Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1906-03-10
Does Your
Heart Beoz
JOURNALISMNNARTIMES
When Balls are Flying lhickeSt
Columns are Brightest.
A SCARCITY OF PAPER

american Civil War Especially Rich
in journalistic Enterprise-Dur-
ing Franco-Prussian War Besieg-
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 a hand
full OF troops, was almost at its last
gasp and expecting all the indescrib-
able horrors of capture every hour, 1t
kept its newspaper going, although
ii was no larger than a sheet of note
paper, and every line had to be writ
ten laboriously by hand. principally by
the brave wife of Ghe 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. it is true,
but well and brightly edited-which
did well in keeping up the spirits of
our gallant soldiers. 1t was 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 its 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-
tons 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 it's APP
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
foUrished most where the bullets and
cannon balls were thickest. 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 bloodthirsty
passage occurs: IF each handkerchief
we're boundless as the globes eX-
panse, it would not serve to stanch
the Federal mud-blood yet to be she'd"
In fact, most of these journals of the
American Civil War breathed sim.
liar spirit of yindictiveness.
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 it's front page the fig
ure of a sheeted skeleton holding a
scythe and pointing with leshless
hand to the words, War to the
Death"
Happily all war journals are not OF
the grewsome, sanguinary type; in
fact, 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
lished 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
Crimea. when our men were dying by
thousands in the trenches and So
called hospitals, and when the icy
clutch Of terrible Winter was at
every mans throat. one of the very
brightest Of all these war journals
madc it's appearance as regularly as
If It issued from Fleet street, Lon
don. And an equally bright journal
was that produced by the small band
Of pr.tish soldiers shut in within the
walls of Jelalabad sixty-three years
ago. che of The gayest and most pre-
grent contributors being the great
soldier who. some years later. as Sir
1enrv Hlvel0ck. was destined TO lose
his 1879 IN the Indian mutiny New