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simply from having nothing within their reach | dustry, and political honesty as he himself which could create a taste for reading: "All the knowledge acquired at school was just to spell painfully through a chapter of the New Testament, and nothing had been afterwards put into their hands that had sufficient novelty to induce them to keep up the habit of reading, till they had overcome the mechanical difficulty, and found a pleasure in the art." How very different this from the state of things in America, where, as Mr. Greeley remarks, "the child is attracted to study from the habit of always seeing a newspaper, and hearing it read."

It is more than thirty years since the Times first claimed for itself the ambitious title of the "leading journal of Europe," and, with the exception of a violent, shortlived protest, now and then, against its right to any such distinction, the public has long ago acquiesced in its ambitious claim. Of late years the overwhelming superiority it has gained in circulation over all the other daily papers, partly by its advertisements, and, not less probably, by its liberal expenditure on literary talent and news, has led to the belief that its high position among newspapers is a thing of much older date than it really is. As a first-class newspaper, the Morning Chronicle, under Mr. Perry, who held the office of editor for forty years of the most brilliant period of its history, and under Mr. John Black, who succeeded him,

bore a far higher character for genius and talent than the Times has ever done. But Mr. Black, although his masterly articles on politics and social life have never been surpassed in newspaper literature, was unfortunately not the proprietor and manager of the paper, as his predecessor had been. Mr. Perry was a man whose sound political principles, not less than his tact and talents, combined to give the Morning Chronicle that high character, as the organ of the liberal party, which it preserved for so many years, even after his death. But the proprietors who succeeded him cared for nothing but their dividends, or the personal influence which the command of so powerful an organ of public opinion might give them with the ministry of the day. Hence the success of Mr. Walter, chief proprietor and manager of the Times, the great object of whose long life had been to place that journal at the head of the metropolitan press, a task which he would never have accomplished had Mr. Perry been succeeded in the proprietorship and management of the Chronicle by a man of such rare editorial talent, unflagging in

possessed. When he died, the copyright of the Chronicle was sold for £30,000, but the purchaser was not one who knew how to make a newspaper successful. For several years it languished in circulation, having fallen at one time to little more than 2,000. Soon after the passing of the Reform Bill it was purchased by Mr. John Easthope, a stock-broker, for £17,000; and a large sum was expended for several years, with considerable success, in the attempt to raise it to its former position. But the old spirit had vanished from its columns. The Whigs were in office, and the Chronicle stuck to its old friends with much more fidelity than they deserved, or than its readers could tolerate. It is true that Mr. Black still continued editor, but of what avail was his political consistency so long as a power behind the editorial chair, greater than the editor himself, was able to give the tone to the general politics of the paper? Had it been at that time under the management of a wise and liberal proprietary, of men to whom the control of a great political organ would have seemed a much greater thing than a paltry baronetcy, or a third-rate government appointment, the Morning Chronicle might now have been a much more influential newspaper than the Times, and little if at all inferior even in circulation. During the first two years after the reduction of the newspaper stamp duty, the Chronicle rapidly gained on its great rival, as will be seen at once by the following return of the number of stamps consumed by cach:

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While the Times was standing still, in spite of the reduction in price, the Chronicle had actually increased 810,000. Then was the time to have adopted a bold and liberal course in the politics and management of the great Whig organ. But that would not have suited the personal views of Mr. (now Sir John) Easthope. The golden opportunity was lost, and the two following years placed such a distance between the circulation of the two papers, as to leave all chance of successful competition out of the question. The agitation against the new poor-law, mingled with chartism, rose to its full height in 1839, and bore along with it the great denouncer of the "finality" Whig ministry

and the "Three Tyrants of Somerset House." The circulation of the Times rose from 3,065,000 to 4,300,000 in that troublous year, while that of the Chronicle fell to 2,028,000. Instead of the distance between them being separated by the trifling difference of 315,000 stamps a year, it had leaped suddenly up to the formidable height of 2,272,000. Since that period the rapid increase in the circulation and advertisements of the Times is one of the most remarkable events in the history of the newspaper press. The author of "The Fourth Estate says it was during the editorship of Mr. Barnes that the Times acquired its great circulation. This is not

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quite correct; the most remarkable increase having taken place since his death, in the beginning of 1841. With the exception of 1843, which shows a slight decline, while the Post appears to have gained a great, but short lived increase, the progress of the Times during the last eight years has been at the rate of nearly a million a year. In order to show at one glance the fluctuations in the circulation of the morning papers since the reduction of the stamp duty, we have compiled the following table from the returns given in the appendix to the Report of the Select Committee :

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Morning Chronicle. 3,065,000 1,940,000 1,928,000 1,380,000 3,065,090 2,750,000 1,925,000 | 1,565,000 4,300,000 2,028,000 1,820,000 1,535,000 5,060,000 2,075,000 1,956,000 1,550,000 5,650,000 2,079,000 1,630.000 1,470,000 6,305,000 1,918,000 1,559,000 1,445,000 6,250,000 1,784,000 1,516,000 1,534,000 6,900,000 1,628,000 1,608,000 1,415,000 8,100,000 1,554,000 2,018,025 1,440,000 8,950,000 1,356,000 1,752,500 1,480,000 9,205,230 1,233,000 1,510,000 1,500,000 11,025,500 1,150,000 1,335,000 1,538,000 11,300,000 937,500 1,147,000 1,528,000 11,900,000 912,547 1,139,000 1,549,000

The most startling fact which this interesting table presents, is the overwhelming superiority which the Times has gained over all the other morning papers. In 1837 the aggregate number of stamps taken by the five morning papers then existing was 9,060 000, of which rather more than one-third was taken by the Times. In 1850 the aggregate circulation of the morning press had nearly doubled, having risen to 17,840,000; but the whole of that increase and more has been monopolized by the Times. It has increased nearly 9,000,000 during these fifteen years, while the other papers have fallen off about 400,000. How much higher the circulation of the Times would continue to rise if the proprietors could print them fast enough to supply the demand, is more than any one can pretend to say. With their present machinery they are able to produce only 10,000 an hour, so that when the demand goes much beyond 40,000 they cannot supply the additional number required at so early an hour as would suit the news-agents It will thus be seen that, practically, the circulation is kept from extending greatly be

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yond its present limits, by the mechanical difficulty attending the production of so large an impression within a few hours. If the proprietors of the Times could obtain a printing machine which would throw off 20,000 copies an hour, they would probably double their present circulation within a few years. Many people fancy that the main check to the circulation of "The Leading Journal" is owing to another cause, and as that impression was much strengthened by what took place before the select committee, we shall take the trouble of pointing out where the mistake lies.

The extension of the railway system, the improved means of transmitting foreign intelligence, and various other subsidiary causes, have had a damaging effect upon the circulation of the evening papers, most of them having declined considerably since the reduction of the newspaper stamp duty. In 1837, the first year after the reduction, the evening press consisted of the following journals: the Courier, quasi-Tory, and unprincipled, with an average circulation of 1400; the Globe, Palmerstonian, and rather unpopu

lar, on account of its dry political economy | provincial newspaper must undertake, there of the Colonel Torrens school, nearly 3000 is nothing to compare with the distracting daily; the Standard, ultra-Tory, but never- toil and trouble which arises from the modern theless much higher on the list, having innovation of attempting to give what is very reached an average of 4300; the Sun, Whig- erroneously styled "a judicious summary of Radical, pluming itself on its late editions, all the interesting intelligence in each diswith full but inaccurate reports of parliamen- trict." The Colonial Secretary, snugly seated tary and other intelligence, little more than at his desk in Downing-street, where he must 2000; and last of all, the Radical True Sun, manage in the best possible manner the affairs which in spite of the host of clever writers of some forty or fifty various British settleengaged on it, had a circulation of only 1250 ments, in opposite quarters of the globe, has in 1837, the last year of its existence. The a hard enough task, no doubt, but it is not Courier, after many a desperate struggle to half so harassing half so harassing as that of an editor who keep alive, expired in 1842, a warning to all tries to satisfy the insatiable thirst for news unprincipled journals of what their fate must of half a hundred constituencies, within the ultimately be. Under Daniel Stuart, who limited space of a single newspaper. In contrived to make it the ministerial organ Edinburgh or Glasgow, the task is comparaduring the war, it ranked among the first tively easy, because the surrounding country newspapers in point of circulation; higher, is not so thickly studded with towns and indeed, at one time, than even the Times of villages, all swarming with an active, intellithat day. In 1814, it was said to be worth gent population, and all alike requiring a full 12,000l. per annum, but it declined very and accurate register of whatever events may much soon after the war. Hazlitt described be deemed interesting in each locality. It is it in 1823 as "a paper of shifts and expe- in Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkdients, of bare assertions and thoughtless shire that the evil of which we speak is felt impudence, which denies facts on the word most severely. Take the Leeds Mercury, of a minister, and dogmatizes by authority." the Manchester Guardian, or the Manchester No one could regret the death of such a Examiner, for example: all first class papers, disreputable organ. At present there are of the largest size allowed by law, and all only four evening newspapers published in giving four-page supplements once a week. London, whose daily circulation is as fol- In spite of their immense size, there is not lows-Sun, 2666; Express, 2493; Globe, one of those journals which can give a faith1869; and Standard, 1571. The aggregate ful weekly record of all that is worthy of circulation of the evening press, instead of note in the forty or fifty towns and villages advancing with the population and intelli- by which they are surrounded, and through gence since 1837, has actually fallen from which those papers circulate. An attempt, 12,000 to 8599, or little more than one-half indeed, is made to give as many "Town of what it was forty years ago. The whole Council Meetings," "Board of Guardian of the evening newspapers put together do Proceedings," "Temperance Demonstrations, not circulate as many copies daily as are and "Meetings of Rate-payers,"-with a due contained in a single impression of the Man- mixture of change-ringings, friendly anniverchester Guardian or the Leeds Mercury. This saries, elections of churchwardens, elections would not be the case were the same pains of town councillors, elections of guardians, bestowed on the editing and sub-editing on offences, accidents, and crimes, -as can be the London evening papers as there is on the crammed, by rapid abridgment, into a cerprovincial journals we have named. Were tain number of columns. But after all has the stamp duty abolished, we should proba- been done in this way that the most skillful bly witness a very great improvement in the and industrial editor, aided by the most indeevening press, as it would then be worth fatigable sub-editor, can accomplish, or that while to publish a paper not much less than any reasonable newspaper reader in any of the Globe or Standard, containing a clever the smaller towns could possibly require, abridgment of all the news of the day, at there still remains a great number of equally twopence each, which, with a halfpenny for important events, which are necessarily left postage, would still leave it 50 per cent. below unnoticed altogether by the mammoth jourthe present exorbitant price of the evening nal, for sheer want of space, or given in a papers; a sufficient cause of itself for their form so much abridged as to render them of very limited circulation. little or no value. The people of Oldham are perhaps waiting with intense anxiety for a long and amusing account of the "Extraor

Among all the disagreeable and thankless duties which the editor of a widely-circulated

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dinary Scene" at the last meeting of the there is only one Tory journal circulating board of poor-law guardians; or those of more than 4000 copies weekly, and only two Ashton are looking forward with equal interest besides it which can boast of a circulation to Saturday's paper, for a report of the ani- above 3000. On the other hand, there are mated debate in the town council on the pro- no less than eighteen Liberal newspapers posed increase of two policemen for that bo- circulating upwards of 3000 copies each, and rough. With the exception of the Illustrated of these there are nine with a circulation London News,which owes its enormous weekly above 5000 each, six with a circulation above sale of 66,673 copies chiefly to the profusion of 6000, three above 8000, two above 9000, wood engravings with which it is embellished, and one circulating upwards of 11,000 copies the most widely circulated weekly papers weekly. If this comparison of the respective are all low priced. The News of the World, circulation of first-class Liberal and Conser56,274; Lloyd's Weekly News, 49,211; and vative newspapers may be taken as a fair the Weekly Times, 39,186 are all threepenny criterion of the comparative political intellipapers, while the older and far more cele- gence and activity of the two great parties, brated, but high-priced Weekly Dispatch, the facts we have stated are well worth the though well adapted to the popular taste, serious attention of statesmen. From that has fallen from 62,000 to 37,500; and Bell's comparison, it will be seen that the proporLife in London, another sixpenny paper, in tion of Liberal to Conservative papers of the spite of its universal popularity in bar-par- class mentioned is as six to one, while the lors and tap-rooms the highest sporting difference becomes still more striking if we authority in the world," has fallen from take into account the small aggregate con30,000 to 24,721 since 1845. Among papers sumption of stamps among the Protectionists, of a higher class, we find that even the Spec- compared with the large number required by tator and Examiner, after having long stood the friends of progress. It appears, for at the head of the weekly press, have been example, that the number of stamps taken in gradually losing ground during the last few 1850 by two free-trade journals in Lancayears, under the combined influence of dear- shire-the Manchester Guardian and the ness and increased competition. At present Manchester Examiner was equal to the the weekly circulation of the Spectator is whole of the stamps consumed by the entire only 2932, not one third of what several pro- Conservative press of the following fifteen vincial journals can boast. The number of counties--Bedford, Berks, Bucks, Cambridge, stamps issued to the Examiner last year Cornwall, Cheshire, Devon, Dorset, Essex, gives a weekly average of 4389, a very great Herts, Kent, Leicester, Lincoln, Wilts, and decline from what it was six or eight years Warwick. Not less significant is the fact, ago; while the Leader-which in point of that, while nearly all the thirty-three Proboldness, talent, and heterodoxy, appears to tectionist papers in those fifteen counties occupy pretty much the same advanced have either remained stationary or decreased position among its contemporaries as the Ex-in circulation, during the last ten years of aminer did some forty years ago, under Leigh Hunt-stands midway between the two respectable journals we have named, having already attained a circulation of 3152. One very striking fact, ascertained from an examination of the stamp returns for the last fifteen years, is the very limited circulation of Conservative newspapers compared with that of papers which advocate commercial and political reform. Out of London

agitation for and against free-trade, the number of stamps taken by the free-trade newspapers of Manchester and other large towns has nearly doubled within that period. This broad fact, while it shows how strongly the current of public opinion is flowing in one direction, and how worthless the boast of a reaction against free trade, may well encourage ministers to proceed boldly with their proposed measure of parliamentary reform.

From Sharpe's Magazine.

FETE DAYS AT ST. PETERSBURG.

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF ALEXANDER DUMAS. BY JANE STRICKLAND.

NEW YEAR'S-DAY and the Benediction of the Waters provide the inhabitants of St. Petersburg with two great national festivals, in which all classes share in the pleasures and devotion of the sovereign. The first is an imperial fête, the second an imposing religious ceremony.

On New Year's-day, in virtue of an old and touching custom by which the Emperor and Empress of Russia are designated by their poorest subjects Father and Mother, these potentates at the commencement of the year receive their children as their own invited guests. Their family being too vast to invite by name, they adopt the simple but effacious plan of scattering about the streets of their capital twenty-five thousand cards of invitation indicative that they will be at home to such a number of their children. These cards bear no address, but they give admission to the bearers to the splendid saloons of the Winter Palace without the slightest distinction of rank or wealth.

to see.

It was thus that the Emperor Alexander, according to custom, kept the first day of the year 1825, the last he was ever destined The rumor of the conspiracy that embittered the closing months of his life and reign, though it had reached his ears and troubled his repose, did not appear to him any reason for depriving his subjects of their annual visit to their sovereign. From these unknown guests the Russian Autocrat felt assured he had nothing to fear. With them he was not only popular but adored. He therefore directed the Master of the Police to order no alteration in the usual costume of the male part of the company, whom he was to admit in masks according to custom on these occasions. In the darkest annals of barbarism, despotic sovereigns dreaded and often found the dagger of the assassin in the hands of some member of their own family. Civilization, however limited, changes the objects of suspicion to the aristocracy, who

are always, under these unfortunate constitutions, of the military profession. Now the want of the counterpoise of the middle classes creates this secret but perpetual warfare between the absolute monarch and nobility— the nobility who in free countries are the natural bulwark of the throne. In Russia the Autocrat is never afraid of the multitude, with whom he holds a two-fold claim to their veneration, as supreme pontiff, or head of the Church, and Czar.

The cards of invitation, being transferable, are, as a matter of course, purchasable; and among his masked guests who were privileged to shake hands with Alexander, some cowardly assassin might take that opportu nity to murder the sovereign; yet he, with a firm but touching reliance on God, ordered at seven o'clock on the New Year's evening, the gates of the Winter Palace to be thrown open as usual, to his motley company.

No extra precautions were taken by the police; the sentinels were on duty, according to custom, at the palace gates, but the Emperor was without any guards in the interior of the imperial residence, vast as the Tuileries. In the absence of all precaution or even regulations for the behavior of an undisciplined crowd, it was surprising what natural politeness effected. Veneration for the presence of the sovereign was alone sufficient to produce good breeding; there was no pushing, nor striving, nor clamor, and the entrance was made with as little noise as if gratitude for the favor accorded to the guests had induced each to give a precautionary admonition to his neighbor.

While the thronging thousands were gaining admission to his palace, the Emperor Alexander was seated by the Empress in the Hall of St. George in the midst of the imperial family, when the door was opened to the sound of music, for the saloons were filled with his visitors, and a grand coup d'œil of grandees, peasants, princesses, and grisettes

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