Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-10-21

S"'y Va oiiiiai ehoIn llty-anu the
consequences were. that their compost
tors were sometimes obliged to work as
late as | o'clock at night. These ir-
regular hours shortened human life some
what; it took about seven years, then, to
Kill journeyman printer.
The proceedings were equally quiet
on the other side of the Atlantic. A
few papers from the principal towns
and ports-the last London Sun and
Standard, and perhaps one sheet from
the Courier Office and one from the
Chronicle-were deemed amply sufi-
cient to enlighten the western continent.
But now--heaven save the ship, as
she lies at the Liverpool wharf! First
must be gathered all the Liverpool news
papers proper then in rolls the London
mail--two cart loads more, at least Tho
railroad groans and squeaks under the
ponderous masses that hurry on in time
for the just sailing packet; the boatmen,
as they push down the Mersey, cross
themselves, and pray they may not go
to the bottom with their double cargo Of
editorial wisdom every city. town, VIII
lage and hamlet, pours forth its drop to
swell the general torrent. The porters
fret--the sailors swear-the captain sighs
for the days of his grandfather. The
anchor is weighed, the sails are set, and
at last they are off.
But not to rest, has been decreed by
Mr.. Wilmer, the Liverpool agent of the
New-York papers. Alas poor, infatu-
ated crew they think, because some
few waves roll between them they are
safe. Not so scarcely do they begin
to draw little comfortable breath, be-
fore speck is described in the distance
behind. Nearer and nearer, on they
come--a host of little steamers. A fresh
supply of gossip has reached Liverpool
since they left there, and they are abso-
lutely chased out on the ocean with an
other boat-load of news!
The Atlantic, though 5000 miles
wide, is but step across in brisk gale:
lucky is he that is becalmed on the way,
for he has some slight opportunity of
putting his brains in order, collecting his
ideas, &c. &c. to meet the uproar which
awaits him here. In days of old, there
was some care to be taken in approach
ing coast there were soundings to be
made, charts were examined, and the
telescope was more than hourly elevated
to descry, if possible, some far glimpses
of Home sweet home" Not SO at
present. A ship may be very sure she
is goodly distance from shore as long
as only herself is on the water; for long
before lighthouses or blue hills are yisi-
bic, her tormenters are on the alert, and
sally whole navy of that venturesome
small-fry yclept "news-boats." Then
again comes the tug of war. Ten ques-
tlons to one answer-mail bags here and
letters there-and tax-general laid on
the memory of the unfortunate captain
and passengers for all they ever heard
and saw. Each one tells a different sto=
ry-some only half an one-for the
"news-boats" have no time to spare ON
particulars. All is confusion and clat-
ter-and in the midst Of it off push the
little fry, and steer like "neck or MOTH
ing" for Long Island. Horses there take
the precious burden, and such of them as
are not killed on the road deposit it en-
the north side ofthe island, and thence
lts last step is taken to the printing off
ces. Editors, pressmen, compositors,
devlls--all stand ready, with pen and
type, to pounce upon it without delay.
N time to part truth from falsehood, or
the probable from the mpossible-print
1T all two, three, four o'clock, A. M.-no
chance for sleep; and by five the carriers
are flying around in all directions.
-Four years suffice to kill a Journey
m an and twice four years more sees a
rival newspaper establishment, with a
little more capital news-boas that can
get little farther out to sea, a. press
that can strike off sheets little faster. a
carrier that can run sixteen knots an hour
land the hitherto prosperous concern
groans, and gasps, and dies
Before tho Journal of Commerce. nro.
cured news schooner, about three wears
since, for It's own exclusive benefit, the whole
expense incurred by the morning papers in
collecting ships-news, amounted TO about
S2,5OO per annum. Since that date. until
very recently, it has amounted to about g 10.
OOO per annum. Within few weeks past
the business has taken a start, and at pre-
sent there arc actually six -shcooners as
float, besides various small boats. at an ag~
gregate expense ofat least g25 900 per an
mum or ten times the original amount
We mentioned yesterday that famis
ly had suffered much from eating ofa cab.