The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-07-01
is NOTABLE DATE
May % Anniversary of Birth of
English Journalism
Two Hundred and Ninety-Nine Years
AGO Nathaniel Butter Got Out
First Newspaper In London.

Nav % was the 299th anniversary
of the birth of English journalism. The
first English newspaper was founded
in London by Nathaniel Butter May
%, 1922. There previously had been
from time to time efforts toward the
sale and distribution Of news. The
Tohing-pao, a paper of the Chinese
court, enjoyed a continuous issue from
the year 713 to 1900, when it ceased
publication and gave its name to a sue
cessor published in Picking today.
Ancent Rome had it's newspaper,
the Acta Diurna. 1t was the organ OF
the capital, containing military re-
ports, political comment and the latest
sport dope" concerning lions and
Christians. Parents Of young Romans
used to hide the paper from their sons,
who, strange to say, preferred TO look
at the feminine sandal ads rather
than view the actual article always
on display along the Appian way.
Sporting editions were eagerly bought
by business men In the Forum. A
record sale was reported the day
Rome's pet gladiator, Bambinus Ruth
icus swatted a full-grown tiger over
the bleachers out the Coliseum. Final
iy, the paper with the rest of the Eter-
nal city fell into the hands of the Ger
man invaders and soon after ceased
to exist.
There were no papers during the
years that followed, but toward the
close Of the Middle ages there came
into circulation what were known as
continental news letters. These let
ters were unauthentic reports with no
fixed date Of publication, to which the
early correspondents contributed sto-
ries Of the Crusades, the discovery Of
America, or the latest anti-Semitic
movements in Austria. The accounts
were always highly colored and the
facts distorted. The publications were
never sold They were read in taverns
on the payment Of a fixed sum. The
writer's were not held responsible and
the news was little better than gossip.
From this source which had found its
way into England came Nathaniel But
ter's weekly.
Buffers paper was called the Week
ly Newes, and to him goes the distinc-
ton Of printing all the news of the
day upon a single sheet and publishing
it regularly week by week upon fixed
days and Of giving it a distinctive title
at a time when there was nothing that
could with strictness be called q news
paper"
1t was formerly stated and for a long
time believed that the first English
newspaper made its appearance in the
year 1888. The London museum con-
tanned copies of the old Mercury publ
cations bearing the date 1888, but not
long ago students at Cambridge dis
covered that these papers were forged
copies, according to the Columbia Mis-
sourian. The type Of printing employed
In producing these papers was not in
vented until many years after that
date. In fact, it was nearly two hun
dred years later.
No less a person than King Charles
l used the columns Of Buffers paper.
He was probably the first of that vast
army Of persons who seek lost dogs
through the pages Of the public prints.
An old copy Of the paper contains an
advertisement for a strayed spaniel
very dear to his majesty. A reward is
offered.
Butter introduced the editorial Eve"
into the newspaper for the first time.
He also employed "newsboys," who
were women, to hawk the paper on
the street. These news vendors were
frequently interfered with by persons
who sold the news booklets or pam
phlets that came into use toward the
close Of the Sixteenth century.
In his early days Butter was consid-
cred wealthy, but through misfortune
he lost his possessions. He was a
member Of the Royalist party In Eng
land. He died on one of Prince Rup-
ert's ships In 1649.