The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-15
TIE cmINEsE PRESS.
Pretty Much Like the Press in other
Countries.


The Chinese press can pride itself on the
fact that it IS great deal more ancient
than that Of Europe. We are not concern
ed here with the publications founded in
China by Europeans for the satisfaction
Of merchants aud others who dwell in the
free ports The first newspaper created in
China was an omeial organ, which is call
ed by foreigners the Picking Gazette; its
correct name, however, is ''The News of
the Capital3' In Chinese it is called Using
paO." The exact date Of its crea ton is UNI
known, but it is certain that it was al
ready published In A. D. 7l3. At first it was
engraved on leaves of wood, but for many
years now il has been printed by movable
types; Ia Special cheap edition is rather
badly printed on sheets of wax. This Ga
zette," as 1t IS commonly called, appears
in the form of a copybook of ten to twelve
double leaves, eight inches long and five
wide. Each page is divided into seven col
umns by lines Of violet ink; it is roughly
mounted in a yellow cover. In this Venera-
bic ancestor Of the modern press one can
find some very interesting reading. There
is first resume of the imperial audiences
and presentation, the movements of the
Emperor and Empress; then information
connected with the divers ministerial de-
partments, and the instructions as to
which corps of the garrison of Picking Is
'on duty at the palace. This is followed by
the imperial DEGREES and the reports of the
ministers of the capital or by the viceroys
in the provinces. The reports of the police
department also, and prosecutions, find a
prominent place. The columns of the Ca
zette'' are also open to the reports of any
negligence or corruption of officials, and in
i ,A~,7
some Western nations.
It is to be regretted that the Chinese
language presents such great difficulties
to the European learner. Were it other
wise we outer barbarians could gather a
very good idea of the daily life of the in
habHants Of the Celestial empire by Pc
rusing the columns of the Tsing-Pao. The
subscription is very modest, at least, to
the Chinese themselves, who only pay one
shilling per month. Foreigners are, how
ever, compelled 10 pay more, for the ben
eft of the Dostottice servants, whose duty
1t IS to publish the Gazette. 1t appears
every morning and is distributed to sub
scribers by an army of messengers, who
run through the streets, each bearing a
large bundle OF copies.
The first non-oficial Chinese journals
did not make their appearance until TWEEN
ty-five or thirty years ago; they were
founded in those districts where foreigners
are settled and published under the nomi-
nal direction of a foreigner, although they
have always been edited by literary Chi
nese and printed by native compositors.
The only daily journals now published are
the Chenapao, or Shanghai News, which
was created about 1872, and which is GER
tainly the. most interesting of all, and the
Hon-pao It's rival published in the same
nd he.
for Hon is the literary name of Shang-
hal. Among the weekies the Shanghai
Mercury has great influence in the bust
ness world. At Tientsin The Che-pao APP
peared for several years, but it has now
ceased 10 exist At Canton, we find the
Tchoung si-je-pao 0he DAILY News oil
China and the east'O. We will close this
rather meager list of dailies with the
Ling-Nam-j e-pao ("Daily News of Ling
Nam'D, which is the only native journa
which has so far initiated the methods Of
certain European Newspapers by seeking
to increase its sale by filling its columns
with scandals and defamation. We must
not forget an illustrated newspaper calico
the Hona-pao Culustrated News'O ant
published as a kind of supplement to the
Chen-pao. The jesuit missionaries o.
Shanghai publish a journal called Ouen
Ion for the. benefit of the Catholic popu
lation, but it cannot be properly designated
| a Chinese paper.
The reader viii doubtless like to know
| what are the contents of a real Chimes
| journal. Let him peruse with us a mum
| Der Of the Chen-pao, which can buy 70
less than a haf-penny. The composition
| of this Journal Is not so extraordinary al
one would be inclined to imagine Ate
| the title, instructions to correspondents o
| the journal and the price of the subscrip
ton, we find leading article, dealing will
| various subjects, written with great abil
| ity and treating with much good sense
some times even with great depth of view
I the questions of the day; even foreign pol
itics is dealt with with considerable
| knowledge. Then follow the imperial de
! crees, which the editor often receives b,
! telegraph interesting reports of the variou
| governors, correspondence from the prov
inces, and news which has been transmit
! ted by European agencies. ~ Divers fact
are not forgotten. and these appear yer.
strange 10 the eyes of European TIL
! Chinese reporter is a very important an,
| very perseveriug Individual who neve
| fails to penetrate wherever his duty call
him, although his presence is not Away
| very welcome; he could even give som
lessons to his Western compeers, for hi
ingenuity is unlimited and his skin is o
an exceptional thickness. The last page
of the paper are devoted TO advertise
ments, the Chinese shopkeepers and mer
| chants having soon understood the powe
! and benefits of publicity.
Although the best Chinese journals prin
no more than about 1900 copies the pres
has already become an indispensable ele
ment in the life of the shopkeeper and III
| mandarin. and will greatly contribute t
the diffusion of new ideas,even in the con
| sentative Empire of the Son Of Heaven
-"Henry, what in the world were vo
and all those other boys rushing un IN
street for?" I'VE We're the flying squad
ron chasin' Spanish torpedo boats.
Didn't ] see a policeman running afte
| you?" Yes. pa; but he wasn't in til
| game."-Cleveland Plain Dealer