From 1760 until 1820 George III sat upon the Throne of Great Britain and Ireland. His reign is regarded by historians as one that was studded with misfortune. And yet it "was a memorable one in many ways. It was during the lifetime of this unfortunate monarch, who died, completely insane, at Windsor, that much of Britain's glorious history came to be recorded, to be handed down to posterity. It was a reign of trouble and strife, both at home and abroad, England lost the American colonies. She was fighting Napoleon Bonaparte on land and sea. Nelson was in his heyday with his glorious victories, which were followed by his final triumph at Trafalgar. Admiral Duncan was defeating the Dutch Fleet at Camperdown. In the country itself there was internal dissension as George imposed his autocratic rule on the Commons and people. Small wonder was it then that the endeavours of a certain John Walter, London coal merchant's son, attracted little, if any, notice from the people in England at that time.
While Britain's soldiers and sailors were covering themselves with glory in foreign parts, to this man, John Walter, there came the idea of founding a newspaper, wherein recorded, for the "Nobility and Public" to read, accounts of British campaigns and victories abroad, politics and doings at home, and such events as could be printed in those days of the stagecoach apd sailing ship—when news was fresh if it was weeks old. And so was founded "The Daily Universal Register." Little did Mr. Walter think that from this small, stately sheet there would grow "The Times" of London as it is known today. It was the birth of Britain's, if not the world's, foremost newspaper. In 1788 Mr. Walter changed the name of his journal from "The Daily Universal Register" to "The Times." From that time onwards it became the country's premier newspaper, a publication that was read by King and Commoner alike. s A few days ago there were received in the offices of the "North-China Daily News" four copies of Mr. Walter's newspaper for the months of September, October and November, 1797, printed only twelve years after its inception. From an antiquarian point of view these ancient copies of "The Times" possess a great value, and the corroding hand of time has dealt mercifully with the paper and the printed word—a striking tribute to the quality of the newsprint of those days. All four copies, which are printed in stately old English type, are very much smaller, both in size of paper and pages, than "The Times" of today. Under the Royal Standard and the familiar "The Times," readers of those days were given four pages of news and advertisements, set out in stolid fashion and in much more stately English than readers of today are accustomed to scan.
The advertisements of those early days are amusing when read in these modern times. For instance, in the faded, yellow, parchment-like copy dated September 5, 1797, "A Gentleman of between 28 and 29 years of age, deprived by a feclufive and studious attention to his proffeffion from enjoying the neceffary opportunity generally required in the accustomed routine of courtip adopts this role of addreffing himself to to any Lady of respectable character and moderate fortune, desirous of engaging in the honourable state of matrimony with a Gentleman, whofe perten, temper and circum-frances are fuch as will make the partner of his future cares and comforts as happy as the married state is fufceptible of. His proffeffion is both liberal and lucrative; it is from 800 1. to 900 1. per annum. It is, therefore not pecuniary motives that is fo much the object of the advertiser, as the hap-pines he expects to derive from the society of an amiable and intelligent woman during those hours necefferily baffed at home in his proffeffion. Any Lady, who may honour this with her notice, will be treated with on terms of the mott honourable liberality, candour and scrupulous delicacy by fending a line to R. Walpole, Efq., to be left at Mr. Elliott's, No. 32 Rathbone Place. As this is a terious address, the advertiser is desirous of fupproffing impertinent curiosity; therefore all letters muft be pott paid as none else will be received." Quite a long-winded, and very stately, counterpart of the present day Personal ad. ge To bald-headed gentlemen a hair r, who addresses his advertisement to "Gentlemen, whofe HAIR has FALLEN OFF any PART of the HEAD, and who with for SOMETHING to SUPPLY the DEFECT without being perceived," begs leave to recommend his new-invented toupees that cannot be Known from from the hair growing on the head. Another front page advertisement in this issue of September 5 is that of a book publisher.
It is set away in the midst of patent medicine cures, sales by auction, partnerships dissolved, theatre and art notices and tailors' wares. "This day published, price 7s." it states, "Clara Lennox or The Distressed Widow, a Novel in two volumes, founded on facts, interspersed with a historical description of the Isle of Man." The book is written by a Mrs. Lee. Another book advertisement is that in which a volume of the correbpondence between the Rev. C. Wyvill and the Right. Hon. William PU, containing the "Heads of his Bill for reforming the Representation," is offered for sale at 25, Turning to the inside pages, the news of the day is set out in sombre style, each story being headed only by the name of its place of origin and the date. Some of the news is no more, than two days old, some is over two weeks old. The leading article refers to "the present negotiations at Lille," about which the Hon. Mr, Wesley had brought despatches to London. The negotiations, it seems, were not progressing smoothly and the writer of the article deplored "the tedious procrastination that prevails." Under "Ship News," dated September 3 from Portsmouth, there is news of the Fly, hired cutter, which had captured near La Hague, and had sent into Portsmouth, a French sloop laden with tobacco and other merchandise. In a kind of a "News in Brief" column a writer states "No man takes a joke with better grace than Colonel H—. Being asked by a friend, 'If he had seen his caricature No,' said George, but I have seen my portrait, and that of my pony.' " Also in the same column is a story of Mr. Francis, the itinerary petitioner, who had swallowed 250 Tewkesbury mustard pills, which had made him so very choleric and testy, that it was feared that one more, might make him quite mad. Buxton, it seems, was very fashionable in those days. Among the people visiting this famous spa were Lord and Lady Howe, Lord ana Nagy Errol, Sir John and Lady Rushout, Governor Bentinck and Lady Elphinstone.
At Weymouth on September 1, His Majesty, after bathing, walked the Esplanade for some time in conversation with Governor Simcoe and Mr, Alderman Curtis. Later, the weather proving wet (it was still the same old English climate), the intended excursion on the water was postponed; the King and the Duke of York therefore rode on horseback on the Dorchester Road.
Under a Dublin heading, dated August 31, there is a report of a Major Sirr apprehending a young man on a charge of high treason as he was walking through Parliament St. "The young man, Henderson, by profession a dentist," states the story, "is accused of being a leader to Traitors and an acting person in having illegal oaths administered in the county of Kildare, and of having some knowledge of a barbarous act recently committed at Blessington." What happened to the young man is not stated.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.