New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-13
THE TIMES.
III
WHAT THE AMERICAN EXPECTS IN IT AND
DOES NOT FEND--RECENT IMPROVE
MENTS-MR MOBERLY BELL
AND HIS WORK

MENTS-MR MOBERLY BELL
AND HIS WORK.
London, November 81.
The native American upon his first visit to THIS
country, or at the beginning Of his first vsit oIen
declares that he finds the English papers oull'
lie complains of many things in them and OF the
want of many things which are not In them' ana
which he thinks ought to be contained somewhere
within the spreading compass of these capacious
sheets; especially in THE Times which he ex'
poets TO find all manlkinds epitome. The ap-
sence of American news, the meagreness OF
American news and it's inaccuracy and peeVlsh'
ness, surprise him, perhaps veX NM lhere ID
however, more American news than there useo 10
be, and sometimes it is true as well as new.
He complains of the mass and bulk of Other
news which interests him less. lie looks IN vain
for the sparkle of personalities which DIVERSITY
the pages of his favorite journals in New-fork or
Chicago or Little Rock II he has been brought
I'D on some OF the less decOrous sheets OF these
enterprising cities he may look for matter he is
still less likely to discover in England; at least
in the morning papers of London. He will never
learn from the pages of any of the great daily
journals what the Queen bad for dinner the day
before nor what the pattern of the trousers
worn by the Prince of Wales In the morning. He
will find the privacy Of private life respected, and
an almost total want of gossip about young girls
and their prospects in life and the possibilities Of
their engagements to specified young men. or their
firtatiens in short, an absence of scandal OF any
kind. He will not often see so much as an inter
view; unless it comes by telegraph from the Con.
tinent. The Englishman dislikcs the domestic in
tervew. but if it be foreigner on whom the
operation is performed, sees great harm in the
practice. The length of the leading article is an.
other trial of the American reader Of English pa
pers. who, perhaps has been taught at home to
value an opinion, or the discussion of difficult
toplc' in proportion to its conciseness
Many other things a trial to him, and he
criticises what he thinks the shortcomings of the
English press with that freedom which becomes
the citizen Of free country. He omits to con-
slider thing, that the English newspaper is
edited for the English public, and not for the
American He might be surprised to hear that
the Epglshman who goes to what he calls the
States" likes the American newspaper no better
than the American likes the English. 1t is
question Of latitude and longitude not Of absolute
or abstract goodness or badness in either case. Do
we not all remember to what disastrous end came
a recent cnor5 by an ambitious American to show
the English public how a newspaper ought to be
edited in London?
Nevertheless, as Calico insisted the world does
move, and the end of the nineteenth century is
near, and the pace increases, and the competition
increases, and the REORGANIZATION of ideas is
more constant, and the influence of one country
on another closer; and even in the English press.
and even in The Times" the spirit of innovation
is discoverable.
There have been of late many changes for the
better in this journal. 1t has got rid of. some
of the hide-boInd traditions which impaired
its value as a newspaper. It's news is
better and more various. 1t has broadened its
view. and no longer excludes certain kinds of
intelligence merely because they had been eX-
cluded in former years 1t has given In to
slight extent to the prevailing taste for person.
alites which in others it continues TO rcbuke, and
publishes a daily half column in which the
movements of great persons, and of many persons
who are not great, Are chronicled; with brief
notices Of their health of the visits they have
made or received, of their public engagements.
and Of other interesting particulars This
half column follows hard upon the Court
Circular which is confined, now as always,
TO royal personages, and to those whom
the royal personages honor with their in
vitations or patronage. Under the headline I" To-
day." list is given of public meetings, exhibitions
sports and many other matters with respect 10
which the public likes to bc informed in advance.
Since the tue of the late Mr.. Chenery Science
has had hearing in its columns. Ii continues to
have, in form better adapted for the general
reader So does Literature There is in this q
very recent innovston-a daily catalogue of books
published there Is a weekly review Of books, gen.
orally on Thursday, and there special N.
views Of books having q special importance.
Many subjects Of human interest or having an In
terest for particular classes, treated formerly in
hapbazard manner, are now treated Systematically !:
information relating 10 them being collected and
classified in a form easy of reference. Agriculture
is one Markets another. 1t is obvious that a
classifying and systematzing mind is imprcssing
itself on the paper. Once you had to hunt through
each of its many pages to make sure you had eX-
bausted any given subject: now the hunting and
arranging are done for you, as they ought to BE-,
in tie office.
Telegraphic dispatches are dealt with by new
method; perhaps of more doubtful advantage
The source Of them used to be indicated at the
head, and you knew at once whether you werc
reading "Our own correspondent or Reuter-.
This often essential indication of the character
Of the dispatch is relegated to the end run
up" and printed in italics. Sensational head
lines are still eschewed, happily It is thought
sufficient TO indicate in plea caps, which are used
all up and down the column, according to need,
the name of the country from which the dispatch
proceeds, TO which it relates. When news is
important there Is such headline as for eX-
ample, "The Crisis in Brazil"; or the subject
matter is denoted by. The Behring Sea Fisheries,
or The European Situation" or some equally
descriptive and equally quiet title. The caps
are allowed 10 run over into a second line. There
is en- elaborate and very useful list of Contents
at the head Of the leader page half column lonx
sometimes; followed Immediately by a much
shorter index 10 advertisements in smaller tyne
The Advertisements themselves are now not only
classified, but arranged throughout the paper under
head lines. Efforts are made in many directions