surface 8 the moisture content of each section of the paper surface corresponding to each chamber 32 of the steambox 10 in the cross direction may be controlled by supplying the appropriate amount of steam through the valves 42 note however that it does not necessarily follow that when different amounts of steam are supplied to the different chambers and hence to different sections of the paper surface the moisture profile in the cross direction will not be uniform in a situation where a uniform moisture profile in the cross direction is desired it may be necessary to discharge different amounts of steam through each valve 42 in order to compensate for other variables in the papermaking system it is apparent that by increasing the number of chambers 32 and associated steam valves 42 that is increasing the number of corresponding sections of the paper surface in the cross direction by decreasing the size of each chamber 32 the resolution of the control of the moisture profile may be improved as shown in fig1 a computer 18 may be employed to maintain a uniform moisture content or a predetermined moisture content in the paper sheet 8 by controlling the valves.