEdwards ; tho quantity required for tho Small Catalogue amounting to nearly 4,000 lbs.; fortho Illustrated Catalogue about 400 lbs.; and tho entiro quantity consumed on all tho worksprinted for tho Exhibition not loss than 6,000 lbs. Tho ink for tho Illustrated Catalogue is afine specimen of black, made purposely for tho printing of wood engravings. Printing inkvaries much in price, according to tho quality: that used for tho Illustrated Catalogue isnearly four times tho cost of tho ink used for tho Small Catalogue ; but as a loss quantity oftho finor description is necessary to covor tho same amount of surface, tho comparativeincrease of price is somewhat reduced.
Engraving. —Three classes of artists aro necessary for tho production of an engraving—thodesigner ; tho artist who transfers tho original drawing to the wood-block ; and tho actualengraver. Tho designer is usually considered tho superior artist, although tho elaborateworkmanship exhibited on somo of tho engravings in tho Illustrated Catalogue would makothis point somewhat doubtful: two, three, and oven four weeks having been occupied on asingle illustration. Engraving is a profession followed by both sexes: many engravers aroalso designers ; and where this is the ease, the highest point of excellence exhibits itself intheir productions.
Upwards of six thousand pounds havo been expended on this department: it would bodifficult to form moro than an approximate ostimato of tho number of persons engaged, butas a Supplementary Voluino is in the course of preparation,—probably not loss than 200,from the commencement of 1851 to tho present timo.