Page:The Library, volume 5, series 3.djvu/46

34 BIRTH OF PRINTING In January, 1799, a master printer, in the person of Harry Harwood Smith, arrived in the Colony. He was armed with a letter of introduction to Earl Macartney, setting forth his qualifications as a printer, but was given an appointment as clerk and examiner in the office of the Secretary to the Government. In a memorial of 2ist April, 1800, Smith states that since his appointment fifteen months before he had been assisting in the printing of all proclamations and papers required in the Secretary's office. He had received a great part of his printing materials, and in a short time he was expecting to receive the remainder with a complete printing press. He proposed to confine himself to printing such public papers as were required by the departments of Government notices and catalogues of sales, and things of a similar and mercantile tendency. He prayed to be allowed to follow his profession as a printer. The Government replied that the application would be considered, but nothing was in the mean- time to .be printed nor the press to be used except for the service of Government. It now becomes necessary to enquire on what press Smith was assisting to print proclamations and public papers in 1799. There is no record of the importation of any press but Ritter's prior to this date. In the Cape Archives there is preserved a military proclamation in Dutch and English signed by Major-General Dundas, Commander-in- Chief at the Cape, and dated 26th February, 1799. It would seem likely that this proclamation was printed on Ritter's press. From January, 1800,