AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 145, 14 May 1879, Page 3

AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS.

By a book just published in America, entitled, ££ America and the American,” ■we learn the-following facts concerning 'the New York newspapers:— ;i The £ New York Herald’ was yfounded thirty years ago by Mr, James Gordon Bennett. The circa! tion is now about 70,000 copies a day. Each issue is composed, according to circumstances, of eight, sixteen, nr twenty-four pages. Its size of sheet is about a quarter larger than the London ‘Times.’ As in America very small typo is used, a great deal of nows, articles, and advertisements can be crowded into a heavy number of the £ Yew York Herald.’ To speak only of the advertisements, the •average in this paper is about twentyeight columns a day, and that during the dull season. When business increases, the number of advertisement columns often readies sixty. The price for an insertion varies between 2s. and Is. a line. The publicity, information, and circulation of the ‘ New York Herald’ make it the leading paper of the United States. No one can have an idea of the large staff which is engaged in the administration of a paper of this importance. Seven tj 7 compositors, 20 men for the machines, 20 in the offices, and a legion of boys. These are for the purely manual work, without reckoning porters and salesmen. The ‘ New York Herald’ lias naturally a numerous editorial staff, distributed throughout all quarters of the globe. Amongst the oldest of its writers we may mention Mr Cooney, a musical critic of talent. The most interesting personage of the paper is the director and proprietor, Mr Bennett, jun., son of James Gordon Bennett. This journal produces for its proprietor an income of LBO,OOO a year, a result which, it need hardly be said, speaks well for the high ability of its former proprietor. Mr Bennett, jnn.,is thirty years of ago, and a perfect gentleman. He commands an army of faithful correspondents, brave and devoted men, who arc always ready at the smallest sign to start for the other end of the world. He possesses all over the globe as many correspondents as a great Power has consuls, and the telegrams be sends, and receives number over a thousand a day. By these moans no important event can happen in any part of the world without its being a few hours afterwards chronicled in bis paper. ££ It was Mr. Bennct who threw a million of francs to the winds to discover news of the unfortunate Livingstone, and we all remember the sympathetic which accompanied his reporter, Mr. Stanley, who, sent out with a hundred others, had the good fortune to arcjvc first. This remarkable aptitude to place his business in the proper train helps every day to solidify and augment the reputation of his paper. In the midst of his large and absorbing business, however, Mr. Bennett finds time for hours of pleasure. He loves Paris dearly, and speaks French as well as any native on the Boulevard de la Mad-dcinc. One day ho took it into his head to cross the Atlantic to England in a yacht. This peculiar fancy made a great sensation at the time, and produced many imitators. Two other yachts, indeed, left America

I at tiie same time, bat the hero of the • Herald’ arrived first. On one of his estates he has a model stud, and he : often g!ves jrces, to which arc invited 1 the best, riders in the Slates, the master !of the house finding the horses. Add to this a man of perfectly good taste, and you will have some idea ot one ot the most interesting individuals of the New World, “ After the 1 New York Herald’ comes the ‘ New York Times.’ It has 40,000 subscribers. Its opinions and its literary excellence have given it the greatest influence with the public. It was founded by Messrs. Raymond Jones, and Wesley. Mr. Raymond, a distinguished statesman, held the editorship until his death. Mr Jennings, of the London ‘ Times,’ succeeded him. The actual principal proprietor is now Mr. Jones, who wields an enormous influence. He firmly maintains the exalted tradi- ■ tions of the house, and the paper is celebrated amongst all the Americanjournals for the purity and elegance of its style. The £ New York Times’ is printed by Walter Presses, by which two men can throw off from 15,000 to 17,000 an hour. “ The £ New York Tribune’ was founded by Mr. Horace Greeley, the philantrophist, eminent journalist, and one of the most determined enemies of slavery. A candidate for the Presidency in 1872 Mr. Greeley was unhappily defeated. He died of grief ou account of his check. The ‘ Tribune’ is really a tribune open to the apostles of new theories. At the present time it is engaged in a vigorous campaign in favour of the rights of women. Always well edited, this paper has lost some of its influence since it became the property of Mr. Jay Gould, the old associate of Colonel Fisk “ The • World,’ the Democratic organ, has a circulation of from 12,000 to 15,000, and its editor is Mr. Hurlbut, a most accomplished man, and a writer of merit, but he is considered to be rather volatile in his political opinions. “ The £ Sun’ has a specialty for small news and social scandals. It is sold at a penny, and its circulation is 120,000. “ Now we come to the evening papers. The ‘ Evening Post’ was at one time edited by Mr. William Culien Bryant, . the great American poet. In opinion it is Republican, and its circulation is considerable. “ The £ Advertiser Evening Telegram is distinguished from all other papers, in that it is continually publishing new editions. It is always in composition, always on the press, always on sale. As soon* as fresh news arrives another edition is brought out, and news is constantly arriving every hour of the day. The ‘ New York Herald’ publishes this flying sheet. £l Besides these papers should he mentioned the Associated Press, which is a society of reporters, like the European Reuter, or the Central News Association in London. These gentlemen, who number about forty for each paper, have to contribute accounts of crimes, accidents, etc. They wait at the Central Police Office, and are in communication by telegraph with all the stations, so that events may be reported without delay. Two or three of them are told off' to report the proceedings in the law courts. Fifteen or so arc kept day and night at the newspaper offices, and are sent to different quarters of the city by the managers of the papers. They know all family faces, and are expert in telegraphy. By the aid of telegraphic apparatus they can give an account of events which happen a thousand miles away, and it arrives with such celerity that the paper can have five or six columns in small type next morning on the speech, the crime, or the accident which is thus reported.”