New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-14
VAR CORRESPONDENTS
,,ologies from South africa for the
Far Fasf-The English Staff.
London. March ;.

s-o~ously empl0le4 lhd' 'le EsH6llSh press
80. receive any adequate return FOR its en-
o. and the enormous expense Of the SER
taf--- .-,. ersrfsl dispatches were mutilated al
carriers and held back by the blocking Of
ssaos ,,-es. and the public was mainly de-
'F -. ,,ron tho official dispatches for informa-
Yshu'5 .,ssa were condensed and often rem
~ ,,,irfencihle by inscrutable processes OF
csrsl che war Office. At critical times.
.ts-e were British reverses or when i'm
Tael .,,,,-e7,e~te like Lord Roherts's march
,-.-,be-lev and Bloemfontein were impending
v.ss the best centre Of news. because
- more or Jess leakage from ofhcial
There was o legitimate cause for COM
=, the part Of tho English people, who
-sying heavily for the war IN blood ana
-, They were intensely Interested IN the
80 vet were not allowed 10 have an
1910 account Of 81 from day 10 day; ana
not En- consequence Of any lack or en-
~ -. IN the uart Of the London ana proVln-
i a,..-,efs. The press was well represented py
-.--e.ent STAFF Of correspondents; but the
-. cers8rs were most arbitrary IN their
go and Tho dispatches were held back ana
80, edited and condensed by officers Who
-itlart The training and judgment requl-
Co. an intelligent discharge OF their iUnc-
~, Coco descriptions # battles were reSeI ca
.tsr,srs. and were not printed until a month
-. vesls after the fighting was over
o-.ofr.or5 Rohe~ts's most successful generals
a.. =. .,a-rr, to Pretoria admitted not long ago.
= IN, course of a frank conversation thar the
-.,,o-sbir in south Africa was badly conduc0ea'
=, said that the newspapers could not oe prop
-. es,vss when the wires were needed loF
..r,-srv r,i,rozs. and the correspondents We're
.--,t,i~q over one another in their eageriess 10
60 long DISPATCHES. with fun details or every
.,-,,-,tsb and drive. lie added that the ceisoIs
- - -s75or- and without definite instruc-
.,o,e eDd not infrequently spared themselves
~. ,-orl,le OF reading dispatches by suppresslng
.ber7 outright He paid a high tribute 20 the
,.o--a~,ondeuts as 8 body Of Intelligent ana
agreeable men, but asserted that there were
= -,.-y ~ them. md that they interfered with
work al headquarters, and would nave over
80 the wires and worn out the operators II
official restraint had not been placed upon their
energies. he said that the newspapers would
save money IN war time and secure prompter
,-s batfer service for the public II they were
10 keep their own men az home as commentators
,,,on military operations, and 10 depend upon
two well equipped news agencies for dispatches
This would reduce the labors OF the censors and
readers would have every morning what Il was
safe and proper for them To know about the
campaign The general assented when I re-
marked that British taxpayers, who were pro-
viaing the money for campaign, were entitled
10 have precise, early and trustworthy informa-
ton dav by day: and he was strongly disposed
% favor a change OF method IN dealing with
reuspapers and the public. He considered It
one OF the duties OF the staff to supply daily
bstget OF information for readers az home,
which would be as trustworthy as the bulletins
q the general IN command. Il might properly
pthe function Of a staH officer at headquarters
70 make I'D dispatches which could be sent 70
10 rival news agencies. These staff officers
-lght be. he added. trained newspaper CORE
Fpon6ents. with commissions from the War
once but with salaries paid by the news agen-
ciss.
The London press has sent some Of its most
experienced men 20 Japan and Manchuria, in
Guiding many o. the veterans OF the Nile and
South African campaigns. Mr. Bennett Bur-
leigh the war eagle OF The Daily Telegraph"
was the frst man su the field, for he insisted
many months ago that hostilities were inevita-
bic; and he took advantage Of his early arrival
10 explore the field IN advance and 20 make a
special study of the defenoes Of Port Arthur
and Hlsdivostok. lie IS the most professional
among the English war correspondents. and
writes with precision and thorough knowledge
for military experts; but while he is most en-
s-getic neusgathsr he has a labored and
clumsy style and is not a good descriptive writ
e. He Is not popular among his colleagues,
fnce he Is the journalist first and the friend
Incidentally. He does not like competition, and
Insists upon having pre-eminence by virtue Of
bic protracted experience. military knowledge
and unrivaned reputation. The Standard"
Ass.,ated for a long time before sending repre-
ssntatives 10 the Far East, but succeeded IN
having them on the ground soon after the dec
hation OF war Mr. William Maxwell was IN
he soudan campaign and at Ladysmith. and
apart from his thoroughness and conscientious
hess he is an excellent descriptive writer. whose
nal letters are invariably well informed. but
serious rather than vivacious. He has taken
hs handsome and charming American wife with
hin 10 Jaran. and has as an associate the au-
1or q one Of tie best among the recent books
toOut that country. Mr.. Charles Ludlow Brow
Del went from America to Toxic, learned the
language while in the service OF the university,
and obtained by protracted residence an init
nate acquaintance with the life and customs
q the people Mr. BrowneU loves Japan, and
tnce his return 10 England has been eager 10
rs'urn 10 Toxic. and there was no happier man
LONDON than he when he suddenly received
@n'arching orders
hre correspondents who were wounded in
SOU Ainaa have returned 20 work IN the
nec These are Mr. knight. Of The Morning
Post viVacious writer and indefatigable
worker; Mr.. George Lynch. OF The Daily
chronic'e" with a talent FOR eccentric adventure
ard most comDanionable man: and Mr..
BANDS. ~ The Daily NAH" a versatile essay
81 with "a touch Of. humor. who has halted tenn
porarly az S. Petersburg hut VIII proba bly,
O. on 20 Mlulhuria. Mr. London who is one
o. The chief workers 90 The Daily Express"
cultigatlu- the i,nrressionlst style introduced
ri tie la~7osted Stevens and Is one Of the most