Note 29 — HISTORY OF TELEGRAPHS, (continued 2)
Reading edition
A day’s work of a fair compositor in setting up type is 6,000 ems, equivalent to 12,000 pieces, in ten hours, or 20 pieces per minute. A very quick and expert compositor may set up 10,000 in the same time, equal to 20,000 pieces, or 33⅓ pieces per minute. One em is equivalent to about two pieces.