The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-08-20

come docks of strangers, attracted by the Opera
and the other eDjoyments of New York life, so
that, by the beginning Of September, we may ex-
pect to see our city resume Its wonted hustle and
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN JOURNALISM. We
copy from a religious paper-the NaO York Eban-
gaia-a cleverly penned comparison between the
English and American newspaper press. Writ
ten without prejudice, and conceding to English
journalism all the credit which is due to it, 1t
shows that there are some qualities which dis.
tinguish the American press that might be in
troduced with advantage into its management.
These are the superior enterprise, the variety and
the vivacity that characterize the matter con-
tanned In our journals, and which, combined with
their greater cheapness, have been the main ele-
ments Of their popularity. AS our contemporary
correctly observes, but little exertion is made by
the English newspapers to curtail the time occu-
pied in the transmission of news. Of the advan-
tages Of the electric telegraph it makes but little
use, and where the theatres of important occur
rences lie out of the reach of the telegraphs and
railways, no efforts are made to anticipate the
ordinary means of communication. Pract.
cally, 60 far as the improved facilities for the
transmission of intelligence are concerned, all
such localities are situated as disadvantageously
as they were half century ago. Even where, by
full telegraphic reports, the people in the English
provinces might be kept promptly all couran of
what is passing in the metropolis, English en-
terprise has not as yet learned to accomplish 30
practicable result The Parliamentary debates
are never transmitted at any length in this way,
and such an exertion as the daily despatch Of
detailed telegraphic reports Of remarkable crimi-
nal trials, like the Sickles and Webster cases,
has not as yet been made by the English news
papers. The only money, in fact, which they
have expended on telegraphs has been in the
transmission of brief paragraphs of news by the
continental lines, and occasionally speech for
London Journal. If the scene of the late war
in Italy had been as near New York as it was to
London, the New YORK HERALD would have
had the fullest particulars of the battles trans
mitted by the wires, regardless of the cost. 1t
would not have been satisfied with the brief
dispatches, Of dozen lines each, sent by Napo-
leon to the Empress.
In regard to general attractiveness the EGG.
lish dailies are undoubtedly far behind the
American newspapers Being for the most part
journals addressed to the educated classes, the
former are conducted on the principle that
their subscribers must necessarily be posted
up on the history and conditions of every
question that turns up. They forget that
the memory has limits, and that scholars,
as well as the imperfectly educated, require to
have their minds refreshed as to facts. To the
one the American newspaper serves in lieu of
book references to the other it stands in place of
books themselves. By assuming that all classes
of readers alike require information, American
editors succeed in putting together matter which
possesses an interest and value that are not to be
found in the routine compilations of their Eng
lish confrfres.
But it is not in these respects, mainly, that
the American press distances its contemporaries
at the other side of the Atlantic. Its superior
organization enables it to receive news to later
period of the night, and at the same time to get
to press earlier. The greater part of London
daily, except during the sessions of Parliament,
set up before six o'clock in the evening,
whilst, as our contemporary correctly states, the
matter which goes into the New YORK HERALD is
for the most part set up after that hour The
editorials of the London Times are generally
penned day in advance Those which appear
in our columns are written on the spur
of the moment, and are made use OF
in the next mornings issue. The result Of these
arrangements is greater freshness, vigor and CON-
pactness for, when there is time to elaborate the
writer generally loses in force what he gains in
style.
When Mr. Golden was in this country be ex-
pressed himself unreservedly on the superior ad
vantages Of the American system of journalism
He had no doubt, he said, that penny dailies
weuld succeed in England as we'll as they have
done here, if they were conducted under similar
conditions. In order to take hold of the public
favor, however, their editorial articles should be
short, piquant and fresh in their application,
which could never be the case if the present sys
tenn of elaboration were persevered in. The Lon
don Times has long held the position of the prin-
cipal organ Of public opinion there, but we are
satisfied that it could easily be affected by penny
paper that would exhibit more business energy
and editorial tact, and that would adopt the
system Of short articles which, as the EDange
list observes the Times has never learned to write
To arrive at this, however, English newspaper
proprietors will have to import few smart
Yankee editors Englishmen cannot help spread
ing themselves when they take the pen in hand.
APPOINTMENT 1nE STREET CoMMsIoNKR.-rhe Street
Commissioner has appointed Wilson Small Deputy Collec
Of Assessments. The number Of deputy collectors Of
assessments allowed by law is four There has been one
vacancy since Daniel E. Dslevan was promoted from
Deputy Collector to be Collector Of Assessments This