The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-20
GATHERING WAR NEWS
ASSOCIATED PREss's WE'LL oR- GANIZED CORPS OF CoRRE-
 SPoNDEETS.
Pacific Cable Likely to Make San Francisco and New York Centres of News Instead of
 London.

The gathering of war news-of the kind the American public wants. complete and at the same time confined to facts-re- ouires a small army of trained cor.e- spondents, up to date methods and tho highest order of organization, if the sys- tenn is to be equal to the test and the result satisfactory.
 No one war correspondent. however persistent, efficient or brilliant, nor any two or three, could undertake to furnish their paper, no matter at what expense, with complete news of struggle such as the one. that has just commenced be- tween Russia and Japan in the Far East. Every source of news must be closely watched, and at every strategic poiEt there must be man who can observe each move on the chess board and OK plain to the world what it means.
 For that reason, as experlence in the past has shown and as has again been demonstrated at the very opening of this campaign in the Far East. the most effi- cient work in an emergency of this 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 going.
 Associated Press Stan. The Associated Press. the greatest ness gatherer in the world, at the outbreak of hostiiities between Russia and Japan. had not less than nine trained war core- spondents at or near the scene of con filct Of these, the staff correspondents at Tokio, Manila. Picking. and the resi- dent correspondents at Seoul, Nagasakh Che Foo, Shanghai and Hongkong were already on the ground and had more or less familiarity with the diplomatic ne- gotiations that preceded the struggle, and in addition, of course, more or less in- timate 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 campaigns and the Boxer up- rising were sent to reinforce this staff of workers as soon as it was seen that clash was inevitable and imminent.
 When the news of the naval slxirmiah off Port Arthur. which cost Russia so dear, was received at the Associated Press office in this city, it did not come in the way of any great surprise to the men in charge there. That actual hos tilities were under way had been known there for three days, though the tnfor- nation was not to be given to the news papers.
 The Tokio correspondent of the Asso. ciated Press, MT. Egan, had been inform ed by the Japanese Government that. in order to mask the initial movements of the fleet, there would be e three days embargo on all press dispatches, begin ming at the moment the order to begin hostilities was given. This information reached the New York oiiice with little delay, and when some time later the code word which meant that his dispatches had been held up was received from Mir. Egan. The Associated Press people knew in an instant that this meant that war had begun.
 The pact of secrecy was held inviolate as a matter of course-or perhaps the Russian warships would have worked their searchiights with little more dili- gence on that fateful night, but without loss of time a code word was flashed Co every correspondent at a point on the Yellow Sea, warning them to be on the alert for developments. ,s ssr
 During the three days of rigid censor ship the Associated Press knew that 1t could not handle any Japanese dispatches. but worked It's Che Foo cable. which is near Port Arthur, but not under the con- trol of either of the contending powers, for all 1t was worth. Since then the Japanese censorship has been, raised to a certain extent, and news can now be ob- tained from there, but on account of It's freedom from censorship. Chee Foo will be maintained, as long as the naval con ffict lasts, as the base from which cable news will be transmitted.
 During the Spanish war the dispatch boat played an important part fin the transmission of war news. The Associ- ated Press spent more than $300.O00 during the three months that war lasted for war news, much of 1t to maintain it's fleet of five specially chartered dispatch boats. These fleet little vessels, besides carry ing dispatches to the various points in the West Indies, where they could be filed, followed the American war vessels, and thus were able to report their move ments with great accuracy.
 There will be nothing of that kind in the Russo-Japanese war; at least not with official sanction. nor will the correspond ents be allowed to board either the Rus sian or Japanese naval vessels WhaE may be done Is quite another thing should the war be carried so far out to sea as to make the points of vantage already oc- cupied by the Associated Press men on the scene useless which, however, is not regarded as likely The naval fights will be to cover the landing of troops or to threaten some strategic point on shore, as was the case at Port Arthur.
 Going With the Troops.
 The Associated Press, with the permis- sion of the Japanese Government. sent two men with the expeditions landed in Korea. They will accompany the troops during their campaign in the Hermit Kingdom. Other correspondents have been sent with the Russian force starting from Port Arthur for the Yalu River