WAR CORRESPONDENTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1610, 29 November 1912, Page 5

WAR CORRESPONDENTS.

AS OLD 'AS AGINCOURT. The war correspondents at the variUflfl "fronts" in the Balkans'are already boginning to feol tho pressure of the elaborate arrangements made by the authorities for keeping them in order; and it may \ be that, when it comes to great fighting, their letters will prove . much more informing than their telegrams (observes.the "Westminster Gazette"- in an interesting note on the origin of war correspondents). It would bo interesting, however, to know —what we never shall be made acquainted with—the regulations affectius. the earliest regular war correspondents of all. The transmission of dispatches. intended for popular distribution is at least as old, in our own history, as tho account of tho battle of Agincoiirt circulated on behalf of Henry V; but it is to tho Civil War that we must first look for a definite news--' gatherer, even though he was an-official.' This was "Master Bedford, Seoiit-master-Gonerol to the Committee of both Kingdomes" ; and this worthy had assistants— formally termed "messengors"—at the various centres of the Parliamentarian campaign against Charles 1.. It was their duty to send to tho House of Commons detailed accounts—and some of these were' very-graphic—of tho progress of the fighting, and Parliament promptly published them in tho then accustomed "newsbook" form. On critical occasions a "messenger" wonld hurry back to Westminster from tho front, to bo asked by Mr. Speaker (beforo tho House) what he had to say conoerning the Army, and where he left them, on which invitation be would launch forth his narrative, ready for immediate print. And one of these "messengers,)' to his imperishable"fame, was none other than John Rushworth, 0{ tho "Hirtorioal Collooticma.". ■,