CHAPTER XXX. NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS. We could not reside so long in England without learning the great importance that is attached by English people to their newspapers. We believe to very many, it is the greatest pleasure they have in life to get the newspaper at their breakfast in the morning, and it is laughable to see how immediately readers of a certain class, adopt the opinions of the daily paper they take. "The Times says there must be war with America, and I'm sure its true," says one. "Why the Chronicle says, that it is not the report of congress, but only of a private committee, and we shall have no war depend upon it," replies his friend. "Look what the Times pays for its foreign expresses," says one." I don't believe one word that the Times says," replies his friend; and thus it is, that many confirmed political men act, and put full faith and confidence in their respective papers, and to enter a news-room where a number of newspapers of different sides of politics, are lying on the table, is to us (who of course have no politics at all) most amusing; and to read the account of the same meeting described in papers of opposite politics; they are so completely at variance with each other; the speakers on their side of the question, were listened to with profound attention; their party had by far the largest number present. When the other paper states, the speakers on the opposite side were inaudible, and the assemblage very thin, and so on,-so much for where party leads them. But as journals of historical facts, as furnishing daily information of whatever is going on in the world, nothing is to be compared with an English newspaper. And the enormous expense of conducting a leading daily paper, is such a sum that would scarcely be credited. In the first instance, to commence a morning paper of importance, to compete with the Times, a capital of upwards of £50,000. is required to be invested; and as it is always a hazardous affair, it is generally managed by a few associated proprietors, and whenever any very strong new political question is before the public, all the proprietors are called together, and it is by them decided which side of the question their paper is to take, or to use their own form of words, whether they are to write it up or to write it down. This may account for the change which some of the daily papers have made in their politics, and after a little while changed back again. This line of conduct only proves how improper it is for any one to allow the leading article of any newspaper to actuate them in their movements upon any matter, and we cannot imagine what sort of people they can be who write upon both sides of a question, as it is evident that only one must be approved and dictated by their conscience; the other therefore must be directly against their will and intentions. It is a matter of regret, that the public mind should be excited daily with strong and inflammatory language, and with subtile reasoning, and we cannot help remarking, that men who have been blessed by Providence with such superior abilities as the editors of the newspapers are, should pursue such a course. To them many paths to fame are open, and were they only to write what they really do think to be right, their observations would be extremely useful, and instructive to the public, but by such narrow minded proceedings, they forfeit public confidence, and make use of the best of their language and ability, in reviling and finding fault with their fellow brethren, We saw an article in Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, of the Year 1835, (No. 153), in which was the current expenses of a daily morning newspaper, and as they pledge themselves to its being true, we borrow their calculation. They state there is an editor, a sub-editor, and upon some papers a city editor. From ten to fourteen regular reporters with salaries; thirty to thirty-five compositors (who set up the type for printing); two readers, two reading boys, who read the copy aloud whilst the others correct the proofs; a master printer, or foreman, machine men and boys, a publisher, and sometimes a sub-publisher, office clerks, to receive advertisements and keep accounts, a porter, errand boys, casual servants, But the actual nature of the expenditure will be best seen by the following statement drawn up by a gentleman formerly connected with the London newspaper press, and whose report may therefore be reckoned pretty accurate. gives the following as a fair estimate :— Principal Editor Per Week. He Per Year. £1092 0 0 There is reason to believe that this is considered much under the actual outlay of the Times Newspaper: provided a paper depended upon the sale of its newspapers only, it would lose a very considerable sum of money every year. But when a paper has the credit of having a large circulation, a great number of persons advertise therein; and it is these advertisements that repay for the capital and the annual outlay upon these papers, as large sums are paid for inserting these advertisements. The expense of carrying on an evening paper is not half so much as that of a morning paper, as there is no necessity of employing parliamentary reporters, they taking the reports from the morning papers; and, generally speaking, the evening newspaper is not half the size of the morning ones: consequently they do not expend nearly so |