A War Correspondent's Difficulties.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 95, 25 March 1885, Page 2

A War Correspondent's Difficulties.

i^Thef Melbourne \JDaihj ;Teleg>r>a.fh sup r plies the following particulars of the way iv which its' war correspondent managed to get away with the Sydney con-; ;fcihgent: — ;,.:.-. ■■; : ...,..-■ ,-■-,. ■"■■[■ "Aoting on the prinoiple, of a wellknown Scottish proverb, the New South Wales authorities determined to limit-all Press privileges m connection with' the Soudan contingent to the three Sydney dailies. / Any report published by papei-3 .m o£her; Colonies must, theref6re, be the mere transoript.of the accounts -m these "three, favored journals. , And. ,yet. the interest \of the expedition is ' Australian rather' thaiv local, and an independent ' a'tfeount' of the first military expedition which' has sailed frbin Australian : shored was seen at once to be a plain journalise tic necessity. Accordingly, one, at Jeast ol oui* morning contemporaries,, and our-: selves, set to ! work to find a place for ' a representative on board, the ship^. '. The Argus tried hard to send "The Vagab.ood. 1 .wh6 wotilil, nq doubt; biaiVe made an admirable war correspondent. Thai journal, however,' was badly beaten, and ?ave up the fight. For ourselves, all the ordinary expedients were tried ; all that "influence," political and social, Could &b -was'ilone; biit the New „ South Wales aufhorities were inexorable,' and the ships. were barred. "^As ordinary ir^eahs failed, it : only re^ mainßd ; to try extraordinary measures. It^was loundthat by asso.ciating.our rep'rese'htative* Xvitii'a " New" South' 1 Wales " weakly," /he . would get into' sufficient Pi'ess relations with fhe ; troops at. Sunkirn ; but the ships : Were forbidden; and he must get" to Suakiih as best he could. ;It would' have, been, however, a lame business to have parted company with the expedition at Sydney Heads; and. perhaps ha.ye reached - Suakiin after the : fighting waa over; so' the ships ' had yet to be conquered^ .Our representar tive accordingly' vanished' from official gaze as. a reoorter, and reappeared with a fine,! nautical f Ben -Brace' ' aitf, as aU experienced and useful 'hand,' exactly .fitted for rcei-tain important! ! duties' o4 ijn board : the S..S, 1 Ibei^q,,, though what these 'd^liles wei'e it woljld' b*e injudicioufi to speoify. He was at .once shipped and duly signed articles, and clothed With T official authority, weat boldly on board, f "The struggle was hot ended, howlever. After the ships had left the Heads, the following telegram was received from Sydney ;— • Argus acquainted with ar>rangements. Has moved Daliey, who has wired fcq iqterQept ajelven at Ade!laidc.'»- The good offices of. our magnanimous contemporary were' duly appreciated, and a leading member of the New South Wales Cabinet was at once interviewed. • Privately,' the Minister said, 'Il h op»; $fW mm , wiU : wea^ you l^ave dqne the smartest thing m iournalism to gethim on board. . The London Times coiildii'fhaW done it better. But, officially, we're bound to have, him, ashore, 'andAve'll do it !' ■ The threatened wire was duly sent to Adelaide. But the ships are just now steaming up iii Australian Bight, and our correspondent is still on bo^rd. p ■''•'■.; ■. ;