The New York herald., 1879-11-25
OBITUARY..


born in October, 1917. studied private sen,inares
in England and France. graduated ut Magdslen Hail.
Oxford. in 1889. and the year began his long
connection with the Times assistant to the editor
III chief, Mr.. Thoinas Barnes. and the
death of ths q latter. May Z. 1sll. became
his successor He retained that post until Noveiu-
ber. 1871 when he resigned account OF ilhealth.
with liberal pension. and succeeded by the
present editor, Mr.. Thomas Chenery. late pro-
fessor of Arabic ut Oxford. Mr.. Delane studied
law. and called to the bar at the
Middle Temple in 1s47. but practised
that profession. These lew facts comprise nearly
all that is generally known Of the external life Of Mr.
Deiane. He was identified with the Times to such
degree that proper biography of him could be
written without giving at the time the history
Of the "Thunderer." Mr. Dalane the Times.
and conversely. the 1inss was air. Deane True he
was but the saiared employe OF the Walter family
who for three generations, since its beginning, have
been the sole proprietors Of that prncely estate.
But he impressed has individuality upon that great
journal than they, and if the forebodngs OF
the croakers who tell that the Times rapidly de-
clining in circulation, influence and intrinsic merit
be team only be attributedto to the absence Mr.
Delane from it's direction during the past years.
As there have been three successive John Murrays
at the head OF the principal British publishing
house in Albemarle street. there been three
successive john Walters who have reigned supreme
in Printing House square. The origin OF the Times
is usually dated from 1855. though the newspa-
per which then made its hrst appearance
titled the Daily Uicersdi Rc9ista aud did
its present until January /, 1888. It's origin
was curious experiment. i'll the use of labor saving
machinery, akin to the metlOds employed by pho
neticans and telegraph operators for representing
whole word by single stroke. John Walter the
first born In 1882 had been Tor many years the head
OF typographical estabs hment in Charng
Cross and printer to the Board OF Customs
when he acquired by purchase patent for "logo-
graphic printing. the art OF printing with types
containing entire words instead OF simple letters.
He made many unsuccessful efforts to get his system
adopted by the trade and applied to government for
its patronage the official printing, but with sen
der results. Full of confidence that he held in his
hands u method destined to revolutionize the typo
graphic art. he resolved to launch experiment
| large scale. and. above mentioned. commenced
the Daiy Cnirersol Rerster i'll 1885. 1t jocosely
alleged that lis order to tho typefounder was
| somew hat as follows:-''send me a hundredweight
| OF type, made up In separate pounds or
atrocious outrage fearful calamity alarming explo-
| sion, honorable gentlemen. loud cheers. gracious
majesty. interesting female. &C." The paper
! proved decided success, thanks to Mr.. Walters
| ssGacious management. but the Geographic
| method always hindrance rather than
help. Nevertheless, its proprietor could not be
| vnced for several years. and when the Thunderer
made its appearance January l. 1885, it nailed the
| "The Times; or. Daily Universal Register, printed
| geographically" History has not preserved the
OF its earliest editors For several years the
Times pursued quiet career, unconscious OF any
destiny to outstrip its rivals Like them it got into
Mr. Walter was tried for two alleged Iibels on the
Prince Wales and the Dukes of York and Clarence.
He fined EGO and sent TO Newsate Prison, but
released after sixteen months at the request of
| the Prince OF Wales.
| The elder Mr.. walter died at Teddington. Novem-
Der 16, 1872 when the Times became the property OF
his son. Jonn Walter the second He practical
printer, and for several years since 1909 had been
partner with his father, assuming also the sole
! management. 1t under his auspices that the
| Times first assumed the priniacy among British
| dailies. His hand became manifest in the vigor and
independence of it's politics and i'll tue freshness Of
| its The Times frequently under the gov
ernment ban The Office oi printers to the customs
was taken away from the Walters. after eighteen
| years tenure. on account OF their having
| exposed the financial irregularities OF Lord Mel
! vile. They were thwarted by the government in
their measures for obtaning the freshest from
! the war on the Continent, their packets being frc.
| quently stopped III the seaports. while those
| for the Ministerial journals were hurried to Lon
| don. Under these circumstances John WAlter.
| Jr., contrved to at outwit
the government agents and beat the rival
| periodicals at their own game. He announced the
| before tho arrived through any other
channel. Debates in Parliament. law proceed
| fairs were reported with fulness and ac-
curacy which filed readers with wonder. The logo
after few years. but the Walters were ever on tue
alert to introduce new machinery ioArapd printing.
In 1904 of the Times competitors, Thomas
Martyn. devised an important machine for
that purpose. Some years later. Friedrich
improvements in printing which were carried out
by the Times by the aid of steam power and the first
number was printed November 20 1s14. The num-
Der of sheets then printed per hour was 1,l00 but
the same machines. known as the Walter presses,
subsequently printed Is 900 sheets per hour.
1t was during the JOINT reign OF the two John
Walters that the first great editor OF the Times
discovered and brought forward. This was
Mr.. Thomas Barnes. born in 1855. educated ut
Christ's Hospital and Cambridge who. after some
years Of practice at the London bar, addressed q
series of letters to tho Times the and
the events OF the day. which were accepted and
made such o favorable impression that Mr.. Walter,
sr sought out the au thor and attached him to the
n "a
post of managing editor. which be held until his
death in s4 HEINZ, He wrote len lev leaders hnsef
the outlines of articles, assigning them to
able leader writers aad then trimming them
into shape to suit his own views His habits were
very irregular. and a good deal of gentle coercion
had to be employed by the Walters to keep him ut
Mr.. (aiterward Sir) John Stoddart engaged as
chief political leader writer in 1872 but he Sc
Qsl7-2s) edited the Ne,c Times in fruitless
rivalry with his former employers. Stoddart |
knighte and made Chief Justice of Malta in |
1896 and survived until 1856. He author of two
remarkable works, entitled "Universal Grammar
& esaer a. c,,ss noa asor
writer Captain Edward Sterling. Waterloo oii- |
1t was chiefly through sterlings articles that
the Tta.es gained its title of ''rhunderer."
Mr.. John Walter. the second. married, in 1917. |
Elizabeth. daughter OF Henry Smythe Esq.,, East
ling, Kent. He acquired handsome fortune |
through the success OF his journal. purchased hne
estate at Bearwood. Berkshire aud sat in Parliament
for that county from 1882 To 1887, when he resigned
in consequence OF differences with his constituents
ON the question OF the new Poor law. He was elected
for the borough of Nottingham In 1S4l and
tnued to represent that town until his death at his
residence IN Printing House square. Blackfriars.
London July 2s 1S47. His John Walter, third |
OF the name born ut London in 1918. studied at
Eton graduated with honors at Exeter College. |
Oxford in is4O and was called to the bar at Lin
colns Inn in 1S41. in which year he succeeded |
to the ownership Of the Tones. and elected to |
Parliament for Nottingham as his fathers successor
the day after that gent!cman's death. In 1859 he |
elected for tho county of Berks as liberal |
conservative" defeated IN 1865, bat again |
elected in February. 1874. He married in |
1872 to Emily Frances daughter OF Major Henry
Court, OF Castlcmans, Berkshire, an aniiablc and |
accomplished lady, who died in 1858. Mr.. Walter |
visited the United States in the autumn 1866, ac-
companied by his eldest son, born in l545 and cdu-
Gated at Eton aud Christ Church. Oxford. Mr.. Walter
is excellent public speaker and has taken an
active part In the advocacy OF popular education and
the abolition of church rates. His relations to MIR.