The New York herald., 1874-07-26
"Enterprisc' and ssExpeditions."

Our sprightly and always entertaining con-
temporary, the Eoening Nail alluded the
other day to republication in the HERALD
from the London Telegraph of the details OF
the proposed expedition to Africa, under the
command of Mr. Stanley, in search of the
sources of the Nile and the haunts of the slave
trade, and commended what it was pleased to
call the reserve and modesty of the HERALD
in not making mention of the subject be-
fore its London ally and contemporary. So
far as this commendation is concerned it is
hardly merited, tor the policy of the HERALD
has always been to do things and then say
what Is proper to be said after they have been
done So for as America is concerned we
should have remained silent about the present
expedition until MIR. Stanley had again
reached Ujiji; but there were undoubtedly in
terests to be remembered in London which
made the publication necessary. When MIR.
Stanley started on his first expedition, in
which he achieved marvellous success and o
worldwide renown, his errand was only known
to two persons-Mr. Stanley himself and the
HERALD. The third person to enter into that
confidence was DR.. Livingstone. This reserve
was proper in moro aspects than one. When
no hopes are inspired there are no disappoint-
ments. The enterprise to relieve Livingstone
was what the London Times called firing ut
Africa for target and striking the bulls eye.
There was only one chance in thousand Of
success. There was the uncertainty of Living
stones whereabouts, of his being alive, Of his
route, the almost utter ignorance of the
strange, mysterious continent in which he had
buried himself. Any enticipatory proclama-
ton OF our purpose would have added nothing
to Mr. SANKEY'S success, but would have
made his failure q calamity, exciting hopes
that would only have been cruelty disap-
pointed
A journal is of all influences in the world
the least afraid of the public. An editor soon
learns to despise mystery This world is o
very good world in its way-trank, candid,
ihdulgent, and rarely abuses the confidence
bestowed upon it, Sometimes it has it's teln-
pers, like the best Of u.s. disappointmcnts,
irritation, anger but take it all the year
round and we have little to complain. So far
as the HERALD is concerned we have no
secrets from it, aud would as soon print from
day to day q full history OF our plans and
purposes. But no good can come from it,
just as none would have come from the publ
cation of Mr.. Staney's mission when he first
set out on his lonely, silent errand and as
none so far as New York is concerned, will
come from the publications now made when
he goes forth the ambassador of two great
powers, representing the journalism of
England and America, and in command of an
expedition more numerous and better
appointed than any that has ever entered
Africa on IN errand of exploration. The
thought arises that in expeditions of this
kind, journalism is showing awisdom that
the nations might initiate The nations
send out armies to conquer territory-to
subdus and destroy all who will not accept
their dominion. The journals send out
armies of peace and light. Some will succeed
and others will fail, but the spirit of true en-
terprise always in the end makes courage sue
cess. Nor do we agree with tho Sun, which
thinks that there should have been no alliance
between the HERALD and the Telegraph We
acknowledge the force Of the arguments it
presents, but there are other considerations it
has overlooked. The Tribune made an alliance
with the London NeaoS which was an event in
Journalistic history. This was during the
German war, aud we remember that during
that war the Sun made brilliant coup in So
curing the services of the celebrated DR.. W.
H. Russell, and thus became On ally of the
London Times. SO that we arc simply follow
ing the example of the Sun and the Tribune
quite content if our success equals the expec-
tations OF the one and the realizations OF the
other.
In addition to MIR. Stanley's mission, we
note also that some of our contemporaries are
commenting upon our expedition to Iceland
This expedition gathers its interest from the
fact that it is commanded by DIR. I. L Hayes,
the celebrated Arctic explorer. who goes. out
as the HERALD representative to take part in
the millennial celebration of the independence
OF this interesting and isolated dominion
DR.. Hayes has made many contributions to
science. But the opportunity which now
opens to him is unusually attractive. We
know little Of Iceland, except in kind OF
poetic, dreamy way, and o study OF its char
acter its SOIL it's volcanoes and it's history
will 60 far towards solving many of the
problems that now centre around the Arctic
regions While dwelling on these expeditions
as illustrating the larger idea of journalism,
we are reminded of the enterprise of the
Chicago Times, which announces that it
will run special train from Chicago to NIL
waukee on Sunday morning for the purpose of
circulating the Sunday edition of the Times.
This is commendable enterprise and shows
how prompt our Chicago friends are to follow
New York in its new undertakings. The ac-
tion OF the HERALD in running its Sunday
trim 10 Sarntaua has rroxad ra..olr4io,,