The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-24 00:00:00

The " Times" Sixty-Eight Years Ago.

Last Monday more numerous groups than usual
interrupted the stream of passers-by in the great
thoroughfares of London. The news-boys were
calling " startling intelligence," and their sheets,
with the large " headings" were spread in more
than ordinary numbers in the street to attract the
eyes of the hurrying throngs. The boys were sell-
ing a reprint of the Times newspaper, published
October 3, 1798. No wonder the people stopped to
gaze—for the bill spread before them was replete
with great " sensations." The first of these an-
nounced Admiral NELSON'S Glorious Victory of the
Nile ; the second, the Defeat of the Rebels, aided
by the French, in Ireland. We paid our penny,
and carried away a copy, which we have read with
interest. IVe notice in the heading that the Times
of 1798 omits to date from London. This number
is 4,29 B—the number this morning is 25,684. The
price of the old Times was sixpence, when money
was more valuable—to-day the price is threepence.
The size of the former is not much larger than a

single sheet of four pages of this paper, and con.
treats strangely in this respect with the latter, its
descendant of to-day. Its first page is devoted to
advertisements, as well as more than half the fourth
or last page. These advertisements are in still more
striking contrast to those of the present Times, and
there appears to be a desire of the printer to make
as good a show as he can with those at his disposal.
Covent Garden is the only theatre that announces
its bill of performance, though there is an advertise-
ment referring to its great rival :
" Free Admission to Drury Lane Theatre.—To
" be Sold, Two or Three Tickets, which will Admit
" One Person to every Play or Performance that
" may be at the above Theatre for the whole dura-
" tion of the present Season. Price 6 guineas each.
" Enquire at No. 456, Strand, nearly opposite
" Villiers Street."

The vendors of the tickets had a curious idea of
free admissions. At the head of the fourth column
is an advertisement by the Postmaster-General.
He offers £2OO reward for the apprehension of a
highwayman who stopped the post-boy with the
mails from Bromley to Sevenoaks, and carried off
the letter-bags destined for Sevenoaks, Tunbridge,
Lammerhurst, Rye, and Hastings. The post-boy
offered him half a guinea, which this polite robber
declined to take. The turnpike-keeper described a
horseman, supposed to be the same person, who
passed through the gate riding a horse with a white
face, and having the appearance of a London rider.
Many of the advertisements are from persons styl-
ing themselves doctors, offering cures for every
possible malady. The list of bankrupts is confined
to one ; and eight dividends make up the extracts
from the London Gazette. There is, however, a
notice from the Gazette alluding to an order of
Council for ships, persons, and merchandise from
the State of Philadelphia (sic !) entering any of the
ports, to perform quarantine according to the usual
regulations. NELSON'S despatches announcing the
great victory of the Nile, with the editor's observa-
tions, occupy nearly all the leading columns and the
second page. There are a few items of interest at
the foot of the fourth column of this page. "Mr
" CURRAN, the Irish barrister, has arrived in town ;
"he resides at Lord Alma's." " Mr. PITT is not
" confined with the gout at Walmer ; we saw
" him yesterday in the Park in perfect good
" health." " The keepers of several reading-
"rooms in Fleet-street have been fined £5 for
" lending newspapers for hire." (!) What would
the present generation say to such a law as this ?
At the end of the third page there are a few more
items. "On Monday evening last, Mr. VERNON,
" of the Treasury, and another gentleman, in a
" post-chaise, were stopped by two foot-pads, who
" robbed them of their money, watches, and a
" trunk• containing wearing apparel, &c." " The
cc

same evening Lieutenant MILLER, of the Royal
' Horse Guards, was also robbed, as well as Mr.
" CounvorslEß, one of his MAJESTY'S messengers."
The only notice of books is one to be found among
these items. " Gulliver's Travels," it says, " arc
" nothing to the romantic effusions of some of the
" modern French authors. A book was lately pub-
" lisped at Paris to prove that the creation began
" with men 31 leagues in height." KOSCICSKI
" has published at Paris an official letter, in which
" he intimates that all Polish refugees are to have
"an asylum in Italy." " Among the wonders of
" the present day, Mrs. SIDDONS' late achievements
" at Brighton, Bath, and London should not be
" forgotten. She positively performed at each of
" these places within the incredibly short space 01
4 4

ninety-six hours !! !" These notes of admiration
are those of the Times. "An application is intended
" to be made to the Parliament for leave to make,
" and maintain by toll, a tunnel under the river
" Thames, from the parish of Gravesend to the
" parish of Tilbury." They had a good idea of an
investment, even in those times ; but they left the
performance of this scheme to be executed by an
after generation. " Croydon Fair commenced on
" Monday, where many things besides walnuts were
" cracked, as a few months hence the churchwardens
" will testify." "A meeting of a hostile character
" took place on Putney-common, on Tuesday morn-
" ing last, between Captain H- and Colonel
" A-, on account of a supposed injury in Ire-

" land." This is followed by an account of the
suicide of GEORGE HANNING, a seaman, who pro-
bably anticipated the fate reserved for Lim for
killing one of the Press-gang. He hung himself
and was buried in the cross-roads near St.
John's Church, but without the stake
commonly used on such occasions. " The three
French frigates La Concorde, La Franchise, La
"
-I\l4cletS, which landed the French troops in Ire-
land, are returned to the port of Blaye." "At
g Plymouth—Arri
66 taken some time ved, an English brig from Cork,
since by a French privateer, and
44 retaken by the Kangaroo ship of war." Under
the head of " Theatre" there is a short notice of
Mr. KEM B LE, who acted the part of Zanga in
" The Revenge." After
the play the news of Ad-
miral NELSON'S gloriousvictory produced a burst of
patriotic exultation. A person in the gallery of Drury
Lane House called frequently for the tune of " Bri-
tons ! Strike Home," and was silenced by what the
editor terms the appropriate observation of another—
" Why, damn it—they have, haven't they ?" One
birth is notified, one marriage, and two deaths.
Names which are now historical, and events which
have had an important bearing on the destiny of
nations, are familiarly discussed. The landing of
the French at Alexandria and their march on Cairo
are announced. General B UONAPARTE was said to
be on very bad terms with his officers, who were
dispirited and out of humour with the expedition.
" A Russian army is approaching the Austrian ter-
" ritories," says the editor, " to give confidence to
" the, we fear, yet undecided politics of the Em-
" peror of GERMANY. A Russian fleet has arrived
" at Constantinople on its passage to the Mediter-
" ranean through the Dardanelles, and the GRAND
" SIGNIOR, from the decision and vigour which guide
" his counsels, and hasten his preparations bysea and
" land, seems anxious to emulate his ancient rival
"in laudable exertions. The King of NAPLES we
" have long known to be hearty in the good cause,
" and waiting only for the protection of a British
" fleet to declare himself. Motives of private in-
" terest or State necessity may have induced some

Cabinets to make peace with France, and even
. .

"to become her allies. But though France may
"-have allies, it is impossible that the French Re-
" public can have any who are so sincerely." With
respect to the French expedition to Ireland, " the
" Anson frigate is announced as having fallen in
" with the Brest squadron on the 24th ult., and
" was so nigh the Hoche as plainly to perceive the
" troops on board her. The Hoche sailed so very
" badly, and appeared to be so encumbered, that it
" is thought Sir JOIIN BORTISE WARREN must
" reach the coast of Ireland before the French can
" have approached it. Lord BRIDPORT is stationed
" off Ushant to prevent the return of the French
" fleet into port."
What will be the progress of •another seventy
years? The Times cannot grow in bulk, or present
to the reader of that day the same volume of addi-
tional matter that is presented by the issue of this
morning, contrasted with that of Oct. 3, 1798.
Perhaps the difference which would most surprise
the readers of the ear sheets of the Times, if they