The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-02-19
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
How They Gather the News OF the
War-A Splendid Service TOR
Newspapers.
New York Times.

kind the American public wants, COM
plete and at the same time conhned
to facts-requires a small army Of
trained correspondents, up to date
methods and the highest order OF Or
eanization, if the system is to be equal
to the test and the result satisfactory.
No one war correspondent, how
ever persistent, efficient or brilliant,
nor any two or three, could undertake
to furnish their paper. no matter al
what expense, with complete news OF
struggle such as the one that has
lust commenced between Russia and
Japan in the far east. Every source
of news must be closely watched, and
at every strategic point there must be
man who can observe each move
on the chess board and explain to the
world what it means.
For that reason, as experience IN
the past has shown and as has again
been demonstrated at the very open
ing of this campaign in the far east,
the most efficient work in an erner-
eency of his kind is done by the large
news agency which has both the men
and the machinery at the scene and
only needs to start the wheels gong
The Associated Press, the greatest
news gatherer in the world. at the
outbreak of hostilities between Rus
,sia and Japan had not less than nine
trained war correspondents near the
scene Of the conflict. OF these, the
staff correspondents at Toxic, Manll-
la, Peking, and the resident cores
oondents at Seoul. Nagasaki, Che Foo,
Shanghai and Hong Kong were al
ready on the ground and had more or
less familiarity with the diplomatic
negotiations that preceded the struG-
gle, and in addition, OF course, more
or less intimate knowledge OF the
Typographical conditions OF what was
TO become the theatre OF war.
Three war correspondents who had
served through the Spanish war, the
Philippine campaign and the Boxer
,1orisinp were sent to reinforce the
staff of workers as soon as 1t was
eeen that clash was inevitable and
Imminent.
When the news Of the naval sElrrn-
ish off Port Arthur, which cost Rus
sia so dear, was received at the AS
sociated Press Office in this city, 1t
did not come in the way Of any great
surprise to the men in charge there.
That actual hostilities were under
way had been known there for three
days. though the information was not
to be given to the newspapers.
The Toxic correspondent Of the
Associated Press Mr.. Eagan. had
been Informed by the Japanese gov
ernnent that, in order to make The
initial movements of the fleet, there
would be a three days en.bargo o;l
all press dispatches, beginning at the
moment the order 70 begin hostliitirS
was given. This information reach.
ed New York Office with little delay,
and when some time later the code
word which meant that his dispatches
had been held tip was received from
Mr.. Eagan, the Associated Press peo-
pie knew in an instant that this meant
that war had begun.
The fact o; secrecy was held in
violate as a matter OF course-or per-
haps the Russian warships would
have worked their searchlights with
a little more diligence on that fateful
night, but without loss of time code
word was flashed 70 every correspon-
dent at point on the Yellow Sea,
warning them to be on the alert for
developments.
During the three days of rigid CEN
sorship. has been raised to a certain
that it could not handle any Japanese
dispatches, but worked its Chez Foo
cable, which is near Port Arthur, but
not under the control of either of the
contending powers, for all it was
worth. Since then the Japanese CEN
sorship has been 1eased to a certain