The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-29 00:00:00

ONE PENNY

THE "DAILY NEWS."

It has been stated for some time that it was the in-
ntion of the I royriet.es of the Daily Newt to reduce it,
price to a penny. The fulfilment of the intention has• we
believe, only b• en retarded by the difficulty and delay i ci•
dent to the emetic& of printing machinery of
the necessity rn.gnitude and rao,lity, the con.
struction of tnoh engines being at present
confined to the hands of Kr. Hoe, of New York. But
this obstacle is new cvmoome, and it is announced that on
the 811, of June the first issue at the new
price will take place. titi material a change af•
feeling the leading Literal organ, naturally invites re.
fiectien on the ercumstances which have induced it, and
the emisequct cis to which it may lead. kis a proof of
confidence in the growth, downwards as well as lateral,
of enlightened liberalism, which, attested by the enormous
cost attendant on the new arrangements, leads the mind
to omidder its hat is and rrospects. But before we tarn to
the wide field for rueenlatMn thus opened, it ma
interest our readers if we regal the chief facts, so far as
they are known is literary circles, attending the history
of the paper which is now contemplating so great a modi•
fication.

The Daily News first appeared on January 21,
1846, at the price of 51 —a penny less than the
regular price of tie London morning papers
in those days. It was set on foot by Messrs..
Bradbury and Er.n,, who drew around them
in the intellectual departments of their nadertaking as
brilliant a staff as probably ever was engaged en a single
journal. Mi. Charles Dickens was appointed editor.
Either at first or during the subsequent career of the
paper, it numbered among its regular coatribagers suck
men as Dunglas Jerrold, Gilhret Abbott Alleckett, W. 1.
Fox, Charles Mackay, Peter Cunningham. the Ker. 1.
Mahoney, beCer known as. Father Prout, and Mr.. W. H.
Wills, the well-known coadjutor of Mr. Dickenr in hie
later weekly publications. Other departments went as
notably Merl ; Mr. George Hog,rth, for instance, being
long the musical critic ; while Mr. John Dickens, fitter
of the novelist, was at the bead of the reporters' staff,
But the great novelist himself did not long find thvedi-
torial chair of • daily paper suited to him, and sitar
about six months be resigned its duties, and was ma-
ceeded by the distinguished historian of the timer' of
the Commonwealth, Zr. John nester. This gentle-
man continued in office about awe years, then mak.m;
way for Mr. Eyre Eyries Crowe, she historian of Fnanor-,.
who retained the positive for a few years. Mr. Freda
rick Knight Hunt. author of the " History cf•
the Fourth &tate," nezr assumed the editorship, me'
held it till his death in 18:4. Hir place was filled by.
Db. William Ilreir, • member of the- Scottish bar, who,-
though not knowu by any public work, possessed an ability*
combined with erudition and energy which peculiarly
adapted him to the work of tie journalim and whose death
in ISSB drew forth a tribute el admiration, ire.l regret from
nearly every important paper in London, or the provinces.
The Times, in noticing the event. observed of the Daily
News under Mr. Weir's managements, "We have
often differed with it, but never without sincere
respect fur the ability and gentletnoaly spirit with
which it was conducted,—a spirit which has
made it, the youngest of our con.remporaries, a
w.wthy representative of the English press." After
this event, the editorial control reseed into the
hands of the gentleman who now hold* it, and under
whom it is enough to say it has lest none of the charac-
teristics which its prior editors had stamped upon it.
But while these changes were passing over the chief
management, they were accompanied with other., in the
proprietorship and price. It is no secret that the attempt
to establish at that time a daily paper, even at what
we now consider the extravagant price of 3d., resulted in
loss. So important, indeed, was the maintenance of the
journal considered by the leaders of liberal thought, that
at different periods Mr. Cobden, Mr. Bright, Mr.
Milner Gibson, Sir Joseph Paxton, and other
leading men, became pecuniarily interested in
the venture. Experiments were tried, too, at different
prices. After its first six months it was reduced to half-
size and half-price—i.e, twopence-halfpenny. In October
of the same year it was raised to 3d. In February, 1849,
it was raised again to its original dimensions and price.
Finally, in May, 1859, on the abolition of the stamp duty
on newspapers, it was reduced to 3d., at which figure it
has ever since remained. Of late years it is understood
to have been fairly remunerative, But whatever-
the variation in ownership and management through,
which it has passed, the Daily News has earned
for itself the praise of haring been throughout its.
career entirely consistent in its principles. It was esta-
blished to support the more generous, enlightened, and'
fearless doctrines of the liberal party, and from this lofty-
function it has never swerved. Its adherence to true andi
high principle has often seemed to imperil its corr,
mercial success, but it has always proved at hat thaw
truth and uprightness, even if they counsel a.
policy for the moment not popular, bring thee
ultimate reward of public confidence. The lies
it took on the Chinese war, on the American war,
and on the Jamaica disturbances, may be noted as ea.-
spicuous cases in which it went counter to what seemed
the popular side at the moment. In the case of ide
American war especially it stood almost alone among the
London daily press in its steady support of the north, as
well in regard to political rights as military prospasta.
Solely from the Dail!, News (and very remarkably.item
the letters of its American correspondent) was the teeth
to be learned respecting the objects and progress cif that
mighty struggle. Such honesty was dangerous, forret the
lIX.MODi the upper clam of newspaper-readers did net de-
sire honesty. But when the end came they tweed in
anger against the false prophets who had prophesied
smooth things to please their hearers; and the Dam,* News
reaped a large reward of approdistion for its emstageous
advocacy of what all men at last found out tallow been
the truth from the beginning.
Holding thus the very foremost rank among English
journals ; from the beginning the organ of this advanced,
yet not extreme, party in liberalism ; and Ink*, as some
circumstances have seemed to indicate, adopted as an organ
by the party which must next come into peeler, to carry
out in action the principles which have long been professes.
as articles of faith, the Daily News Biggs itself now upon
the great public for support at • prim which only • great
circulation can make sufficient. Wgl it succeed? The
question is of importance beyond the fate of any single
journal, for it involves the question whether the nafiln is
yet so far advanced as to prefer to read • paper which is
high-minded and fair-judging, as well as able and in-
teresting. There seems at least • hopeful opening for
such an attempt. Of the penny papers in London, the
Standard is abandoned to torylam, the Star, extreme is
its radicalism. the Telearapli brilliant, not to may gaudy,
in style, rather than trustworthy in principle. There
muss, one would conceive, be a vast mama of the rending
public who would prefer a genuinely upright liberal paper
to the rant of class or the bash of false gems of speech.
The seraindlicial character of the Doily Newsom the organ
of the liberal leaders will at least at first help it to attain
an exoeptionaliy distinguished position amoep genera
readers.—The Enpli•A Independent.

INFANT ORPHAN AsrlXX, WANB7IIIIO. —The
annual meeting of this charity was held yesterday at the
London Tavern, Rishopegete-street, Mr. John Deacon in
the chair. The report, which was read by the secretary,
Mr. H. W. Green, stated that there would be, with the 30
children about to be elected, 599 orphans in the institu-
tion. Most of those who had quitted had been provided
with respectable situations. The Rev. M. Mitchell, H.M.
inspector, bad made a highly favourable report on the
schools. The expenditure had been reduced in several im.
portant items, but would be augmented in the future by
the imposition of rates and taxes from which the Asylum
had been hitherto exempt. The income bad been fully
equal to the demands made upon it. The report having
been adopted, the committee and officers were chosen, and
the poll was opened for the election of 30 candidates.
The business of the Common Council this day
include* • wife to the Rut London Museum of 1501. ; the
freedom of the Uity to Sir Robert Napier; the removal of
Temple-tier : and the renewal of the wall of Ennhill.fielda.
r Mr. Alderman Stone resigned his lest at the
listroP•iitss Beard of Works yesterday.
Ostrom. Passcrz. thrs Sttrurso DAT.—
THURSDAY, May 28. Admissions by mason tickets
1,4 , ditto, on payment, 2,561; total visitors, 4,043.