The sun., 1891-08-12
A Little Modern History.

The change which for some time past has
been coming over the management OF the
London Times is emphasized by tho ap-
pointment OF one OF tho working Lon
don staff OF that journal to cooperate
with NJ. DE BLow1Tz In giving greater
freshness and variety to It's Parisian
correspondence. The selection for this pur-
poso Of a young American journalist is due
to tho Initiative OF MIR. MoBERLY BELL,
formerly British consular officer In Egypt
but for nearly two years past an associate
manager with Mr.. ARTHUR and Mr.. GEoF-
FREY WALTER OF the great English news
paper. MIR. ARTHUR WALTER mado tho per-
sonal acquaintance OF Mr.. BELL during
visit to Egypt. where Mr.. BELL had for
some time acted MS local correspondent OF
the journal. On the death In 1889 Of Mr..
MACDONALD, for many years tho manager
OF the Times. the management OF tho paper
was put, 80 to speak, into commission. It
hos always been substantially Independent
OF the editorship. In the great days OF DE-
LANE 1t was held by Mr.. MowBRAY MORRIS.
who exercised sway over the news and
correspondence Of the Times as absolute as
tho sway OF Mr.. DELANE over the policy and
the editorial staff.
When both DELANE and MORRIS had
"joined the majority" Mr.. JOHN WALTER,
then an NJ. P. for Berkshire. and the chief
proprietor Of the paper. virtually assumed
o general control Of Its affairs which he had
never been allowed to assert during the
reign Of his two famous licutenants.
He put tho management into the
hands OF Mr.. MACDONALD, who had long
had charge OF the press and the machinery
Of tho establishment, and with whom Mr..
JOHN WALTER had formed Q close personal
friendship. The editor Of the Times from
that date ceased to be the true autocrat OF
the journal. Neither to the late Mr.. CHENERY.
nor to Mr.. BUCKLE, the present accom-
plished and scholarly chief Of the editorial
force. has my such authority ever been
given as was claimed and held by Mr..
DELANE. But the correspondence was con-
trolled by Mr.. MACDONALD as effectually as
it ever had been BY Mr.. MowBRAY MORRIS.
One exception only existed under the MAC
DONALD regime in the person OF II. DE
BLowITZ. Under the DELAEE-MoRR1s sys-
tenn of administration the correspondence
Of the Times at Paris had como to be treated
as sort Of semi.diplomatic function, only
to be properly performed by q correspondent
who could hold his own socially In the
political and administrative circles of Paris,
which nre governed, above all other similar
circles in the world. by personal relations
and private Influences.
With the fall Of the empire in 1870. the
social organization Of the French capital
was suddenly shaken to pieces. The old
methods persisted, but under the control OF
a set OF men and Of women quite other for
the most part than those who had held the
fort" under the empire. Fortunately for the
Times, Mr.. DELANE was able to secure for
1t, during the critical and transitional first
years OF the new departure. the services ns
correspondent in Pnris OF Mr.. LAURENCE
OL1PHANT. who had a rare faculty Of making
himself oil things to all men after the fash
ion Of st. PAUL. and who found 1t easier per-
haps than st. PAUL might have found 1t, to
exert this faculty for the edi0cation OF the
readers Of great English newspaper.
because in the depths OF his heart no cnrcd
very little either for the public men and tho
public policy OF France or for tho readers
Of tho great English newspaper. In tho
Office work Of his post, which was car
rled on In a third-tioor apartment OF three or
four rooms In the Rue Vivienne, connected
by special wire with London. Mr.. OIL
PHANT was assisted by clever. quick
witted, energetic Austrian Hebrew, whose
acquaintance he seems to have first mado
during tho war Of 1870 in the south Of
France. This WAS Nj. OPrER. o native OF
Bludowitz. q little town In Austrian Silcsia.
On his marriage with French Catholic
and Legitlmist lady Of some property Mr.,
OPFEn rot unnaturally followed the exam
ple set by manv eminent Frenchmen from
tho days OF voLrAIRE to our own time, and
adopted instead Of his patronymic name
more pleasing than OPFER In tho ears OF
anti-Teutonic Frenchmen. Contracting tho
nnme OF his native town. Biudowltz, into
BLowITz, he became known. and ere long
celebrated, MS n. DE BLowIrz Indefat!ga-
BILE, prompt to discern tho drift Of public in
telliGenco, and not to be deterred by the fear
OF men or the force OF routine from learning
what he wanted to know, he did great deal
OF valuable work for TIM Times. not only
In Paris. under the superintendcnce OF Mr..
OLIPHANT. but ns q special CORES, ondeut
on special occasions. Wherever no went he
put himself In direct connection with the
highest authorities. and masniied his office
in manner which usually ,cdoundrd not
Inly to the advantage of tho Times but to the
personal kados o. its cori espondent. His scr-
Vices to the Spanish court, for example, on
the -crason OF the marriage OF KiEg Az
roNso, we've promptly recognized by Tho
bestowal upon him Of the Spanish Order OF
CHARLES III. 4; an'l during his now long term
OF service he has received many similar deco
rations FRI m divers European poientdtos.
When Mr.. OLIPHAkT. III tho full per-
formance Of his duties at Paris. was
suddenly summoned to lay down
his appointment and proceed 10 til"
Brocton settlement Of the "Primate"
HARRIS. 1t became necessary for him to
transfer the charge OF his journalistic duty
to a competent successor He found such O
successor at hand in the rerson of MI.
MARSHALL. an ACCOMPLISHED Englishmsn, a
member Of the well-known MARSHALL family
Of the Lake district, long resident In France.
and known to English readers as the author
OF one OF the most charming and authentic