The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-15

Is said to be the FIRST though not by
any means the only instance where the
sign &c" has figured in the title of a
newspaper.
There Is no way Of proving abso-
lutely that this sheet OF December 2
1920, was the first newspaper ever
printed In English. II Is sssuredly,
however, the first extant. and from its
lack of title and from other circum.
stances there is good reas son to believe
that II was indeed the first. The date
carries one back to u troubled period in
the worlds history The seeds OF the
Cromwellian revolution we're already
terminating IN England and the Pill
grim Fathers were drawing close to the
American coast. whereon they landed
at Plymouth Rock only nine days after
the coranto's first appearance. The
Thirty Years war was ON. and Il was
the first great battle thereof that gave
occa sion for the coranto's publication.
FREDERICK the Elector Palatine was
enjoying toward the close Of 1920 the
brief reign at Prague which brought
to him and his fair and sprightly
spouse. "The Queen Of Hearts" as the
English called her, the sobriquet Of the
winter King and Queen" The Queen
was ELIZABETH of England, daugh-
ter of JAMES I. and grandmother Of
GEORGE l.. aud her fortunes and those
" her husband were Of thrilling inter-
est to the English people. As the CO.
ranto OF December was prepared for
the press news came dribbling into
Amsterdam Of conditions In Austria
and Bohemia. There are letters Out
Of Wecnan [Viennnl. the q Novem-
bcr"; "Out Of Prage, the OF Novem-
ber," and from sundry other places.
telling In quaint English but excellent
typography, on both sides Of the ten
the Emperor's forces and those Of his
ally. MAxIMILIAS. Duke Of Bavaria. to
crush the usurper FREDERICK. Finally
"Out Of Ceulen the - Of November"
came the dire tidings that there had
beene very great Battel by Prage.
between the King and the Duke Of
Beyeren. l. many 1000 slaine OH both
sides" This was the battle Of weis.
senberg. fought November 8. 1920.
which sent FREDERICK and his Engli sh
with the ban of the Empire" upon
/ them.
Now this very first English news.
paper containing this disastrous news
| item. at once excited the wrath Of the
/ English King and his Government
JAMES was NJ this time angling for Il
| Spanish wife for his son and to plea sc
| Spain. which soon ovcrran FREDrRIcKs
dominions In the Palatinatc. ne was
basely abandoning his daughter and
her husband to their fate. His great
est desire was to conceal their disaster
from the English people so that no
home pressure might be exercised upon
him to assist them. Therefore the
sheet that told the news Of Weisseil-
berg drew from the crown a procla-
nation denouncipg the teller Of the I'M
welcome truth In terms which have
since become proverbial. Affairs Of
state. 1t is laid down, are "no Theames
or subjects TT for vulgar persons and
"Our loving subjects" Are commanded
from the highest to the lowest ito take
heede how they intermeddle by Penne
or speech with causes OF State and Sc
crcts Of Empire"
The King must have been placate,i
since the corantos not only continued
to be printed in Holland but soon In
London. However. in 1882 the Gov
eminent was aroused to real action
and for six years all printed periodi-
Gals containing news were rigidly sup
pressed. 1t was only In 1888 that
BUrTER and BOURNE became by letters
patent puryeyors of foreign news.
From their day to the present time
newspapers, despite many restrictions
In their early days. have hOurished and
prospered wherever the English Ian
guage is understood.