A BI-CENTENARY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 90, 10 January 1935, Page 10

A BI-CENTENARY

World’s Oldest Shipping Newspaper

A WONDERFUL RECORD

In the course of the last year, “Lloyd’s List” completed 200 years of continuous publication. It made its first appearance, from Lloyd’s Coffee House in Lombard Street, during the year 1734. The exact date is unknown, for the files, from 1734 to 1740 inclusive were burnt in the tire which destroyed the second Royal Exchange in 1838. and no copy of the paper earlier than No. 560, dated January 2, 1740 (1741 by modern reckoning) is known to exist, but from calculations based on the numbering and known days of publication it is certain that the first issue was made in 1734, and almost certainly in the spring of that year.

London’s Oldest. There is in London no other newspaper, except the "London Gazette” (whieli is published only twice weekly), having so long a record of publication, the next oldest London newspaper having been founded in 1760, and there appear to be in the United Kingdom only four daily papers which were founded prior to "Lloyd’s List.” Only one of these still retains its original title, and that one discontinued publication from 1755 to 1757. “Lloyd’s List,” which was at first published weekly, and afterward twice weekly, has been a daily paper since 1837 —the year of Queen Victoria’s accession. In spite of the widespread impression to the contrary, the founder of “Lloyd's List” was not Edward Lloyd, the original proprietor of Lloyd’s Coffee House. Lloyd was the founder of "Lloyd’s News,” a sheet which had a life of about five months in 1696-7, but that was not a specialised shipping paper and bore no resemblance to the “Lloyd’s List” which made its appearance 21 years after Edward Lloyd’s death, and while the Coffee House was possibly under the mastership cf Richard Baker, though his predecessor, Thomas Jenison, who died in February, 1734, should probably be credited with the planning of the venture. “Lloyd’s List” is to-day a great newspaper, but its title is still a reminder that it might be described, like a pamphlet of 1750 as “printed for Lloyd, well-known for obliging the public with the freshest and most authentic ship news.” To commemorate the 200th year of its existence a handsome 48page illustrated bi-centenary booklet, entitled “Lloyd’s List and Shipping Gazette, 1734-1934” has been issued. The motive of the paper is well told by Mr. C. Ernest Feayle and “Some Great Events” chronicled by the paper is the title of an interesting article by Mr. D. E. W. Gibb, who tells us that the editor at the time of the Napoleonic wars “exercised the severest economy of words.” The report of the battle of Trafalgar, for example, was given in 250 words, of which ten recorded’ the death of Nelson. The arrival of the first steamer to cross the Atlantic—(lie Savannah iu 1819 —was merely recorded in the list of arrivals. The booklet is beautifully printed and well illustrated, a reproduction of the earliest copy of “Lloyd's List” known to exist, No. 560, of January 2, 1740, being of great interest. Another Centenary. A few weeks ago saw the centenary of the reconstitution of Lloyd’s Register of Shipping and the occurrence in one year of two similar anniversaries has created some confusion in certain quarters. Lloyd's Register, which is a massive annual publication recording the structural details and fitness of ships, took its rise in Lloyd’s Coffee House in 1760, but in 1834 the Registry became an independent Classification Society, with its own management (on which Lloyd’s, the parent corporation, has a substantial representation), staff and offices, now situated at 71 Fenchureh Street. London. “Lloyd’s List” has, on the other hand, remained throughout the 200 years since it was founded, an integral part of the organisation of Lloyd's; is still produced by the corporation. and is edited and printed in, and published from, Leadenhall Street, which was opened by the King in 1928.