To the Editor of the "Norra-Cuina Dairy News."
Sin,—My attention has been challenged by the use of the "historic present" in the Municipal Gazette, noticeably in the Minutes of the Meetings of the Land Com mission and the "adjournments" of certain of the Committees, to which latter, since no transactions are recorded, the word ''minutes" cannot with propriety be applied.
There is -of course abundant precedent in historic narrative for this use of the present tense, and, though scarcely to be classed as a precedent, the common use of it in reporting games of chess associates it at least' with antiquity. "A bugle blows; the shattered remnant throws itself into the breach; the surge of men heaves to and fro and the tensity of the situation makes us actors in it: or, "and Black announces mate in, five moves," and Black does announce mate in five, since we are playing the game over for our better instruction.
But, Sir, are we expected to project ourselves into the milieu of "Mr. X asks whether the property ete. eto"'., or to sense a climax in "The Meeting adjourns at 5.30 p.m"? Or is there a subtle suggestion of dull routine; that ° Mr. X always does ask whether the property etc. etc.", and that the Meeting always does "adjourn at at 5.30 p.m."
As I am but little acquainted with other Municipalities' Gazettes it may be that the precedent is to be found there, or it may be that "Shanghai leads the way," and that its Council—or the Coupcil's reporter—requires no precedent: Is either of these explanations. correct?
T am, eto,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.