The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-06-08
JOURNAuSM|N TINES.
When Balls are Flying ThickeSt
Columns are Brightest.
A SCARCITY OF PAPER

American Civil War Especially Rich
in journalistic Enterprise-Dur-
ing Franco-Prussian War Beseg.
ed Towns Kept Their Presses
Merrily Going.
Theer are few things more eloquent
OF the dauntless spirit of the Russians
of Port Arthur than the fact that
through all the horrors and sufferings
of the siege they not only contrived to
publish their newspaper, but to make
its columns brighter than in days of
peace.
This is in splendid keeping with the
traditions of war and sieges; for, al
though circled by death, somehow or
other the buoyancy and vitality of the
press suffer no diminution. Why even
when Lucknow, defended by hand
full of troops, was almost at its last
gasp and expecting all the indescrib-
able horrors of capture every hour, it
kept its newspaper going, although
it was no larger than sheet of note
paper. and every line had to be writ
ten laboriously by hand, principally by
the brave wife of the chaplain.
Again, when Kandahar was besieg-
ed by the fierce Afghans the garrison,
amid all its anxieties and dangers,
found time to produce a newspaper
only a small single sheet, 1t is true,
but well and brightly edited-which
did well in keeping up the spirits of
our gallant soldiers. 1t was a beauti-
fully Autographed sheet, full of in.
formation, from the list of services in
camp and fort to the --latest intel
ligence" of doings in Europe.
During the Franco-Prussian war
every besieged town kept it's presses
merrily going, though the shells were
shrieking around the editorial offices
and occasionally bursting uncomfort-
ably near the editorial chair.
Paris, Metz. Sedan and other be
leaguered towns had their special siege
journals, and when the supply of pa
per ran short, paper of all descrip-
tions was enlisted in their service.
Packing paper. paper used for wrap
ping groceries in, wall paper-papers
of all colors and kinds were utilized,
and one journal actually made its ap-
pearance printed on wash leather.
And while the presses of the be-
sieged Parisians were thus kept busy,
the Germans outside their walls were
no less enthusiastic. In the German
army were many clever young artists,
who volunteered their services, with
the result that the papers were full of
beautiful and often most diverting
pictures.
The American Civil War was espe-
cially rich in journalistic enterprise
in fact, the newspaper seems to have
fiourished most where the bullets and
cannon balls were thickcst. In Amer
lea, as in France, the oldest materials
were used in producing the papers.
| During the siege of Richmond sheets
and tablecloths were cut up and fed
| the printing presses; one enterpris-
ing journal which appeared in the use
| full form of handkerchiefs contained
a spirited address to the Women of
the South" in which this boodthirsty
| passage occurs: 'If each handkerchief
were boundIess as the globes ex-
| panse, It would not serve to stanch
the Federal mud-blood yet to be shed"
In fact, most of these journals of the
American Civil War breathed sim
liar spirit of vindictiveness.
During the siege of Charleston the
blockade Number of the Charleston
Caurier," which consisted of sheets of
canvas fastened at one corner by red
ribbon, had on its front page the fig
ure of sheeted skeleton holding a
scythe and pointing with feshless
hand to the words, War TO the
Death"
Happily all war journals are not of
the grewsome, sanguinary type, in
tact, their usual tone is one Of the
cheeriest optimism and bright humor
A splendid sample Of this cheerful
kind of battlefield Journal is that pub
hshed by Wellington's soldiers during
the Peninsular campaign, which is
full of jokes and gayety, and even to
day makes more entertaining reading
than many professedly comic papers
During the worst horrors of the
Crfmea, when our men were dying by
thousands in the trenches and SO
called hospitals, and when the icy
clutch of terrible Winter was al
every mans throat, one of the very
brightest of all these war Journals
made its appearance as regularly as
II it issued from Fleet street, Lon
don. And an equally bright journa
was that produced by the small banC
of British soldiers shut in within the
walls of Jellalabad sixty-three year.
ago, one of the gayest and most pre-
quent contributors being the grea
soldier who, some years later, as ST
Henry Havelock, was destined to los,
his life in the Indian mutiny,-Nev
York News.