Tue Histoey of se Tones "The Thunderer in the Making 1705-1841, Written, Printed and Published. ai the Ofice of "The Times." London, This is the first volume of a series of historical surveys of the story of "The Times," which celebrated 150th birthday last month. It covers the early years of John Walter Is struggles in establishing the famous Rewspaper. It shows the history of "The Times" as seen from Printing House Square and, by its use of ers preserved inthe Walter family 4nd its revelation of hitherto unpub-Ushed documents, it throws a. valiable light on the evolution of British journalism. "In accordance with the Dolicy of the Walter family, corres-Pondence with public men was destroyed, and so the scandalous diarist will find that this volume maker attempt to compete with him. The introduction claims that this is the first occasion on which any' private business has exposed the whole of its past without the slightest attempt at concealment or palliation. This contention is fully vindicated, for to many people it will come as a surprise that the newspaper which now Feceives, $0 deservingly, the admiration of the world for its high standa of journalistic principles, was actually engaged in the 18th century in the pernicious collection of what was known as "contradiction fee." "The Times" was not the originator of this infamous excrescence on respectable Journalism, but the record frankly shows that in this form of personal detractigh "The Times" exerted self to surpass. Its contemporary Briefly, it may be said that newspaper proprietors in those days found. convenient to employ an ostensible s-.: Sueh on eater 10" die columns, "wrote ant. funetionery in' Journals which Subsisted to any extent. upon personal ftossip.. From the beginning readers Of "dally "newspapers had. enjoyed Scandalous paragraphs. Topham and Bell in the World set a new standard fu. personal detraction "which The Times exerted iteeit to surpass. There wan money as well as entertainment the aytiem of practised at this me. "The in''type, and it was hinted. to. him that the Paragraph need not appear ita sum" known as the suppression foe. wore ald. Ie the subject of the Paragraph" had not. teen reached before publication. a cutting was sent him with a hint lat room could be found for any "statement." Inclusion ff the second paragraph was delayed Delt a" payment known a5 the Scontradietion fee'? was. fortheoml 'The person who, oficated Capacity of an editor managed. these {important' business matter on behalf his. paper." Hence the Daragraph was regarded by Journ van: essential concomitant of Uxe betty of the Press.
It is not surprising that, involver in this form of publicity, the printer Jot "The Times" landed himself aimeulties. The Court, divided at that time by the politied! quarrels between the King's party and that the heir to the throne, used "The Times" for publishing paragraphs ct tendentious "significance. This, course, did not come under" the category of the infamous suppression and contradiction system. But it naturally led to the editor coming between the upper and the nether millstones of royal intrigue. On Feb ruary 21, 1789, "The Times" publish 8 rebuke of the Duke of York for having attempted to rush Into the King's apartment when his Majesty was seriously il. The paragraph ran th The Royal Dukes and the, leaders of opposition in general, affect to Join John Walter was fined £50 and'enat io"prison for a year, He was ais7 Senlenced {0 standing the pillory at Gharing Cross for one hour between 12" and 9 o'clock in the day-time. 'That part of the sentence was, how: ever, graciously remitted by his Ma-fests. "But John Walter's" troubles Were' not over. He received. smother years" imprisonment for the Libel Afainst the Prince of Wales. Sever appeals were made by John, Walter for release, but. it was through. the Intervention of the Prince of Waes thet his second year's imprisonment Was shortened, The event was noted in"another journal thus Water wis Mberated arm com March 1. 1791. Tals morning,
inoment in Newpat, in consequence "receiving Hin Mafestys moat Reverous, pardon at, the Instance" of the sentence of the Court in the provectc by the Duke of York. The full term of his sentence> wor twa years With fine and securities, It Is not surprising that "The Times" felt that the Treasury had badly let P. H. S. down, but it received some sort of compensation inthe secret service payment made to various London newspapers. at that time, The amount allotted to "The Times" was £300, but the "Morning Herald" received £600 and the "Public Ledger"
little as £100, But In 1709 this yearly payment was withdrawn on printed. libels Commons. The Secretary of State for War was the instigator of this move against "The Times" and if spite of protests the payment was not resumed.
"Those early viclaitudes were saiely negotiated "andthe paper tradally' grew in Independence tad {inportance ti John Walter Tt took the historic step of augerring "the ignify of the proper editorial cone diuet_o¢ a newspaper ty appointing 'Thomas Barnes an responsible edlt't trid delegating to him absolute pow over the: contents of "the 'Tine Sind it was under Bares. that Fie 'Times came the great "Thunder= er" for' where services journalism find the nation at large have Reason Baitorial writings In these days, however," would agen very meng: mouthed 2 the saver who wes the early part of the: c: S cee for the liberty of the press
find" they tought inde \Sdvantage, because the bel laws were' then' even more" aimeutt than they are to-day, and thecals of gov frnment.prosecition. and speculative Suits by common informers were only {tomes of the pitalls "beseting. the Siilors path." Nevertheless, Timer" spoke" strongly on this tion of ibel ang" when" the government prosecuted contemporary Stltious ibel, "he Times" objected in these termi:
Nobody. where, the press is tree, carer one sta to ind re eet fine: °se "instentione' "of scious hrenay! I nated at on hour' they Ee forgotten the mex, ess Ore Taturei gravity and" bermaneney "be bys nollee from the Tian Melodie ry Sheet the ibellers ambition, see Tis. championship of the offending newepoper cannot have been very palatable to the object of its solielpalat object of its solic that "mean and wretched. publleatlon dum vsediion put forth by Which calle iaelf the True Sunt Why. the paper just prosecuted "and foun guilty wanted. nothing but the Giatsrope of a sentence. to pall few inches out of the musty obscurity in" which it has ait slong" een lene tmerved.." The whole ward of Slings: fate has been dally ranescked. by fis titers for terme of foul and rancorous use of, The "Times, which. never aught "to. offend,' save only. by Sever speaking of it But we cannot Bear to see" these "unhappy" persons Harassed and oppressed. Wer abhor these poilicel prosecutions, and #0 do ihe people of" England And again, vehemence was the key: note on a subsequent occasion: persons, to have prevented the Dulce York from rushing rte the. King's Shartment on Wednesday. The rash hess, the Germanic severity, and the Iinsensibiity of this young man, might have proved ruinous to the hopes and jove of @ whole nation.
It had been inserted by "The Times" under a secret arrangement with the Tressury, over which Pitt was presiding, and was part of Pitt's campaign against his" opposition, headed by Charles James Fox. Five days softer the above quoted paragraph appeared, "The Times" inserted nother accusing the Prince of Wales of a similar lack of restraint. Both the Duke of York and the Prince of Wales took action agains! ithe paper, and on the Duke's action he Times employed very strong tai age In" the. same month cent cerning an action in wich @ neveman van indicted. for selling a copy ofa Pemapaper in which o fibd hed Sppeared. The judge found that any Bemman or" coffee-house keeper, Being a publisher of a sort was Bound te know whether the newspaper Contained libel 'oF not and if he Sid Rot ascertain the fact. he wa equally able with "the author. "There is. proctors low for "sour mand The in em Tanguage, "why. food. God, was such rank nonsense as this ever before sanction= ea by. any civilized. Tegisature?™ There followed a half-column of argument to" show that even. the liman or chandler ho furnished Sent might have Tesson to be. punish= ed for assisting. publication. The law cers of the Crown were called upon bring Ina correcting Bill: "Tt cannot be done too soon"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.