New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-27
WAR NEWS.

There Is no room In present war reporuhs ~
CRY Farewell Romance" We are not sure 'ii".
the war itself IS less picturesque IMAM 'no' ~
old The gentlemen in khaki present u'i
ferent appearance from mail clad hnisnt''
their bayonet charge against nre irlhseu i"
mart is every whit rs thrilling as any ue"u''
tourney led by Lancelot However tha' ma! ~
we are quite sure that the TRANSMISSION ~ ""
news was never more picturesque ron' :. -
fancy inspiring in its ways ana means 'n'N ,r,'
IN this practical and commonplace u"9'
dovo transformed from bird or peaCe i"'
messenger Of war, flying from the oeie"e
CITY over the battlefield TO the adVancinb az
the 1.-the native runner stalking inc ioe""
the hunter does his quarry ana "ehuinS ~
simmons way snakelike from rock 10 thoi ho'S'''
ro,,, or,biIl n cactus If so he may traverse the
uo - doo,b unnoticed: the searchlights when,
h1ov,ro from Garth 10 heaven. literally "splash
eat n ten league canvas with brushes Vi eoin'''
chair" writing upon the clouds the MESSAGES
rood ,nonv q mile away-theSe are some OF the
oro,,cos which have displaced the stately herald
and the swift footed messenger or Maratnoh'
Nor is the transmission of the news from the
Cane 70 The Tribune's readers less noteworthy
IN manner II is q passage through three zones
opd tbrouoh three seasons and one which seems
70 do the impossible act of turning lllhe paoh
,.ord In his flight II is an early morning In
carly summer there. At the same moment II 10
n late evening of early winter here Inc cape
Town news of sunrise flashing along nine thou-
sand miles of the dark, cold sea noor' lies OH
our desks ut midnight of the night before. Anu
when the blazing heat OF the early al'erhooh
makes the Afrikander pause in his LABOR the
myriad Tribune readers in the crisp winter
morning of the same day peruse the tale OF MS
campaigning What is there in fairy lore or id
maricions art 10 match so plain tale? 1t Is
the strangeness of truth surprising all inc
strange witcheries Of fiction.
Above ALL truth. 1t has been the happy fort
unc of The Tribune 10 serve as one OF the most
important links in this world circlng CHAIN OF
information. and as such we may justly claim
that it's old repute of accuracy and enterprise
has been we'll maintained II is now nearly
generation since this paper marked a new epoch
in war news reporting. with its unique achieve
ments i'm the FrancO-German war. The stand
ard then set up has been. according 10 our belief
and according to the testimony Of innumerable
readers maintained in ample measure. 1t was
evident AT the beginning. as has since been
proved that whatever rumors and fancies might
elsewhere arise all actual news must Of neces-
siy pass through London There, then. was the
point at which to tap the current Thence we
have daily drawn n trimming measure contain
ing all that was essential and nothing that was
eXtraneous.
The direction of this undertaking in all its
multifarious details, and indeed the personal eX-
ecution of the major part Of it, has devolved
upon our regular London correspondent, Mr.
l. " Ford. His work, by cable and by mail
has for years been one Of the most valued
fea lures Of our columns. In the present emer-
gency, it is only just to say, he has risen-if
rising was indeed necessary--tO the full height
OF the occasion. II is no mere expression of
journalistic pride, but. we are well assured,
faithful reflection of the opinion Of myriads of
thoughtful readers, for us to record that his
daily contributions to our columns during This
war have been noteworthy. at once and equally
for fulness Of volume. for accuracy of detail
and for charm of style. Never attempting TO
concoct or TO foster impossible sensations. yet
never behndhand in a single item of real news
Mr.. Ford has combined enterprise and dscrimi-
nation energy and judgment in manner that
has shown him an unsurpassed historian of cur
rent events, and has made The Tribune and the
considerable number of important journals from
Chicago and st. Louis to Toronto which have
arranged with us for the simultaneous publlca-
ton Of our special dispatches from London, I'M
surpassed daily recorders of the progress of the
war. 1t Is thus that the dove borne message
from Ladysmith, the budget brought by the feet
Bechuan from Alafeking and the news written
in fire upon the clouds at Kimberley reach and
pass through the linotype machine and the per-
fectlng press and are laid upon the breakfast
tables of the American Nation.