Abstract: In order to effect an optimum control of the rate of supply of dampening water to the surface of a plate carried by a plate cylinder of a printing machine, particularly an offset press, the amount of dampening water on the surface of the plate or the surface of a roller through which the dampening water is supplied to the plate or the surface of an additional roller contacting with the water supplying roller is measured optically. The measurement is conducted by applying parallel rays of light to the objective surface at a predetermined angle of incidence, and measuring the intensity of the mirror-reflected light reflected by the surface at the same angle as the incident light. By measuring the mirror-reflected light insteadly of diffused light, it becomes possible to enhance the accuracy of the measurement and to widen the range of measurement.