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Leader (1850-1860), 14th October 1854, Edition Country of 2, Page 14, d^jrt^tT ' fCmtTTrfl VEJ/^U VIL/UUiUU.

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      The Avar Among Tub Journals, Sir James G...

      fend him , by pointing out that the Times ought to be the first served , because it sells five times as many copies as all the other morning papers put together—which is not true , which , the Times , in making the assertion , knew was not true , and for making which the editor of the Times is entitled to some of the epithets he levelled lately at the subaltern naval and military officers he found out to be no gentlemen .

      The other journals have other complaints against the Times . It appears that the correspondent sent by the Times to accompany the Eastern expedition , and who has distinguished himself by writing miracles of brilliant narrative , has been favoured by the Government , by the admirals , and by the generals , -with facilities in obtaining precious news denied to the correspondents of the other journals , who frankly seem to admit tliat they have been snubbed in every direction . They represented papers of '

      small circulation—for though the Timesmultiple is false , it does , as a fact , sell somewhat more than all the other morning papers put together- —and they were regarded by the Grorernnieiit , by admirals , and by generals , as persons whose opinions and whose writings were matters of no consequence . The complaints of the humiliated journals have no effect ; the public only laughs at the ludicrous remonstrance of "limited organs attempting tile airs of potent journals ; the Times insults them ; Grorernment pays no attention whatever to them .

      The Times is also at war with the Queen . That journal had ascertained that her M ajesty was about to leave Balmoral for the south , and its editor accordingly wrote an article indignantly inquiring why , when battles were being fought , the first person in the realm was amusing herself at a distance of three hundred aniles from the capital ? The public

      stared at this ; but the public in a few days found that the Qu . een was on her way to [ London , and then the public , winch is understood by its favourite journal , exclaimed , " Ah , see what power the Times has—it controls the Queen ! " The trading object of the acute editor was answered ; and he is indifferent to the natural vexation of the Court

      at being maligned by the imputation of indifference to the fate of our gallant army . This is mot the first time that the English Court has experienced the inconvenience of the existence of a journal circulating " five times as many copies as all the others put together . " The Monarchy is humiliated by the presence in the realm of such a power , purely au individual power , so that perhaps the- Court sympathises with tho subordinate journals-Against all the daily journals—that is to say the « eiyspapers—the' public has a complaint at present . The Government

      papertho JSoctraorcUnary Gazette itself—docs nob escape the consure . There has , during the last tea days , boon , a mania for news : everyone has . been buying papers or trying to buy papers \ and ovoryone has discovered tho singular fact that , notwithstanding our highly civilised state , news is one of tho vory dearest articles , of necessity . Tho Btittlo of Alma was piico Gel . or Gd . at a newsvendcr ' a or a

      railway stall—was price a pint of boor , and an hour ' s loaa of timo txfc a public-house—so that tho poor havo been dobarrod from tho great national news—so that tho rich havo felt that a war coata aovoral shillings n week . Tho Grovonunonfc paper , tho JEMrctordinary Qazotto , appeared , Tby roport , to bo the cheapest journal going , being prico 4 * 1 . ; but whoi'o was it to bo had ? No nowsvoruler

      had over aeon it : no public-houae took it ; anil tho publio improaaioju about it seems i-o bo that it is just as much a mythical

      publication as the Invalide Russe . [ Furthermore , the public has to complain of all the daily journals , that they give bad news and late news . * It was not creditable to our acute editors to have grasped at the story about Sebastopol ; and it is not creditable to them that they depend on Government couriers for reliable news . The three sets of considerations—the quarrels among the journals—the silly impertinence to the Queen—and the dearness and badness of news—seem to suggest that

      it would be better to have no penny stamp on newspapers . The small journals will never get fair treatment from the Government until they cease to be small journals—until they are on some sort of an equality in point of sale with the Times , which would not retain its advantage against penny and twopenny daily papers . The incidents of the week must , surely , have proved to the daily papers that when news is costly only one paper can have a large sale , and that the Times , which by a variety of felicities , has got the greatest reputation , will obtain , this

      sale even though it may not have priority of news , as it has not had except by favour of the Government , it being . only fair to say that the Daily News and the Morning Chronicle have outstripped all the journals of Europe in pursuit of early intelligence during this war . Then the court cannot fail to perceive that it does not consult its interests by allowing the class of Sir James Grahams to continue upon newspapers an impost the effect of which is to institute a monopoly for one journal- —a journal at last so insolent and so secure that it . can fib about its circulation and suggest falsehoods of the Queen . As to- the public , does it not feel , in war time , that cheap news would be a blessing ?

      974 T The Leader. [Saturday,

      974 t THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,

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      < E > ytit Crrotirit

      [Ik This Depabtjiem 1 , As All Opinion's...

      [ IK THIS DEPABTJIEM , AS ALL OPINION'S , IIOIVBVElt KJCTITRME , ARK ALLOWED AN KXritESSION , THE KDITOH KEOKSSAKH . 'V UOLDS HIMSELF RESPONSIBLE FO 11 NONE . 1

      There Is No Learned Man But Will Confess...

      There is no learned man but will confess lie nath much profited by reading controversies , his senses a wakened , and his judgment sharpened . If , then , it be profitable for him to read , why should it not , at least , betolerablefor his adversary to write , —Milton .

      Babel. (J&Rom A Various Correspondence."...

      BABEL . ( j & rom a various Correspondence . ") — A CORUESPOHDENT of the Daily 2 Vews , who is scandalised at the deficiency of cavalry in tho East , points out a resource which is too much forgotten . " Why should wo stint ourselves in cavalry , lie asks , whon we wasto 600 , 000 / . a ~ year upon the bishops ? Ho -would therefore , it seems , confiscate our episcopate fo r the purpose o cavalry ; lie would melt down tlie treasures of the church , and convert them into spurs . Perhaps it is n , moment at which one squadron of cavalry is worth more than that expensive article a bishop . The church is " in danger , "

      then , -with a vengeance . Cannot the bishop 3 find some means of superseding their own peril ? As they do so little for thoir monoy , they might add to their engagements , and even perform the duty for which their confiscation is demanded ? Lot us have a corps of mounted bishops to do cavalry duty in tlio Bast . It has been remarked that tailors always make capital soldiers , as each one feels that ho must do nine times an ordinary soldicr ' a work to prove his virility . Bishops should do no loss . They can hunt ; and , for our part , wo can expect tho cussockod squadron to bo at least aa brilliant in tho Held as it is in tho pulpit .

      — Among Tho Horrors Of Peace, Even In A ...

      — Among tho horrors of peace , even in a war week , let this loo pointed out . All tho bad moat , it eeoma , does not como from Spain . Somo of it conies from Somersetshire , and some from other parta i >( tho United Kingdom [ and " eminent" s » lusmon do not scruple to join in tho fraud . Certainly , to sail

      poisonous offal as " meat" is a fraud of so gross a kind that it approximates to manslaughter . The authorities in London have their eye on . the offenders - but they have not yet hit upon an . effectual penalty ; ' for the offence is repeated . Let us suggest one punishment , double-edged , and killing two birds with one stone—of beef . There are places which live by corruption—here is their food : let all such nes"ts of corrupt voters have such butchers and salesmen for their purveyors ; and on the other hand , for the punishment of salesmen and butchers dealing in corrupt meat , let them be formed into a distinct

      electoral body , with Flewker and Trail for returning officers , and -with " W . B . " and Mir . Stafford for their perpetual representatives , under a conge" delire nominating those candidates , until their right of election shall be superseded by the proofs that others are better qualified .

      — Connect This News With The Extra Ordin...

      — Connect this news with the Extra ordinary Gazettes— -which now has an extraordinary editor . In all classes of occupation there are posts which demand experience , responsibility , and tact , without great exertion . The editorship of the London Gazette was just such a post . Properly high in emoluments , yet not . needing great labour , in one sense it is a sinecure ; yet it is not so in a derogatory sense .

      Hence it was exactly the place of retreat for a literary man , efficient still , but past the days of exertion , —able yet not fortunate , and ; not young enough to recommence life . There are such men ; and Charles Knight , with his active eye , Ins practical experience in editing and printing , and his encyclopaedical knowledge , was precisely the man . Yet he is passed over , and the fortunate man is one whose name is as unknown to literature as it is to the public .

      — It -Would Amuse Lord Raglan To Be Pres...

      — It -would amuse Lord Raglan to be present , unseen , for half an hour in the leading-rooms of the West-end Clubs . It is about " 2 o ' clock , p . m . ; the second editions have just arrived ; and happy is the man who has laid a successful ambush for the waiter as he brings in his precious load . A few minutes , however , and the news has become public property . Groups are collected here and there , discussing the

      battle of -the Alma . Men who never saw a shot dared in anger , whose lives have been spent on Change , or in the centre of political struggles , declaiming , with the authority of veterans on the merits or demerits of iny Lord Raglan . Some greybeard millionaire , less confident than the rest , suggests a difficulty . What an opportunity is this ! Look at that would-be general ! How Ms eye glistens and his cheek burns with emotion as ho

      explains to his inquiring friend the reasons which dictated tho plan of the campaign ! " Nothing of the kind , Sir . Let me explain the matter in lialf a dozen words . Can ' t you understand that if Kuglan had not anticipated the crisis of the day , the battle would infallibly have been lost . Here wore the Russians , thero tho English , there tho Ifrench—and , in short —what was , was best . " To speak the truth , it is strange to find , all on a

      sudden , that we are a nation of warriors . Why you may hoar young and old alilco , qritioising with marvellous audacity , tho conduct of our greatest generals . One man lays down tho plan of tho campaign ; another risks five pounds on the chunco of Sebastopol being taken after his fashion ; a third knows everything that passes in tho snind of Lord Raglan—and , in a word , tho nation of shopkeepers is a nation of soldiers .

      — Tho Fat Agriculturists Of Leiuestersii...

      — Tho fat agriculturists of Leiuestersiiiro and \> arwiukshiro assort their right to have wives who can play upon tho piano . Why not ? The agric ulturists are submitting themselves to tho softening pweuas of education , and are gradually appreciating tho steamengine , subsoils , sulphates , and guano ; why , i'icn > whould not thoir better halves ducomto tho I ' liiiiiliur duties of the farm with homo ilowors of accomplio ' " inant ? It is true that many morehiuals and umnufaeturors havo wives who don ' t know n minim l ' rom a crotchet—or at least havo forgotten—but thitt 1 « no reason why I'hillis should bo denied hor niusicmastor . la not tho country musical ? Apollo pip ^ to the nymphs . Was not tho inventor of tho I '" "

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 14, 1854, page 14, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_14101854/page/14/