Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-25
Early Newspapers.
Uondon Standard.)

mo germ Of newspapers is found TN an.
Clent Rome. government. some two
centuries previous to the Christian era is
AhoWh 10 have promulgated its edicts by
NMoans Oh written papers affixed to pillars
NJ was there much difference between
lhe style Of these acta diurnia, as they
We're termed, and that Which now pre.
vans, further than that the former was
more brief n simple, and deficient In
phrases n the editorial
we They generally gave the news of
occurrences in simply indicative sen
fences. without introduction or comment
Of any kind.
Most Of these acta, which have been
preserved, are found to mention but one
or W events. They are headed with the
GATE in Roman fashion, ana the name of
the then Consul, and paragraphs such as
tho following formed the staple: ut thun-
dered, and an oak was struck with light
ming on that part Of MOunt Palatine call
ed Summa Velia. early in the afternoon"
'Murena. the Consul, sacrificed early In
the morning at the Temple OF Castor and
POlluX, and afterwards assembled the
Senate in POmpey's Senate-hOuse." &C.
Caesar set out for his government in
Father Spain, having long been detained
by his creditors" @ 1t will be observed,
too. hat as these announcements were
made at a central part Of the city, only
those persons who had leisure to go
thither were able to avail themselves Of
llt llltlllBtilCG III It's dNAilbiiNiN IN ~ ~
that the utility of such papers must nave
been very narrow and confined.
II is Eardly possible for us now, with
all the lights OF science around, and the
shoals OF newspapers with when we are
suDDlied. to form a proper notion OF the
darkness which, for want Of these, in
volved tho masses Of the people for many
centuries after the fall of the Roman en-
pire. We are told hat the Crusaders
were so ignorant Of geography, that at
every town thew apnTOHCned in Central
Europe they inquired If IL were Jerusa-
lem. When they at length reached their
destination. their exploits would have re-
manned unknown for years to their rela-
tives n friends at home had not az
times some few struggling pilgrims found
their a back to the West. Even bad
news IN those days could not. contrary
TO tho ~proVerb, travel fast. Every little
community must then have lived much
within itself. Their own town, or at most
county, would be the limit of their little
world.
1t was not until the sixteenth century
that anything at all approaching even to
the scanty Roman acta diurnia can be
found TO have revived in the modern
world. The war with the Venetian re-
public waged against the Turks gave rise
In 1908 to the custom of communicating
the military and commercial informa-
ton in Venice by written sheets, notizie
~scritee. to be read in q particular place
10 those desirOus of hearing the news,
who paid for this privilege with a coin
no longer In use. called gaZzetta, a name
which came In time TO be applied to the
itself both in italy and France,
and subsequently in England. when this
mode of imparting news came into use.
Venetian Government eventually gave
these announcements in a regular manner
once a month. but they were too jealous
TO allow them TO be printed. Only a few
copies were transmitted 70 such
subscribed and paid for them. Thirty
volumes Of these valuable manuscript
newspapers exist in the Magliabethian
Library at Florence. About the same
advertising wants commenced, the
lather of Montaigne, the celebrated es-
being credited with the sugges-
ton for making the wants of indiyiduals
known 10 the public in France. These
were received at offices established for
the purpose, and were firstly posted on
the walls Of public places, receiving the
OF ~ofiiches. In time this led to a
systematic and periodic publication in
These were termed afiiches in !
consequence Of their contents being origi-
lally hNed up as placards. though the
itself Is French for advertisement. |
II Is 70 England, as represented by
queen Elizabeth, that the honor OF COM
nencing printed sheets Of public inteli-
sence Is TO be ascribed. When the SDan-
sh Armada threatened an invasion of
his country, that sage Queen, remarking
he disadvantage OF the vague and alarm
10 AAAAiNAo hlAARA AAl0GllANu every mere. |
esolved TO inform her people truly of the
impending dangers. She began to publish
rom tine 10 time a sheet bearing the
GLOWING title. The English Mercurie.
by authority, for the con-
of false reports" OF this pub
cation, three copies are preserved i'm the
Museum. the earliest. No. 30.
caring date the 23d OF July. 1888. The
rst article. dated from Whitehall. con-
aims advices from Sir Francis Walsing-
that the Armada was seen i'm the
hannel making for the entrance with a
tyOrable gale. An account is then given
+ her Matesty's fleet. which consisted Of
Ighty sail divided into four squadrons,
)mmanded by the Lord High Admiral
the Ark Royal, Sir Francis Drake. and
he head. London" there is an account
an interview which the Mayor and Cor
had on the previous day with
sr Majesty. for the purpose OF assuring
sr Of their resolution 10 stand by her
ith their lives and fortunes 10 the last.
nder the same head appears the fol-
wing paragraph: yesterday the Scotch
AMBASSADOR had a private audience OF
n Majestic. an delivered a letter from
e King. his master. c~ontayninge the
ost cordial assurances OF adhering 10
n Majestie's interests, and TO those OF
q Protestant religion. n the younge
ing. James With. said 70 her MaJestie's
mister at his Court, that all the faVonr
expected OF the Spaniards was the
OF ~Polyphemus TO Ulysses; tnat
should be devOured TO the last. we
what would be thought or am
gsodorg in these days II they interlard-
their oral communications with such
.-.f..s r.feFQnea9i