But there was much more light and satirical writing in
proportion
than at present.
Hunt - Fourth Estate - History of Newspapers and Liberty of Press - v2
"
2. That the surplus of the fund raised be in vested in Government securities, in the names of the following trustees : — the Lord Mayor of London, the Lord Bishop of London, the Governor of the Bank of England, and the Chamberlain of London, all for the time being ; the dividends to be applied to the support of two scholarships, to be called The Times' Scholarships.
3. " That The Times' Scholarships be established in connexion with Christ's Hospital, and the City of London School, for the benefit of pupils proceeding
from those institutions respectively to the universities
of Oxford or Cambridge.
4. " That Christ's Hospital, and the City of Lon
don School be required to place in their respective
THE NEW TIMES. 185
institutions a tablet commemorative of the establish ment of such scholarships. "
These resolutions were carried into effect, as those who like to visit Christ's Hospital or the City School in Milk Street may learn, and many a youthful scholar's heart has since beat high as he entered on the competition for the Times' Scholarship.
Between 1788, when The Times was founded, and 1846, when the first number of The Daily News ap
peared — a space of fifty-eight years — several attempts were made to establish daily Papers, the only success ful effort being that already alluded to, by which the publicans set up The Morning Advertiser, as an organ of their body, a representative at once of the interests and the charities of the licensed victuallers. Appear ing with so large a body of proprietorial supporters — for every publican who subscribes to the Paper re ceives back a portion of the profits realized by the concern —The Morning Advertiser became successful. Until The Daily News appeared, however, it was the only successful attempt since the days of the first Walter. Dr. Stoddart started The New Times with great expectations, but the " leaders" in his first num ber gave a character to the new Journal which it never survived. " Dr. Slop" became almost the only name by which he was ever spoken of. It is said, that £20,000 were lost upon the project, and then Stod dart left Journalism for the law, and became a judge at Malta. The New Times was combined with The
Day, a Paper that seems to have lingered on for many years, until both were merged into The Morning
186 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
Journal, which, in its turn, disappeared. A passage from the memoir of Mr. Eugenius Roche,* will help to show how these Papers struggled on.
In the year 1827, Mr. Roche was selected to be the editor of The New Times, formerly The Day, and subsequently meta morphosed into The Morning Journal. It is rather a strange circumstance in the history of the press, that after twenty years Mr. R. should have returned to the editorship of that Paper on account of which he had so severely suffered. Itwas made a condition of his appointment to The New Times that he should purchase shares in the property, upon the plea, that the interest he would thus acquire in the Paper, would be to his co-proprietors the best guarantee for the assiduous application of his talents in the management of it. Here again he suffered through his unsuspicious nature. He found too late that by indiscreetly purchasing what were termed shares, he had, in fact, rendered himself liable for the debts of a losing concern; and that instead of possessing himself, as he confidently imagined, of that which would yield provision for his children in case of his death, he had mortgaged their inheritancef in exchange for a purchase, which not only swallowed up the amount of his editorial stipend, but also subjected him to a heavy claim. It needs not to be told that he was unconscious of the embarrassments he was about to bring upon himself, in taking the step in question. It was part of the understanding between him and those with whom he dealt upon the occasion,
that in case of a vacancy upon The Courier, which was then contemplated, he should be elected the editor of that print. When he became fully sensible of the loss he was sustaining by his connexion with The New Times, he felt anxious to have
* See memoir attached to " London in a Thousand Years, with Other Poems ; by the late Eugeniua Roche, Esq. , Editor of The Courier, &c. " London : 1830.
t He actually mortgaged the freehold house in which he lived, to raise funds for the purchase of two twenty-fourth shares, as the stipu lated condition of his appointment as editor, at a salary which did not
cover the quarterly demands upon him as a share of the losses.
THE REPRESENTATIVE. 187
his services transferred to a concern which he considered would at least afford to pay the stipends of its conductors, without first drawing the amount out of their own pockets. By often and strenuously representing to his co-proprietors the hardship of his situation, observing, that however their ample means (for they were all wealthy individuals) might enable them to bear the burden, it was neither possible for him to pay, nor just that he, who had never shared the profits, should be taxed to sus tain the losses, he was at length allowed to escape from the
toils in which he had become entangled. It was arranged that he should give his services for the benefit of The Courier, in which his co-proprietors of The New Times were also embarked. It was still thought necessary to attach the new editor more closely to the interests of the Paper, by inducing him to become the holder of a share in it. Accordingly an influential pro
prietor agreed to transfer a twenty-fourth share to Mr. Roche ; and a contract was actually signed and sealed for the purchase at the price of five thousand guineas.
It is fit, however, to state that he expected to obtain the editorship of The Courier from thus connecting himself with that Journal ; and to this he eventually succeeded, though not to all the emoluments enjoyed by his predecessors. Had his life been spared, he might have been able to fulfil all his en gagements, and to have provided for his family. Unhappily, the distressing embarrassments consequent on the losses he had previously sustained, and on his becoming bail for " a public
character" who fled to America, threw him into greater dif ficulties. His efforts to extricate himself from these, com mitted him with other parties ; and trembling for the ruin which impended over his family, and expecting each day to be consigned to the grasp of the myrmidons of the law, his con stitution sunk beneath the struggle, and his poor broken heart found relief and repose in death.
Another attempt to establish a Morning Journal was made by the late John Murray, the publisher, who, having succeeded so well with books, and being surrounded by some of the most eminent writers of the day, thought
188 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
he could make a Newspaper succeed. After a great flourish, The Representative made its appearance, B. D'Israeli being, it is said, one of the shareholders. It displayed no lack of talent, and no scarcity of money ; but the public soon found out it was not what they wanted — in fact, that it was not a good Newspaper; and the end of the experiment was, that Mr. Murray lost a very large sum of money to gain experience of the fact that successful authors of books are not always the people able to answer the incessant de mand on the mental fund required to keep up a
Newspaper.
About fourteen years ago, a speculation was set
a-foot under the title of the Metropolitan Newspaper Company, and from this scheme emerged The Con stitutional, an Ultra-Liberal Daily Paper. The pro moters of this new project had purchased from Mr. J. L. Stevens his interest as lessee of The Public Ledger, and, incorporating that old Paper on their new plan, the sanguine politicians thought fortune was in their hands. Their literary staff included Laman Blanchard as editor, Thornton Hunt as sub. , Douglas Jerrold as dramatic critic, and Thackeray, who became the Paris correspondent, and afterwards foreign editor. Great liberality of sentiment, great zeal, and much talent were displayed; but the funds were wanting, and after six or seven thousand pounds had been lost, The Constitutional stopped, and The Public Ledger, emerg ing from the unfortunate partnership, jogged on alone in its former quiet way.
The Daily News is the youngest, and certainly most vigorous, member of the Newspaper family that
THE DAILY NEWS. 189
has appeared since The Times came into the field. It started with the prestige of a highly popular literary name, and with a staff of writers such as no previous Paper had ever mustered to prepare a first number. The name of Charles Dickens was, in itself, a host ; and not only in England, but on the Continent and in America, both literary and political readers were on the qui vive to welcome the new adventurer in the honourable but dangerous field. Mistakes were no doubt made, and great expenses incurred ; but the errors were corrected, and the losses most gallantly borne. To give a greater impetus to the sale, the price was afterwards lowered to the minimum point, and a Daily Paper, complete at all points, with a full corps of writers at home, and of correspondents abroad, offered an admirably prepared broad-sheet to the public, first at %\d. and afterwards at 3d. This experiment was continued with great courage and a sale secured, at one time, of 23,000 a-day ; but the tax on the paper, and the tax on the advertisements, and the red penny stamp in the corner, were found to press too heavily to render a continuance of low charges advisable, and The Daily News again took the same price as its com petitors. Through abundant difficulties and perilous experiments, by force of talent, of capital, of strong
will and high purpose, it has fought its way to an elevated and honourable position amongst the daily Journals, not of England alone but of Europe.
CHAPTEE IX.
THE MECHANISM OF A MORNING PAPER.
"Her officers march along with armies, and her envoys walk into statesmen'? cabinets. They are ubiquitous. Yonder Journal has an agent at this minute giving bribes at Madrid ; and another inspecting the price of potatoes in Covcnt- Garden. —Pendennis.
The growth of Newspaper arrangements and expenses. —The accounts of The Public Advertiser and of The Morning Chronicle. — Increased Expenses caused by growing Competition. —Staff of a Daily Paper in 1850. —Editors. — Reporters. — Foreign and Home Correspondents. — Printers. — Overland Mail. —Waghorn. —Arrival ofa Mail. — Twenty- four hours in a Newspaper Office.
WHAT Thackeray says of daily Papers, though true enough now, would not have applied in Dan Stuart's days. Their growth in importance and power,
until dingy printing-offices are fed with copy from li terary ambassadors at foreign courts, and literary fol lowers of invading armies, has been a very gradual affair; and before speaking of the staff of a Daily Paper in 1850, it will be well to see what the arrange ments of such establishments were in former times. Mr. H. G. Woodfall having kindly lent the ledgers of The Public Advertiser for the years 1772-6 for quota tion, we shall be able to see how strong the contrast
is between Newspaper mechanism, in past and pre sent days.
EXPENSES OF THE PUBLIC ADVERTISER. 191
Here is a transcript of the statement of the expen
ses (omitting paper, printing, and stamps, the amount forwhich varies, of course, with the number produced, and is returned in like proportion) of The Public Advertiser for 1773—the after Junius had ceased
to write for the paper :— year
. . . . Plantation, Irish, Scotch, and Country Papers
£ s. d. 100 0 0 14 0 0 31 4 0 12 0 o
282 4 111 010 6 50 0 0 850 330 0 0 0 0 0 0 1080 110 50 0 0 62 8 0 30 0 0 31 10 0
Paid translating Foreign News, &c. .
. . . . . . . .
Foreign Newspapers
Foy, at 2s. per Day
Lloyd's Coffee-house
Home News, &c. , as per Receipts, and Incidents
. . . . . . . . . .
for Post News
List of Sheriffs
Portsmouth Letter
Stocks
Sessions News amongst News-collectors Incidents included amongst Home News Porterage to Stamp Office
Recorder's Clerk
Sir John Fielding
Delivering Papers 52 Weeks, at £1 4s. per Week Clerk, and to collect Debts
Setting up extra Advertisements
A person to go daily to fetch in Advertisements,
get Evening Papers, &c, &c. Morning and Evening Papers
Postage to and from Correspondents Price of Hay and Straw, Whitechapel Mr. Green for Port Entries
Law Charges, Mr. Holloway . BadDebts
15
26 8
. . . .
. . . .
£796 16 0 The total expenses are thus under £800 a-year, exclusive of the before-mentioned charges. No Parlia
.
10
16 0
15 0
n 10 0
31 10 0 6 7 5 18 3 6 0 0 10
192 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
mentary or law-court reporters, no paid foreign corres pondents, are to be found in these Newspaper charges for a successful daily Paper in 1 773. Sir John Fielding's name appears for several years ; but whether he wrote letters, or reported cases, or edited the Paper for his £50 a-year, is not clear. * The penny-a-liner of those days was evidently known as a " News-collector. "*
At this period the Paper was receiving, on an average, about a £100 a- week for advertisements, about half of which went to pay the duty (then 2s. on each advertisement), leaving about £50 a-week towards the expenses and profits. The sale at the same period averaged 3,000 a-day. The profits varied. In 1774, they were £87 on each twentieth share, or £1,740 in the whole. The list of proprietors includes, Thomas Longman, as owner of one-twentieth ; JohnRivington, two-twentieths ; H. S. Woodfall, two-twentieths ; Tho mas Cadell, one-twentieth ; William Strahan, one-twen tieth; James Dodsley, two-twentieths. Garrick, as we have already said, had a share in the Paper, but his name does not appear in the list of those who signed the book of accounts — nor, indeed, do the names of many other shareholders.
In other portions of these accounts we find entries which do not at all explain themselves. They appear amongst the payments, and simply run thus — " Play houses, £100;" " Drury Lane advertisements, £64 8s. 6d. ;" " Covent Garden ditto, £66 lis. " Did the
* In the accounts for other years we find the expenses greatly in creased "by law costs in defending actions for libel. Thus, in 1774 we have, Expenses, King's Bench Prison, and fine, £200 14s. 9rf. ;" " Law Expenses attending Alexander Kennet, £3 7s. ; Compter, £52 10«. "
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES. 193
theatres in those grand days for the drama sell early
and exclusive copies of their play-bills to the News
papers? If so, things have greatly changed since then. The cost of the paper for the Public Advertiser averaged about 25s. a ream; there were charges for waste; and they issued some copies on sale or re turn: thus, in Feb. , 1773, the returned Papers were 1,400, and in March of that year 1,600, or 400 a-week.
Half a century after these days of Junius the daily Papers still continued to be far more humble in cha racter, and far behind what we find them now in size ; and they were consequently less expensive than at
At that time (I am now repeating what was told me by a Journalist who flourished at the time he speaks of), the Newspaper sheet was much smaller in the vacation than during the Parliamentary session— in the one case, four columns, in the other, five, to the page ; and the length of the sheet was far shorter than at present.
Daniel Stuart, in the Gentleman's Magazine, for July, 1833, stated that The Morning Post's " circula tion and character raised it above all its competitors ;" and what that"circulation was we learn from the same gentleman : — The Morning Post never sold more than 4,500 ; that was in August, 1803, when I sold it; and then no other daily morning Paper sold so much as 3,000. "
From the accounts of The Morning Chronicle, it appears that in March, 1797 (its best season), the sale was 1,148 a-day. In March of the following
* Gentleman's Magazine, May, 1838.
VOL. II. N
present.
194 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
year, the sale was 1,537 a-day. At that time Liberal principles were at a very low ebb. Mr. Perry filled for some time, during the Whig Administration of 1806-7, the office of Secretary to the Stamp Office, which acted injuriously on the sale of the Paper. The sale was highest (say 3,500) about the time of the Manchester massacre, as it was called (1819). It fell greatly during the excitement about Queen Caro line, when that Journal took neither one side nor another, and exemplified the old adage of two stools. OnMr. Perry's death, in 1821, the sale was about 2,800. And yet, with these low sales, the net profit of a morning Paper greatly exceeded what it sometimes now is. Perry's private banking-book for 1820 showed his income from the Paper was nearly £12,000. This difference of profits between past and present, doubt less arises from the enormous expenditure of a morn ing Paper in the present day. The monopoly is nearly complete; but whatever the income, the expendi ture of all Papers is nearly alike. Mr. Thwaites had much to do with raising the expenditure, by sending correspondents to all quarters for The Herald. The Times and Herald ran a most expensive race for some years. The Herald sent a correspondent to Spain, followed George the Fourth to Hanover, and took other equally spirited but expensive steps. Thwaites's object was, by devoting all the receipts to expenditure, not merely to raise the sale, but to compel Glassing- ton, a Newsman, who held a share, to sell out from want of income.
The following copy of a printer's account for The Morning Chronicle, just before the great revolution
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES. 195 of printing by steam, will show how low the expendi
ture was in that
Compositors .
Extra to ditto
department : — October 13, 1821.
£ s. d. 20 5 0
0 14 1H 8 1 0
Supernumeraries
Extra to ditto
Pressmen
Threeboys
Oneboy 100 Oil, &c.
Readers Printer
£68 9 9
Every other branch was proportionately low. The Chronicle had, in 1810, five House of Commons' report ers, one of whom attended the King's Bench besides ; one House of Lords' reporter, who digested the Police reports as well. The reports of the other courts were seldom given. The leading articles were in general very brief.
But there was much more light and satirical writing in proportion than at present.
The Paper was obliged to keep accounts with
advertising
n 2 o 0
10 11
17 2 0
0 2 0 3 3 0 5 5 0
customers then as well as now, and as the advertisement duty was then high, much money was invested, which only came back after a considerable period. Had it not been for the duty on advertise ments, the morning Papers would have had little out
lay that was not covered by the daily receipts. The salaries of reporters rose gradually during the war from two guineas a-week to five guineas. There was
an understanding among the proprietors not to give n2
196 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
beyond that sum, and the understanding was nomi nally adhered to ; but Walter, of The Times, made presents to some of his best hands, which amounted, in fact, to an additional salary. There was a con tinual jealousy among the proprietors on that subject.
Perry was the first proprietor who gave annual engagements to reporters, which was good policy, as a poor man was, during the vacation, compelled to seek out some less precarious occupation, and thus a Paper was crippled at the opening of the session. The Chronicle at that time depended greatly on its Parliamentary reports, and was looked up to as the best authority. The expenditure of morning Papers, coupled with the heavy burthen of treble taxation — tax on paper, tax on advertisements, and tax on the perfect Journal itself — has had the effect of reducing the number.
STAFF, AND NEWSPAPER EXPENSES, OF A DAILY PAPER IN 1850;
Editorial— Chief Editor
Sub-Editor
Second Sub-Editor .
£ s. d. 18 18 0 12 12 0 10 10 0
8 8 0 25 4 0
86 7 0
Foreign Sub-Editor .
. . . . . . . .
WITH AVERAGE RATE OF COST, AND STATEMENT OF THE
CHIEF WEEKLY STIPENDS.
. . . .
Writers (about four guineas a-day) . Parliamentary —
Sixteen Parliamentary Reporters (one at seven guineas, the others at five guineas
a-wcek)
Foreign —
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES.
197
Paris Correspondent . . £10 10 0 Paris Reporter for Chamber, &c. 3 3 0 Expenses of Office, Subscription
toPapers,&c. . . 500 (The Paris Postage Account is also heavy. )
Boulogne (agent)
Madrid
Rome 44
Naples, or Turin Vienna
Berlin
Lisbon
3 3 3 3 5 5 3 3
In addition to these, it is requisite to have paid
correspondents Malta.
at the following points :—
Alexandria (agent). Athens. Constantinople. Hamburg.
Bombay. China.
Singapore. New York.
Boston (agent). Halifax (agent).
Montreal. Jamaica.
When circumstances render the News from any other spot more than usually interesting, additional foreign assistance, or a change in the above staff
becomes requisite.
After the Foreign Correspondents we must reckon
those at the ports, who facilitate the transmission of late News to London ; and next the Reporters in the
Dover (agent) —For Continental News, and Overland Mail. Southampton —For West India, Peninsular, and American
mails, and local.
Of these, the first twelve on the following
provinces.
list are necessarily stipendiaries; the others being usually paid in proportion to their contributions :— Provincial —
18 13 0 110 4 4
19S
THE FOURTH ESTATE.
Liverpool —For American, Irish, and local, also shipping and share markets.
Manchester —Important commercial, local, and share mar kets.
Leeds—Commercial, local, and share markets.
Birmingham —Commercial, local, and share markets. Bristol — Commercial, local, share markets, and shipping,
and occasional early Irish News. Dublin.
Plymouth — Naval, military, and local. Pembroke —Naval.
Falmouth —Naval.
Portsmouth —Naval, military, and local. York—Share markets.
Wakefield —Corn markets. Chatham —Naval. Sheerness—Naval.
Woolwich —Naval and military. Gravesend — Important shipping. Glasgow.
Cambridge —University and local. Oxford—University and local.
Returning again to arrangements for London News, we take the next most costly item :—
Legal Beports—
Judicial Committee of Privy Council. House of Lords Judicial.
(The cost of these two varies. )
Lord Chancellor's Court
Three Vice-Chancellors' Courts Bolls Court
Court of Queen's Bench
Court of Common Pleas
Court ofExchequer . Exchequer Chambers
(Extra Reporters are required when these last three Courts sit also at Nisi Prius. )
£ s. d. 3 3 0 9 9 0 3
3 3 3
3 0 3 0 3 0 3 0
Insolvent Debtors' Court
110
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES.
199
Bail Court . . Court of Bankruptcy
NewCourts) . . . . 330 Surrey Sessions.
. . . Central Criminal Court (The Old and Three
Middlesex Sessions ) Sheriff's Court j
110
Circuits. —Home, "Western, Oxford, Midland, Northern, Norfolk, Welsh. These cost from £20 to £30 a circuit; except the Home, say £300 a-year, or average of £6 a-week.
These salaries to law reporters are usually not paid during the Long Vacation ; which, of course, reduces their annual amount considerably.
Next come the Police reports. Separate reporters attend at the following Courts : —
Police. —Bow Street ; Clerkenwell ; Marylebone ; Worship Street ; Thames ; Marlborough Street ; Guildhall ; Mansion House ; Wandsworth ; Lambeth ; Southwark ; Greenwich ; Woolwich ; Ilford Petty Sessions.
Salaries are paid to some of the reporters at these
. £220
. .
. . . 2 2 0
Courts ; others being remunerated according to the
quantity of their " copy" used by the Paper. The average cost of the Police Reports may be stated at £10 a-week; of general " penny-a-liners'" copy, £10.
Money Article Markets—
Mark Lane Mincing Lane
110 110
. . . .
Next we may note the arrangements for the City contributions to the general stock of News, and its cost :—
City —
. . . . . . . .
*
770
£ s. d.
200 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
In addition to these chief sources of " copy,"
smaller salaries are paid for reports of the following : —
Markets :—Smithiield, Hay ; Smithfield, Cattle ; Leaden- hall, Hides ; Newgate and Leadenhall, Meat ; Billingsgate, Fish ; Southwark, Hops ; Thames Street, Coals.
For City use it is requisite also to subscribe to the Stock Exchange Lists, to Lloyd's, and the Jerusalem Coffee House.
But we have not done yet. The Court, the Fine Arts, and the Turf require notice. News of these is supplied by—
The Court Circular, Sporting Reporter, Theatrical and Musical Reporter, Fine Arts Reporter.
It is very desirable to have a man on the establish ment acquainted with medical affairs, and with the collateral sciences that enter into medical education, to keep the Paper clear of the absurd mistakes con stantly made in reports of medical evidence and legal investigations, where physiological, chemical, or bota nical knowledge is required.
A staff thus arranged, leaves many points un- watched, as Public Meetings, Parliamentary Com mittees, Masters in Chancery, Railways, and other sources of News. Some of these can be attended, on special occasions, by members of the Parliamentary corps ; for others, it is requisite to have an additional stipendiary reporter —the rest being left to that active body the " penny-a-liners. "
In addition to all these paid sources of informa tion, it is most desirable to have communicative friends in the public offices — in Downing Street (where deputations have to be reported) ; at the
J_
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES. 201
Horse Guards, for Military News and rumours; at the Admiralty ; the Treasury ; and Board of Trade. The Clubs must also be looked to, especially the Reform, and the Carlton or Conservative.
It is requisite also to subscribe for
Hansard's Debates ; Acts of Parliament ; Votes of the House, and other Parliamentary papers ; The London Gazette; the Coal Market List ; and Packet List.
A large number of Foreign, Colonial, and Pro vincial Papers, are likewise required. These vary in number according to the exigencies of the time. When France, or Germany, or Italy, or America, are in a turmoil, these printed voices from abroad are desirable in larger numbers than when things are quiescent. The English local Papers are always requisite, and the average number of Papers from abroad and from the country, required by a Daily Paper, cannot be put down at less than one hundred and fifty. In many cases these are exchanges ; if not, they have to be paid for. Their examination, and the preparation of the News they contain, is one of the most laborious of the sub-editorial duties.
The collecting the mass of News abroad and at home, is not the only cost attending it. When clever correspondents have been found (and they are by no means too abundant), their expenses to the scene of action have of course to be paid ; and, when there, the cost of the transmission of their communications be comes, in the course of a year, a very heavy item. The post does only a portion of this duty — the post being too slow—and hence a heavy item for railway parcels,
202 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
and occasionally still heavier charges for special rail way engines to bring up News express. The electric telegraph is another very costly mode of bringing intelligence to town, but one that must be constantly employed. The charges are very severe. The post age account for a Daily Paper is always very heavy, and the cost of ordinary railway parcels and porterage to the office, will average £5 to £7 a-week. It is a rule on the railways that when a special engine has been engaged, any person may travel by it who
is ready to pay his share of the cost. Hence, when one Paper orders an engine to bring up an
express, its rivals have the opportunity of joining it. When this is done, the cost is of course lightened ; but when the express is exclusive, the charge falls very heavily. To bring up an exclusive report from Liverpool or Manchester will cost £50, for the engine alone, to say nothing of the expense of the report.
The office which is the centre of all this activity
is another expensive item. To accommodate editors,
reporters, and from fifty to seventy printers and machine-men, and assistants, and publishers, and clerks, and porters, and errand-boys requires spacious premises; and indeed an establishment yet to be mentioned under the headings : —
Printing :—
Number of Men employed. —A printer, assistant printer,
maker-up of advertisements, three readers, three assistant readers, or " reading boys," and about forty-five to fifty com positors regularly employed ; also about eight or ten " Grass" men not regularly employed, but who wait for engagement work from the regular hands who may be absent from illness or other wise. These men, or "Grass," are not recognised by the printer
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES.
203
in his official capacity—a regular hand being always supposed to be at his frame either by himself or " Grass. "
Time of Working. —Copy is given out by the printer from about half-past seven to eight in session or Parliament time ; and from eight to nine during the recess, except on special occasions. The compositors are obliged to attend about three hours before copy is given out, for the purpose of distributing the types used in the previous day's Paper, which are required for the night's work. Composition is usually closed about three o'clock ; the men are usually occupied about ten hours in the office.
Rate of Wages. —The printer from £5 to £6 per week, the assistant printer and advertisement man, £3 10s. to £4 ; reader, £3 ; assistant ditto, £1 Is. to £1 10s. The compositors, from £2 10s. to £3. , averaging the whole year. About four or six men are generally employed by the printer after composition is closed to assist in putting the Paper to press. These men ave rage from £3 10s. , to £4 per week. *
Machine-Room : —
Machinist and Assistant Machinist.
Chief Engineer and Assistant Engineer.
Sixteen men and boys to feed the machine, and take out
Papers.
One " wetter-down," to prepare the paper.
Publishing :—
Publisher, at Five Guineas a-week. Assistant.
Four or five Errand Boys.
Business Management.
Secretary.
Cashier and Accountant.
* The mortality among compositors employed on the morning press, taking the average of the last ten years, is about three and a half to four per cent.
There are about 460 compositors regularly employed on the daily press in London ; three-quarters of whom are men of superior intelli gence and habits, and respectability; a great improvement having taken place within the last eight or ten years.
204
THE FOURTH ESTATE.
Three Advertisement Clerks. Night Porter.
Day Porter.
Errand Boy.
The items,—rent, gas, wear and tear of plant, and interest on outlay, may come, with the other charges, into the following
General Summary of Weekly Expenses.
Editing, writing, and reporting a double Paper, during
the Session of Parliament . . . £220 Foreign and Local Correspondence . . . 100
. . . . .
Weekly Total £520
Out ofthe Parliamentary Session the cost is less; but
the charges for a year, of an ordinary daily Paper, at the present time, cannot be estimated under £25,000 ; and this, be it remembered, after it has been got well
on foot. The first year of a new Paper would cost a
sum larger and larger in exact proportion to the igno rance of its promoters of the practical details of such an undertaking. Thus, the profits on the sale of the Paper, and on advertisements, must be about £500 a-week, before the proprietors can calculate upon a profit.
2. That the surplus of the fund raised be in vested in Government securities, in the names of the following trustees : — the Lord Mayor of London, the Lord Bishop of London, the Governor of the Bank of England, and the Chamberlain of London, all for the time being ; the dividends to be applied to the support of two scholarships, to be called The Times' Scholarships.
3. " That The Times' Scholarships be established in connexion with Christ's Hospital, and the City of London School, for the benefit of pupils proceeding
from those institutions respectively to the universities
of Oxford or Cambridge.
4. " That Christ's Hospital, and the City of Lon
don School be required to place in their respective
THE NEW TIMES. 185
institutions a tablet commemorative of the establish ment of such scholarships. "
These resolutions were carried into effect, as those who like to visit Christ's Hospital or the City School in Milk Street may learn, and many a youthful scholar's heart has since beat high as he entered on the competition for the Times' Scholarship.
Between 1788, when The Times was founded, and 1846, when the first number of The Daily News ap
peared — a space of fifty-eight years — several attempts were made to establish daily Papers, the only success ful effort being that already alluded to, by which the publicans set up The Morning Advertiser, as an organ of their body, a representative at once of the interests and the charities of the licensed victuallers. Appear ing with so large a body of proprietorial supporters — for every publican who subscribes to the Paper re ceives back a portion of the profits realized by the concern —The Morning Advertiser became successful. Until The Daily News appeared, however, it was the only successful attempt since the days of the first Walter. Dr. Stoddart started The New Times with great expectations, but the " leaders" in his first num ber gave a character to the new Journal which it never survived. " Dr. Slop" became almost the only name by which he was ever spoken of. It is said, that £20,000 were lost upon the project, and then Stod dart left Journalism for the law, and became a judge at Malta. The New Times was combined with The
Day, a Paper that seems to have lingered on for many years, until both were merged into The Morning
186 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
Journal, which, in its turn, disappeared. A passage from the memoir of Mr. Eugenius Roche,* will help to show how these Papers struggled on.
In the year 1827, Mr. Roche was selected to be the editor of The New Times, formerly The Day, and subsequently meta morphosed into The Morning Journal. It is rather a strange circumstance in the history of the press, that after twenty years Mr. R. should have returned to the editorship of that Paper on account of which he had so severely suffered. Itwas made a condition of his appointment to The New Times that he should purchase shares in the property, upon the plea, that the interest he would thus acquire in the Paper, would be to his co-proprietors the best guarantee for the assiduous application of his talents in the management of it. Here again he suffered through his unsuspicious nature. He found too late that by indiscreetly purchasing what were termed shares, he had, in fact, rendered himself liable for the debts of a losing concern; and that instead of possessing himself, as he confidently imagined, of that which would yield provision for his children in case of his death, he had mortgaged their inheritancef in exchange for a purchase, which not only swallowed up the amount of his editorial stipend, but also subjected him to a heavy claim. It needs not to be told that he was unconscious of the embarrassments he was about to bring upon himself, in taking the step in question. It was part of the understanding between him and those with whom he dealt upon the occasion,
that in case of a vacancy upon The Courier, which was then contemplated, he should be elected the editor of that print. When he became fully sensible of the loss he was sustaining by his connexion with The New Times, he felt anxious to have
* See memoir attached to " London in a Thousand Years, with Other Poems ; by the late Eugeniua Roche, Esq. , Editor of The Courier, &c. " London : 1830.
t He actually mortgaged the freehold house in which he lived, to raise funds for the purchase of two twenty-fourth shares, as the stipu lated condition of his appointment as editor, at a salary which did not
cover the quarterly demands upon him as a share of the losses.
THE REPRESENTATIVE. 187
his services transferred to a concern which he considered would at least afford to pay the stipends of its conductors, without first drawing the amount out of their own pockets. By often and strenuously representing to his co-proprietors the hardship of his situation, observing, that however their ample means (for they were all wealthy individuals) might enable them to bear the burden, it was neither possible for him to pay, nor just that he, who had never shared the profits, should be taxed to sus tain the losses, he was at length allowed to escape from the
toils in which he had become entangled. It was arranged that he should give his services for the benefit of The Courier, in which his co-proprietors of The New Times were also embarked. It was still thought necessary to attach the new editor more closely to the interests of the Paper, by inducing him to become the holder of a share in it. Accordingly an influential pro
prietor agreed to transfer a twenty-fourth share to Mr. Roche ; and a contract was actually signed and sealed for the purchase at the price of five thousand guineas.
It is fit, however, to state that he expected to obtain the editorship of The Courier from thus connecting himself with that Journal ; and to this he eventually succeeded, though not to all the emoluments enjoyed by his predecessors. Had his life been spared, he might have been able to fulfil all his en gagements, and to have provided for his family. Unhappily, the distressing embarrassments consequent on the losses he had previously sustained, and on his becoming bail for " a public
character" who fled to America, threw him into greater dif ficulties. His efforts to extricate himself from these, com mitted him with other parties ; and trembling for the ruin which impended over his family, and expecting each day to be consigned to the grasp of the myrmidons of the law, his con stitution sunk beneath the struggle, and his poor broken heart found relief and repose in death.
Another attempt to establish a Morning Journal was made by the late John Murray, the publisher, who, having succeeded so well with books, and being surrounded by some of the most eminent writers of the day, thought
188 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
he could make a Newspaper succeed. After a great flourish, The Representative made its appearance, B. D'Israeli being, it is said, one of the shareholders. It displayed no lack of talent, and no scarcity of money ; but the public soon found out it was not what they wanted — in fact, that it was not a good Newspaper; and the end of the experiment was, that Mr. Murray lost a very large sum of money to gain experience of the fact that successful authors of books are not always the people able to answer the incessant de mand on the mental fund required to keep up a
Newspaper.
About fourteen years ago, a speculation was set
a-foot under the title of the Metropolitan Newspaper Company, and from this scheme emerged The Con stitutional, an Ultra-Liberal Daily Paper. The pro moters of this new project had purchased from Mr. J. L. Stevens his interest as lessee of The Public Ledger, and, incorporating that old Paper on their new plan, the sanguine politicians thought fortune was in their hands. Their literary staff included Laman Blanchard as editor, Thornton Hunt as sub. , Douglas Jerrold as dramatic critic, and Thackeray, who became the Paris correspondent, and afterwards foreign editor. Great liberality of sentiment, great zeal, and much talent were displayed; but the funds were wanting, and after six or seven thousand pounds had been lost, The Constitutional stopped, and The Public Ledger, emerg ing from the unfortunate partnership, jogged on alone in its former quiet way.
The Daily News is the youngest, and certainly most vigorous, member of the Newspaper family that
THE DAILY NEWS. 189
has appeared since The Times came into the field. It started with the prestige of a highly popular literary name, and with a staff of writers such as no previous Paper had ever mustered to prepare a first number. The name of Charles Dickens was, in itself, a host ; and not only in England, but on the Continent and in America, both literary and political readers were on the qui vive to welcome the new adventurer in the honourable but dangerous field. Mistakes were no doubt made, and great expenses incurred ; but the errors were corrected, and the losses most gallantly borne. To give a greater impetus to the sale, the price was afterwards lowered to the minimum point, and a Daily Paper, complete at all points, with a full corps of writers at home, and of correspondents abroad, offered an admirably prepared broad-sheet to the public, first at %\d. and afterwards at 3d. This experiment was continued with great courage and a sale secured, at one time, of 23,000 a-day ; but the tax on the paper, and the tax on the advertisements, and the red penny stamp in the corner, were found to press too heavily to render a continuance of low charges advisable, and The Daily News again took the same price as its com petitors. Through abundant difficulties and perilous experiments, by force of talent, of capital, of strong
will and high purpose, it has fought its way to an elevated and honourable position amongst the daily Journals, not of England alone but of Europe.
CHAPTEE IX.
THE MECHANISM OF A MORNING PAPER.
"Her officers march along with armies, and her envoys walk into statesmen'? cabinets. They are ubiquitous. Yonder Journal has an agent at this minute giving bribes at Madrid ; and another inspecting the price of potatoes in Covcnt- Garden. —Pendennis.
The growth of Newspaper arrangements and expenses. —The accounts of The Public Advertiser and of The Morning Chronicle. — Increased Expenses caused by growing Competition. —Staff of a Daily Paper in 1850. —Editors. — Reporters. — Foreign and Home Correspondents. — Printers. — Overland Mail. —Waghorn. —Arrival ofa Mail. — Twenty- four hours in a Newspaper Office.
WHAT Thackeray says of daily Papers, though true enough now, would not have applied in Dan Stuart's days. Their growth in importance and power,
until dingy printing-offices are fed with copy from li terary ambassadors at foreign courts, and literary fol lowers of invading armies, has been a very gradual affair; and before speaking of the staff of a Daily Paper in 1850, it will be well to see what the arrange ments of such establishments were in former times. Mr. H. G. Woodfall having kindly lent the ledgers of The Public Advertiser for the years 1772-6 for quota tion, we shall be able to see how strong the contrast
is between Newspaper mechanism, in past and pre sent days.
EXPENSES OF THE PUBLIC ADVERTISER. 191
Here is a transcript of the statement of the expen
ses (omitting paper, printing, and stamps, the amount forwhich varies, of course, with the number produced, and is returned in like proportion) of The Public Advertiser for 1773—the after Junius had ceased
to write for the paper :— year
. . . . Plantation, Irish, Scotch, and Country Papers
£ s. d. 100 0 0 14 0 0 31 4 0 12 0 o
282 4 111 010 6 50 0 0 850 330 0 0 0 0 0 0 1080 110 50 0 0 62 8 0 30 0 0 31 10 0
Paid translating Foreign News, &c. .
. . . . . . . .
Foreign Newspapers
Foy, at 2s. per Day
Lloyd's Coffee-house
Home News, &c. , as per Receipts, and Incidents
. . . . . . . . . .
for Post News
List of Sheriffs
Portsmouth Letter
Stocks
Sessions News amongst News-collectors Incidents included amongst Home News Porterage to Stamp Office
Recorder's Clerk
Sir John Fielding
Delivering Papers 52 Weeks, at £1 4s. per Week Clerk, and to collect Debts
Setting up extra Advertisements
A person to go daily to fetch in Advertisements,
get Evening Papers, &c, &c. Morning and Evening Papers
Postage to and from Correspondents Price of Hay and Straw, Whitechapel Mr. Green for Port Entries
Law Charges, Mr. Holloway . BadDebts
15
26 8
. . . .
. . . .
£796 16 0 The total expenses are thus under £800 a-year, exclusive of the before-mentioned charges. No Parlia
.
10
16 0
15 0
n 10 0
31 10 0 6 7 5 18 3 6 0 0 10
192 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
mentary or law-court reporters, no paid foreign corres pondents, are to be found in these Newspaper charges for a successful daily Paper in 1 773. Sir John Fielding's name appears for several years ; but whether he wrote letters, or reported cases, or edited the Paper for his £50 a-year, is not clear. * The penny-a-liner of those days was evidently known as a " News-collector. "*
At this period the Paper was receiving, on an average, about a £100 a- week for advertisements, about half of which went to pay the duty (then 2s. on each advertisement), leaving about £50 a-week towards the expenses and profits. The sale at the same period averaged 3,000 a-day. The profits varied. In 1774, they were £87 on each twentieth share, or £1,740 in the whole. The list of proprietors includes, Thomas Longman, as owner of one-twentieth ; JohnRivington, two-twentieths ; H. S. Woodfall, two-twentieths ; Tho mas Cadell, one-twentieth ; William Strahan, one-twen tieth; James Dodsley, two-twentieths. Garrick, as we have already said, had a share in the Paper, but his name does not appear in the list of those who signed the book of accounts — nor, indeed, do the names of many other shareholders.
In other portions of these accounts we find entries which do not at all explain themselves. They appear amongst the payments, and simply run thus — " Play houses, £100;" " Drury Lane advertisements, £64 8s. 6d. ;" " Covent Garden ditto, £66 lis. " Did the
* In the accounts for other years we find the expenses greatly in creased "by law costs in defending actions for libel. Thus, in 1774 we have, Expenses, King's Bench Prison, and fine, £200 14s. 9rf. ;" " Law Expenses attending Alexander Kennet, £3 7s. ; Compter, £52 10«. "
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES. 193
theatres in those grand days for the drama sell early
and exclusive copies of their play-bills to the News
papers? If so, things have greatly changed since then. The cost of the paper for the Public Advertiser averaged about 25s. a ream; there were charges for waste; and they issued some copies on sale or re turn: thus, in Feb. , 1773, the returned Papers were 1,400, and in March of that year 1,600, or 400 a-week.
Half a century after these days of Junius the daily Papers still continued to be far more humble in cha racter, and far behind what we find them now in size ; and they were consequently less expensive than at
At that time (I am now repeating what was told me by a Journalist who flourished at the time he speaks of), the Newspaper sheet was much smaller in the vacation than during the Parliamentary session— in the one case, four columns, in the other, five, to the page ; and the length of the sheet was far shorter than at present.
Daniel Stuart, in the Gentleman's Magazine, for July, 1833, stated that The Morning Post's " circula tion and character raised it above all its competitors ;" and what that"circulation was we learn from the same gentleman : — The Morning Post never sold more than 4,500 ; that was in August, 1803, when I sold it; and then no other daily morning Paper sold so much as 3,000. "
From the accounts of The Morning Chronicle, it appears that in March, 1797 (its best season), the sale was 1,148 a-day. In March of the following
* Gentleman's Magazine, May, 1838.
VOL. II. N
present.
194 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
year, the sale was 1,537 a-day. At that time Liberal principles were at a very low ebb. Mr. Perry filled for some time, during the Whig Administration of 1806-7, the office of Secretary to the Stamp Office, which acted injuriously on the sale of the Paper. The sale was highest (say 3,500) about the time of the Manchester massacre, as it was called (1819). It fell greatly during the excitement about Queen Caro line, when that Journal took neither one side nor another, and exemplified the old adage of two stools. OnMr. Perry's death, in 1821, the sale was about 2,800. And yet, with these low sales, the net profit of a morning Paper greatly exceeded what it sometimes now is. Perry's private banking-book for 1820 showed his income from the Paper was nearly £12,000. This difference of profits between past and present, doubt less arises from the enormous expenditure of a morn ing Paper in the present day. The monopoly is nearly complete; but whatever the income, the expendi ture of all Papers is nearly alike. Mr. Thwaites had much to do with raising the expenditure, by sending correspondents to all quarters for The Herald. The Times and Herald ran a most expensive race for some years. The Herald sent a correspondent to Spain, followed George the Fourth to Hanover, and took other equally spirited but expensive steps. Thwaites's object was, by devoting all the receipts to expenditure, not merely to raise the sale, but to compel Glassing- ton, a Newsman, who held a share, to sell out from want of income.
The following copy of a printer's account for The Morning Chronicle, just before the great revolution
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES. 195 of printing by steam, will show how low the expendi
ture was in that
Compositors .
Extra to ditto
department : — October 13, 1821.
£ s. d. 20 5 0
0 14 1H 8 1 0
Supernumeraries
Extra to ditto
Pressmen
Threeboys
Oneboy 100 Oil, &c.
Readers Printer
£68 9 9
Every other branch was proportionately low. The Chronicle had, in 1810, five House of Commons' report ers, one of whom attended the King's Bench besides ; one House of Lords' reporter, who digested the Police reports as well. The reports of the other courts were seldom given. The leading articles were in general very brief.
But there was much more light and satirical writing in proportion than at present.
The Paper was obliged to keep accounts with
advertising
n 2 o 0
10 11
17 2 0
0 2 0 3 3 0 5 5 0
customers then as well as now, and as the advertisement duty was then high, much money was invested, which only came back after a considerable period. Had it not been for the duty on advertise ments, the morning Papers would have had little out
lay that was not covered by the daily receipts. The salaries of reporters rose gradually during the war from two guineas a-week to five guineas. There was
an understanding among the proprietors not to give n2
196 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
beyond that sum, and the understanding was nomi nally adhered to ; but Walter, of The Times, made presents to some of his best hands, which amounted, in fact, to an additional salary. There was a con tinual jealousy among the proprietors on that subject.
Perry was the first proprietor who gave annual engagements to reporters, which was good policy, as a poor man was, during the vacation, compelled to seek out some less precarious occupation, and thus a Paper was crippled at the opening of the session. The Chronicle at that time depended greatly on its Parliamentary reports, and was looked up to as the best authority. The expenditure of morning Papers, coupled with the heavy burthen of treble taxation — tax on paper, tax on advertisements, and tax on the perfect Journal itself — has had the effect of reducing the number.
STAFF, AND NEWSPAPER EXPENSES, OF A DAILY PAPER IN 1850;
Editorial— Chief Editor
Sub-Editor
Second Sub-Editor .
£ s. d. 18 18 0 12 12 0 10 10 0
8 8 0 25 4 0
86 7 0
Foreign Sub-Editor .
. . . . . . . .
WITH AVERAGE RATE OF COST, AND STATEMENT OF THE
CHIEF WEEKLY STIPENDS.
. . . .
Writers (about four guineas a-day) . Parliamentary —
Sixteen Parliamentary Reporters (one at seven guineas, the others at five guineas
a-wcek)
Foreign —
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES.
197
Paris Correspondent . . £10 10 0 Paris Reporter for Chamber, &c. 3 3 0 Expenses of Office, Subscription
toPapers,&c. . . 500 (The Paris Postage Account is also heavy. )
Boulogne (agent)
Madrid
Rome 44
Naples, or Turin Vienna
Berlin
Lisbon
3 3 3 3 5 5 3 3
In addition to these, it is requisite to have paid
correspondents Malta.
at the following points :—
Alexandria (agent). Athens. Constantinople. Hamburg.
Bombay. China.
Singapore. New York.
Boston (agent). Halifax (agent).
Montreal. Jamaica.
When circumstances render the News from any other spot more than usually interesting, additional foreign assistance, or a change in the above staff
becomes requisite.
After the Foreign Correspondents we must reckon
those at the ports, who facilitate the transmission of late News to London ; and next the Reporters in the
Dover (agent) —For Continental News, and Overland Mail. Southampton —For West India, Peninsular, and American
mails, and local.
Of these, the first twelve on the following
provinces.
list are necessarily stipendiaries; the others being usually paid in proportion to their contributions :— Provincial —
18 13 0 110 4 4
19S
THE FOURTH ESTATE.
Liverpool —For American, Irish, and local, also shipping and share markets.
Manchester —Important commercial, local, and share mar kets.
Leeds—Commercial, local, and share markets.
Birmingham —Commercial, local, and share markets. Bristol — Commercial, local, share markets, and shipping,
and occasional early Irish News. Dublin.
Plymouth — Naval, military, and local. Pembroke —Naval.
Falmouth —Naval.
Portsmouth —Naval, military, and local. York—Share markets.
Wakefield —Corn markets. Chatham —Naval. Sheerness—Naval.
Woolwich —Naval and military. Gravesend — Important shipping. Glasgow.
Cambridge —University and local. Oxford—University and local.
Returning again to arrangements for London News, we take the next most costly item :—
Legal Beports—
Judicial Committee of Privy Council. House of Lords Judicial.
(The cost of these two varies. )
Lord Chancellor's Court
Three Vice-Chancellors' Courts Bolls Court
Court of Queen's Bench
Court of Common Pleas
Court ofExchequer . Exchequer Chambers
(Extra Reporters are required when these last three Courts sit also at Nisi Prius. )
£ s. d. 3 3 0 9 9 0 3
3 3 3
3 0 3 0 3 0 3 0
Insolvent Debtors' Court
110
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES.
199
Bail Court . . Court of Bankruptcy
NewCourts) . . . . 330 Surrey Sessions.
. . . Central Criminal Court (The Old and Three
Middlesex Sessions ) Sheriff's Court j
110
Circuits. —Home, "Western, Oxford, Midland, Northern, Norfolk, Welsh. These cost from £20 to £30 a circuit; except the Home, say £300 a-year, or average of £6 a-week.
These salaries to law reporters are usually not paid during the Long Vacation ; which, of course, reduces their annual amount considerably.
Next come the Police reports. Separate reporters attend at the following Courts : —
Police. —Bow Street ; Clerkenwell ; Marylebone ; Worship Street ; Thames ; Marlborough Street ; Guildhall ; Mansion House ; Wandsworth ; Lambeth ; Southwark ; Greenwich ; Woolwich ; Ilford Petty Sessions.
Salaries are paid to some of the reporters at these
. £220
. .
. . . 2 2 0
Courts ; others being remunerated according to the
quantity of their " copy" used by the Paper. The average cost of the Police Reports may be stated at £10 a-week; of general " penny-a-liners'" copy, £10.
Money Article Markets—
Mark Lane Mincing Lane
110 110
. . . .
Next we may note the arrangements for the City contributions to the general stock of News, and its cost :—
City —
. . . . . . . .
*
770
£ s. d.
200 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
In addition to these chief sources of " copy,"
smaller salaries are paid for reports of the following : —
Markets :—Smithiield, Hay ; Smithfield, Cattle ; Leaden- hall, Hides ; Newgate and Leadenhall, Meat ; Billingsgate, Fish ; Southwark, Hops ; Thames Street, Coals.
For City use it is requisite also to subscribe to the Stock Exchange Lists, to Lloyd's, and the Jerusalem Coffee House.
But we have not done yet. The Court, the Fine Arts, and the Turf require notice. News of these is supplied by—
The Court Circular, Sporting Reporter, Theatrical and Musical Reporter, Fine Arts Reporter.
It is very desirable to have a man on the establish ment acquainted with medical affairs, and with the collateral sciences that enter into medical education, to keep the Paper clear of the absurd mistakes con stantly made in reports of medical evidence and legal investigations, where physiological, chemical, or bota nical knowledge is required.
A staff thus arranged, leaves many points un- watched, as Public Meetings, Parliamentary Com mittees, Masters in Chancery, Railways, and other sources of News. Some of these can be attended, on special occasions, by members of the Parliamentary corps ; for others, it is requisite to have an additional stipendiary reporter —the rest being left to that active body the " penny-a-liners. "
In addition to all these paid sources of informa tion, it is most desirable to have communicative friends in the public offices — in Downing Street (where deputations have to be reported) ; at the
J_
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES. 201
Horse Guards, for Military News and rumours; at the Admiralty ; the Treasury ; and Board of Trade. The Clubs must also be looked to, especially the Reform, and the Carlton or Conservative.
It is requisite also to subscribe for
Hansard's Debates ; Acts of Parliament ; Votes of the House, and other Parliamentary papers ; The London Gazette; the Coal Market List ; and Packet List.
A large number of Foreign, Colonial, and Pro vincial Papers, are likewise required. These vary in number according to the exigencies of the time. When France, or Germany, or Italy, or America, are in a turmoil, these printed voices from abroad are desirable in larger numbers than when things are quiescent. The English local Papers are always requisite, and the average number of Papers from abroad and from the country, required by a Daily Paper, cannot be put down at less than one hundred and fifty. In many cases these are exchanges ; if not, they have to be paid for. Their examination, and the preparation of the News they contain, is one of the most laborious of the sub-editorial duties.
The collecting the mass of News abroad and at home, is not the only cost attending it. When clever correspondents have been found (and they are by no means too abundant), their expenses to the scene of action have of course to be paid ; and, when there, the cost of the transmission of their communications be comes, in the course of a year, a very heavy item. The post does only a portion of this duty — the post being too slow—and hence a heavy item for railway parcels,
202 THE FOURTH ESTATE.
and occasionally still heavier charges for special rail way engines to bring up News express. The electric telegraph is another very costly mode of bringing intelligence to town, but one that must be constantly employed. The charges are very severe. The post age account for a Daily Paper is always very heavy, and the cost of ordinary railway parcels and porterage to the office, will average £5 to £7 a-week. It is a rule on the railways that when a special engine has been engaged, any person may travel by it who
is ready to pay his share of the cost. Hence, when one Paper orders an engine to bring up an
express, its rivals have the opportunity of joining it. When this is done, the cost is of course lightened ; but when the express is exclusive, the charge falls very heavily. To bring up an exclusive report from Liverpool or Manchester will cost £50, for the engine alone, to say nothing of the expense of the report.
The office which is the centre of all this activity
is another expensive item. To accommodate editors,
reporters, and from fifty to seventy printers and machine-men, and assistants, and publishers, and clerks, and porters, and errand-boys requires spacious premises; and indeed an establishment yet to be mentioned under the headings : —
Printing :—
Number of Men employed. —A printer, assistant printer,
maker-up of advertisements, three readers, three assistant readers, or " reading boys," and about forty-five to fifty com positors regularly employed ; also about eight or ten " Grass" men not regularly employed, but who wait for engagement work from the regular hands who may be absent from illness or other wise. These men, or "Grass," are not recognised by the printer
NEWSPAPER EXPENSES.
203
in his official capacity—a regular hand being always supposed to be at his frame either by himself or " Grass. "
Time of Working. —Copy is given out by the printer from about half-past seven to eight in session or Parliament time ; and from eight to nine during the recess, except on special occasions. The compositors are obliged to attend about three hours before copy is given out, for the purpose of distributing the types used in the previous day's Paper, which are required for the night's work. Composition is usually closed about three o'clock ; the men are usually occupied about ten hours in the office.
Rate of Wages. —The printer from £5 to £6 per week, the assistant printer and advertisement man, £3 10s. to £4 ; reader, £3 ; assistant ditto, £1 Is. to £1 10s. The compositors, from £2 10s. to £3. , averaging the whole year. About four or six men are generally employed by the printer after composition is closed to assist in putting the Paper to press. These men ave rage from £3 10s. , to £4 per week. *
Machine-Room : —
Machinist and Assistant Machinist.
Chief Engineer and Assistant Engineer.
Sixteen men and boys to feed the machine, and take out
Papers.
One " wetter-down," to prepare the paper.
Publishing :—
Publisher, at Five Guineas a-week. Assistant.
Four or five Errand Boys.
Business Management.
Secretary.
Cashier and Accountant.
* The mortality among compositors employed on the morning press, taking the average of the last ten years, is about three and a half to four per cent.
There are about 460 compositors regularly employed on the daily press in London ; three-quarters of whom are men of superior intelli gence and habits, and respectability; a great improvement having taken place within the last eight or ten years.
204
THE FOURTH ESTATE.
Three Advertisement Clerks. Night Porter.
Day Porter.
Errand Boy.
The items,—rent, gas, wear and tear of plant, and interest on outlay, may come, with the other charges, into the following
General Summary of Weekly Expenses.
Editing, writing, and reporting a double Paper, during
the Session of Parliament . . . £220 Foreign and Local Correspondence . . . 100
. . . . .
Weekly Total £520
Out ofthe Parliamentary Session the cost is less; but
the charges for a year, of an ordinary daily Paper, at the present time, cannot be estimated under £25,000 ; and this, be it remembered, after it has been got well
on foot. The first year of a new Paper would cost a
sum larger and larger in exact proportion to the igno rance of its promoters of the practical details of such an undertaking. Thus, the profits on the sale of the Paper, and on advertisements, must be about £500 a-week, before the proprietors can calculate upon a profit.
