The sun., 1880-12-12

Kingdom signally enhanced the reputation
OF the provincial newspapers. They had
predicted the revolution In public opinion,
which almost all the London journals pro-
nounced improbable Mr.. GLADSTONE had
long contended that the great provincial
organs were more trustworthy mirrors OF
popular sentiment, and more influential
within their several localities, than their
metropolitan rivals. Conservative politi-
clans, however, following tho example of
Lord BEAcoNsFIELD, who has never been
particularly civil to the most powerful rep
resentatives OF London journalism, have
heretofore treated the provincial press with
contemptuous indifference. Now, however,
they show signs OF profiting by sharp les
son, and their weightiest organ, the Lon
don QUARTERLY devotes great deal of space
in the current number to the British news
papers published outside OF the metropolis.
There are some broad facts deducible from
the Qatdrterlys minute and exhaustive sur
vey, which will prove interesting to Ameri-
can readers. 1t is surprising, for instance
at first sight, that the increased impor-
lance OF the provincial press should coincide
in point OF time with the vastly augmented
circulation OF London journals in the prov
inces. A few years ago daily edition OF
40, 900 or 80, 900 was deemed remarkable
phenomenon in the metropolis, whereas
now the Daily Telegraph alone issues more
than quarter of a million copies per diem,
while the outputs of the Times and Daily
Ners are understood to reach about 100000
and 10000 respectively. That this enor-
nous quantity OF papers Is not absorbed by
the capital, but is largely required by pro-
vincial demand, will be inferred from the
measures taken to supply out-of-town sub
scribers. Since 1876 newspaper trains have
started at little after every morning
from the termini of the Great Western,
Northwestern, Midland, and Great North
srn Railways, for the express purpose OF
| carrying London journals into the great
| manufacturing districts OF central and
| northern England and of southern
| Scotland. The result is that these pa
| pers, which are folded and sorted on
| the way, are delivered in Birmingham by
| half past Z, in Bristol about A. NJ, in Man
| chester soon after 10. in Liverpool an hour
| later, and in Newcastle by noon. Yet it is
| during the very period when such appliances
have been employed to convert the whole Of
England into one compact constituency OF
papers have most strikingly advanced
| in credit and circulation. The explana-
| tion OF this fact seems to be that since
the recent increase in the proportion OF
express trains on the English railways,
and the wholesale introduction OF sleeping
| cars and dining saloons on wheels, men of
business seldom stay over night in London,
but become more and more engrossed in
their local interests and affairs. According
to the QIarteriy there are literally millions
| OF persons OF wealth, position, and influence
in the great provincial centres who do not
pass a single night in the metropolis from
one year to another. The inference is that the
| out-of-town circulation Of London journals,
| considerable as it seems, must be mainly
| confined to tho landowning and profess
sional classes, whereas the commercial and
Industrial elements, which are rapidly tend
ing to become, II they are not already,
dominant in the community, find their views
and interests reflected in local organs.
Although the number OF provincial daily
papers printed in the United Kingdom has
been greatly multiplied within the past
thirty-livc years, there are still but 139. or
little more than one-sevcnth OF the number
published in the United States and Can
ada. OF these, tfty-six morning and
forty evening papers are credited tC
the English provinces, three morning
and one evening to Wales, fourteen morn
ing and seven evening to Scotland. one
nv, lis p'po. viz ~, on>
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