Making Paper Was Discovered By Whom?

When we tear a piece of paper first in one direction and then across; it is noticed that in one direction it tore more easily than in the other. We see hair like fibres stick out from the edges of the tear.

It shows that paper is machine made. Otherwise it would tear the same way in all directions. Secondly, it shows that paper is a mat of tiny fibres, felted together. These fibres are the small particles of cellulose that help to form the frame worn of plants.

Before the mention of paper, the writing material had been created by man. About 4000 years ago, the ancient Egypt took the stems of the papyrus plant and peeled them apart and flattened them. Then those were laid in cross direction, pressed down to stick together. Then these were allowed to dry and thus the papyrus sheet could be written on.

This was not paper; it was invented in China around the year 105 by a man named Ts’aiLun. He devised the method of making paper from the inner bark of mulberry tree.

The Chinese used to pound the bark in water for separating the fibres. They poured the soup mixture on to a tray with a bottom of thin bamboo sticks. The water drained away and the soft mat was laid on a smooth surface to dry. Bamboo and old rags were used. Later on, some one thought to improve the quality by brushing starch on it.

Chinese traders travelled far to the west and came to the of Samarkand in Russia. There the Arabs met them., learned the secret and took it to Spain and further to Europe and to England.

Improved methods and machines for making paper were discovered. An important machine was developed in the year 1798 in France, that could make a continuous sheet or web of paper.