f The Times having
made that his task, the public are aware that it is in good hands."

One would think that Koenig would now feel himself in smooth water, and
receive a share of the good fortune which he had so laboriously
prepared for others. Nothing of the kind! His merits were disputed;
his rights were denied; his patents were infringed; and he never
received any solid advantages for his invention, until he left the
country and took refuge in Germany. It is true, he remained for a few
years longer, in charge of the manufactory in Whitecross Street, but
they were years to him of trouble and sorrow.

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 1818, 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-printin