Originally published in Bradshaw's Manchester Journal (Bradshaw & Blacklock) vol.1 #8 (19 Jun 1841).
The subjoined statement from the 12th Number of "Savage's Dictionary of Printing," a work now in course of publication in cheap monthly numbers, may give our readers some faint idea of the modus operandi of the first Newspaper Establishment in the world. It will be seen that the most complete organization prevails throughout, without which it is impossible that the concern could be worked in a manner so productive of public convenience and benefit as it undoubtedly is.
"The printing of Daily Newspapers, in the Metropolis, is a distinct branch from that of printing books and jobs, and is governed by different rules and regulations, so as to require a separate account of the process. The routine of business is uniform and regular, without that variety which occurs in a book-house. The qualifications requisite for a compositor on a Newspaper are—punctuality, quickness in composing, and clean proofs, so that no delay may take place from the deficiency of any one individual. As The Times Newspaper is one of the largest daily papers in Europe, and as it is printed in a smaller type, and contains more matter than any other, it consequently requires and employs more people to prepare it for publication; and, as it is generally acknowledged to be one of the best conducted papers for the arrangement of its matter, and the punctuality of its publication, I have selected it, to give as a specimen of the manner of printing a daily morning newspaper in London. The compositors employed to compose this great mass of intelligence, day by day, and every day throughout the year, Saturday excepted, there being no publication on Sunday, are seventy-five, who are divided into two classes, viz.:—the night or news hands, and the advertisement hands. The first-class consists of thirty-nine, who are divided thus:—Full hands, fourteen; Supernumeraries, ten; Assistants, fifteen; to these may be added ten 'Outsiders,' who fill the frames of absentees, in cases of sickness, or from other causes. They are not considered as belonging to the establishment, inasmuch as they hold no situation, and are, consequently, dependent upon the workmen. The advertisement department consists of thirty-six hands. As it is desirable not to have to distribute letter (type) after copy is taken, the compositors usually put their letter in after all the composing is completed, or take the opportunity, when waiting for copy, to be ready for the evening; or else they attend sooner in the afternoon than the usual hour, for that purpose. The full hands take copy at six o'clock in the evening precisely, and go on, without regard to the old rule of first work and finish, and the day's work is considered to be completed at the expiration of eleven hours—five o'clock in the morning. If engaged after that time, all hands are paid by the hour, the printer never availing himself of the choice of beginning an hour later, on account of the lateness of the preceding morning. The full hands are expected to compose two galleys each per night, and all over lines are paid for extra, even though they are composed within the time prescribed by the rules laid down for the guidance of compositors. The supernumeraries are expected to compose one galley each per night, and all over lines are paid for extra, the same as with the full hands.
"The full hands have each three pairs of cases—Nonpareil, Minion, and Bourgeois; (the technical names of different sizes of type) and, as the most advantageous matter is generally set up in the smaller type, they claim the benefit of it, as an equivalent for the labour of putting the forms to the machine. The supernumeraries and assistants take copy at seven o'clock in the evening, and continue to work till all is composed; and, should there be any standing still for want of copy, they are allowed at the rate of a quarter of a galley per hour, for all the time they may have lost during the night. The assistants have no stated salary, but are paid by the galley, and share the same advantages as the supernumeraries, no distinction being made in the giving out of the copy. The compositors in the news department have the privilege of composing a considerable quantity of extra or 'back' matter, to enable the printer to have, at all times, a resource in case of accident. This extra copy is given out, and divided into half galley shares, and taken in rotation, thus preventing monopoly or favouritism. As there is an immense quantity of letter in use, the division of which, for distribution, would occasion loss of time, and frequent disputes, the companionship (or club) pay a man to lay up the forms, mark the letter off for each individual, and distribute the useless heads. He is also answerable for the clearance of the boards.
"Each compositor has a number attached to his frame; and, when he takes copy, his number is placed on the back of the copy, so that each man's matter is immediately identified; and, in case of a foul proof, or an out (words or lines omitted) that will occasion much trouble, it is immediately handed to him who composed it, without further inquiry, which prevents exposure and annoyance to the individual. The copy is also marked with progressive numbers, which prevents confusion, by enabling the compositor to know, with certainty, whom he follows in his composing, and to empty his stick in the proper galley, so as to join the preceding matter. As the matter is composed, it is taken, a galley at a time, by the printer, and made up into columns; a proof of the column is then pulled upon the galley, by one of the compositors, who all take it in turn; it is then given to the reader; after being attentively read and corrected, it is returned to the compositors, to make the corrections, who take it in turn, two and two; the column is divided into four, the first compositor takes the first and third parts, and the second takes the second and fourth parts; and he who, is the last in making his corrections pulls a second proof, which is carefully revised, and when the revise is corrected, the matter is ready for the paper. It thus goes on, column after column, till the whole paper is composed. When it often occurs, that the arrival of foreign intelligence increases the quantity considerably, matter of less immediate interest is, in this instance, taken away, and kept as back matter, for a future day, to make room for the latest intelligence. If the first compositor has six or more lines to compose of copy that he has on hand, he must give it up, and begin to correct immediately; but, if he has less than six lines of copy in hand, he finishes it before he commences correcting; this regulation is adopted to prevent any interruption or delay in the progress of getting the paper out. The full hands take it in turn to correct the revises, lock-up the forms, and take them to the machines to be worked off. The advertisement department is not regulated after the same manner as the news department, there being no distinction of grades, nor any fixed salaries, nor is there any precise time of commencing work, the uncertainty as to the time of advertisements being received at the office rendering it an impossibility to appoint any regular hour for beginning. The compositors are paid by the galley, not according to the scale of prices fixed for morning papers, but more after the scale of evening papers. The method adopted in this part of the establishment in taking copy is the same as in other offices, the first out of copy taking first, and so on; and as the compositors come out of copy, their numbers are placed on a slate, which prevents disputes or confusion. The compositor marks his copy, by putting his initials at the back of it; so that, if any gross error be committed, and remain uncorrected, a wrong number in a reference, for instance, it can be immediately ascertained who composed it; and either the reader or the compositor is held responsible for the advertisement duty, the proof deciding which is to pay the fine for negligence. The salary of a full hand is £2 8s. per week, but the average earnings are £3 12s. 6d.; the salary of a supernumagary is £1 3s. per week, and the average earnings are £3; it often happens that much higher bills are written, but the above may be taken as a fair average. The whole establishment of The Times Newspaper, including editors, reporters, compositors, readers, engineer, overseers of the machines, persons to lay on and to take off, clerks, &c., consists of one hundred and thirty-seven persons."