The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-12-18 00:00:00

A LONDON NEWSMAN.

AI so
Is question is often put a score of times in the
morning, and some are so unreasonable as to expect to be
furnished with, at least the substance of, the particular news
—or the numbers pro and con of a parliamentary division—
who were the speakers—what time the house sat, &c., &c.;
and all this, be it remembered, even before a paper has been
seen. Sometimes he is enabled to gratify this curiosity and
thirst for something new from resources peculiar to his voca-
tion. You rarely, however, meet with a newsman that may
be termed a politician in its generally received sense; he
leaves this to others whose time is less occupied; his employ-
ment is to dispose of the politics of every party, not to dis-
pense his own.
Whilst a diminution of his profits has taken place since
the reduction of the stamp duty in 1836, the labours of the
newsman have been (especia:ly of late) much increased,
owing principally to the establishment of morning mails,
and the facilities afforded by the more expeditious mode of
railway conveyance. The plan adopted at the different
London newspaper offices for supplying,lthe vender is by alpha-
betical list, which is reversed alternately; if the master or
his servants are not at the offices when his name is called, it
passes on to the next in rotation, and by this neglect he is
often put to serious inconvenience, and, if not assisted by the
loan of a few papers from his brother tradesman, to loss. He
is thus compelled, nolens volens, to be doubly active, diligent,
and punctual.
The morning business of a newsman is important as it re-
gards " town customers ;" but a vast quantity of papers are
forwarded by coaches, independently of the conveyance by
railway. This, every one must be aware, requires great at-
tention and promptitude, and, were it not that the men and
boys employed to assist the master were generally quick,
active, and intelligent, it would be impossible to get through
his labours in a satisfactory manner.
Soon after three in the afternoon the newsman, or some of
his boys (for it is chiefly lads that are employed,) must be
at the different offices of the evening papers; but, before he
can obtain his requisite number, he must wait till the city
newsmen have received their supply—these are chiefly for
merchants whose offices surround the neighbourhood of the
late Royal Exchange. Some of the first papers are hurried
off to coffee-house and tavern keepers; then comes a repeti-
tion of the morning bustle, in the folding, packing up, and
forwarding others to the country, either through the General
Postoffice, or in parcels to the mails, or other coach-offices.
Were a stranger to pass by St. Martin's le Grand a few
minut7s before six in the evening (the limited time for the
reception of papers, unless a halfpenny is paid upon each) he
would be somewhat astonished and amazed at the bustle and
anxiety of men and boys to get in their heavily laden bags in
time, and the order and attention displayed by the parties
employed by the authorities at the Postoffice. When second
editions are published, or from other causes the papers are
not ready within the specified time (six o'clock,) a considera-
ble sum is often taken in one evening by the additional half-
penny paid by the newsman; and if it should so happen,
which is not so frequently the case, that the papers are not
received at the Postoffice by half-past seven, they cannot,
under any circumstances, be forwarded that night.
There are two days in the week, that to the generality of
newsmen are extra fatiguing days, viz , Monday and Satur-
day; for, in addition to the ordinary papers published
and thrice a week, there are now about ten weekly on Mon-
day, and nearly thirty on Saturday. It is to be regretted
that in London there are still so many Sunday papers in
existence; this alone occasions the employment, at a mode-
rate calculation, of 1000 persons one way or another. Exer-
tions have been made by the more respectable class of news-
vendors, by petitions presented by them to parliament, to
prevent so great a desecration of this day. Some little
success resulted from their first petition, for prior to its being
introluced the London Gazette, which was published on
Saturday evening, is now published on' Friday, by which
means the commercial world are acquainted with the names
of bankrupts, &c. one day earlier, and without encroaching on
the "Sabbath made for man." This alteration has induced
many proprietors to bring out their papers on Saturday, and
for every worldly purpose there appears no reason whatever
that any should still be published on Sunday. Subsequent
efforts have met with no successful result; the poor newsman
may still be seen delivering his papers, and breaking the law
of God by permission of government.
It will perhaps startle many, to be informed that the news-
men are the principal capitalists of the London press; yet
such is the fact, for although they are obliged to give credit,
they are allowed none. 'I hey have either to pay ready
money, or settle their accounts once a week, and the amount
of cash thus transferred from the vendors to the proprietors
of papers in one year, would be sufficient to purchase some
half dozen of the largest estates in Scotland. It is computed
that one daily paper alone receives from the newsmen about
£BO,OOO per annum, and one weekly paper of large sale, full
£40.000 per annum.
The newsmen, adopting the maxim that " Union is
strength," have formed a society, which has been established
more than 40 years, for the protection of their trade, and the
benefit of the widows or representatives of deceased mem-
bers. They have a chairman, treasurer, secretary, and com-
mittee, chosen annually. Their building, (called the News-
man's Hall) is situate in Black Horse-court, Fleet-street,
and is very ill fitted for the amount of business transacted
there. Of a morning between six and eight, there are inure
than 100 persons all busily employed, reminding a stranger
more of Bedlam broke loose, than of sober trading—boys and
men running continually in and out, and up and down stairs
—some engaged in folding, others in packing, or the masters
hurrying off their lads to go their different rounds; and in
the brief space of two hours at most, some thousands of
papers are delivered to their expectant customers in London
and the suburbs. When the morning business is over, the
Hall is closed, and re-opened in the afternoon in time for the
evening papers. The society hold their meetings in this
Hall, except on extraordinary occasions when the trade at
large are convened together. This has occurred frequently,
and during the year 1836, when the unexpected change in
the stamp-duty took place, numerous crowded meetings were
held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, is order to obtain
from the proprietors an equal profit, when such alteration
was effected, as they had been accustomed to receive prior to
the reduction of the duty. The result of their efforts was
not, however, so satisfactory as they desired or expected.
Though sometimes foiled, they have evinced courage and
perseverance. When an attempt was made by the proprie-
tors of the London Press in 1815, (at the period when an in-
crease was placed on the stamp-duty from 2,1 d. to 4d,) to re-
duce considerably their profits, by not granting what they
technically term " the sheet," the whole body of newsmen
met together, with the view of establishing, by shares among
themselves, two daily papers. A considerable amount was
subscribed, and a number of most respectable and influential
members of the society had given their names to become
shareholders, when the proprietors took the hint, and yielded
to their wishes. Subsequently the proprietors have generally
found it to their advantage to keep on good terms with the
venders; their interests being identified so closely one with
the other.

THE ALDERMAN AND THE OVERSEER.

A CONTRAST.

" (From the Monthly Chronicle.)
The Court of Mayor and Aldermen of London has done
itself honour by conferring upon one of its members a peculiar
mark of distinction. We quote it in the form in which it has
been voted:—'Resolved unanimously,—That this Court can-
not too highly appreciate the continued acts of kindness and
humanity of their brother Magistrate, John Pirie, Esq. and
Alderman, in administering his powerful assistance, by send-
ing home poor and distressed seamen of foreign countries,
who have been improperly drawn away; and particularly in
the case of the distressed boy, Richard Symons, who is about
to be restored to his home and his parents, through the Al-
derman's kindness; thereby advancing the cause of hu-
manity, and upholding the honour of the City of London.'
This tribute we believe to be deserved, a thousand times
over, by a series of generous and disinterested kindness to
the poor, rendered iu the name of that humanity, which they
elevate and ennoble. Whatever ridicule may be ordinarily
associated with the idea of a blushing Alderman, there can
he none here; albeit the gentleman so honoured blushes to
find his generosity fame. By way of contrast, we may cite
the cheeks of an overseer, who has been figuring at the
country end of the town, and who is evidently incapable of
blushing when he finds his cold-hearted notions notoriety.
A well-dressed young man, labouring under bodily affliction,
his left arm and leg crooked and withered, crawled into a
police-office, and related a story of almost incredible suffer-
ing and privation. He had travelled from Liverpool, in the
hope of finding employment as a clerk—had failed of course
—and was starving. As he had slept a night in St. James's
parish, the magistrate sent for the relieving officer. That
personage, a Mr. Bryant, having heard the story, said—' He
says he has been walking about the streets several nights. He
must, therefore, have committed a number of acts of vagrancy.
What were the police about they they did not take him into
custody, and have him punished r It was gently urged
that punishment was not exactly what was needed by a
starving man, with limbs withered up by a paralytic stroke.
'Oh!' exclaimed Mr. Bryant, 'his story is incredible. How
could such a cripple suppose that he would obtain a situation
in London ? I should wish to have him sworn to the truth
of what he has stated.' The young man readily took the
oath, and underwent a searching course of interrogatories.
His parents, now dead, had long lived respectably in Liver-
pool; be and hie brother, the eldest not 18, had struggled
after their death, sold the furniture, and lived upon the pro-
duce. The brother procured employment, but he, failing to
obtain a clerk's situation in Liverpool, set off to London,
with 275. in his pocket, hoping to be more fortunate here.
He was set down in London, having expended his money in
coach fares, &c., with the exception of ss. He paid for a
bed three nights; but finding his funds rapidly decreasing,
and having the horrors of famine staring him in the face, he
gave up the bed, and from that time (11 days) he had been
an outcast about the streets. And what saith Mr. 8., the
Samaritan of St. James's? ' Mr. Bryant: And with half-a-
crown in your pocket you preferred walking about the streets
to paying for a bed?—Applicant: I knew no one in London,
and therefore I thought it would be better to keep my money
to buy food with.' The magistrate thought the saved money,
and the refusal to beg until reduced by the pangs of hunger,
points in the poor lad's favour. Not so Mr. Samaritan Bry-
ant, who insists that the lad convicted of poverty is clearly
guilty of perjury also.—' Mr. Bryant : I must say his story
is too incredible. Now, young man, as you came to get a
situation as clerk, you say, I suppose, then, you have had
some education?—Applicant: I have.--Mr. Bryant: And
could not that education furnish you with sufficient sense to
enable you to know that a cripple like you stood no chance
of getting a situation here, especially as you could not suc-
ceed in finding one in Liverpool?—Applicant : I thought I
should have a better chance in London.' Mr. Samaritan
Bryant is in the same story still. What he states is incre-
dible. I ask your worship to look at his crippled state, and
then say if you think a young man in that decrepit condition
could have come to London to obtain employment as a clerk ?'
One of these Bryants in every parish would, in a few weeks,
produce an insurrection indeed; the poor against the rich;
the dinnerless against the dining classes throughout the land.
Verily there is need of a Pirie or two on the bench, to coun-
teract the chilling effects of such ignorant and iron-nerved
incredulity, and to keep alive a few warm hopes in the heart
of humanity."

Two coal-heavers once viewing St. Paul's cathedral, one
exclaimed, (doubtless meaning a compliment,) " My eyes,
Jack, what a sight of coals it would hold !"
It appears from the last census made in Prussia, that the
entire population amounted to 14,098,125 persons; out of this
number there were 2,278,601 children frequenting the public
schools; it results from this calculation that almost all the
children in Prussia receive the benefit of a regular education.
CHIPPENBAM.-lt is a lamentable fact that, in consequence
of the extravagant price of wheat, some of the poor in the
vicinity of Chippenham are compelled to make bread from
barley; an d even this cannot be obtained by many, so that
potatoes for= their only food.-- Wilts Independent.

The London Newsman's life is that of bustle, toil, and
anxiety. He is a sort of nondescript—a punctual man by
necessity; if otherwise, he cannot expect to meet with suc-
cess. His business must be done at the time—it cannot be
delayed for an hour or so, or put off till the next morning:
even bakers' stale rolls would be more acceptable than the
newspaper a few hours beyond the ordinary time of its de-
livery. The occupation of a newsman compels him to rise
early, winter and summer. He pays no regard to wind and
weather, because he is aware that the coaches, and railway
trains, and the mails are alike indifferent to such matters.
You may see him of a morning in Fleet-street, near to the
Hall belonging to the Society of Dealers in Newspapers, or
in the Strand by Somerset noose, either waiting patiently
(as the case may be) at the offices contiguous, or coming
loaded with his morning supply, and wending his way east-
ward or westward towards his locality. His is no enviable
life, when, by the late arrival of foreign mails, a parliament-
ary debate unexpectedly protracted, or a❑ article of impor-
tance in one paper exclusively, the printing is retarded and
the publication delayed. Continually are his customers send-
ing to his shop w''' " "r* •