The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-03-16

or any other distance city, than you
But o hundred years ago one OF
the great achievements In communi"
cation and news-gathering was re.
ductlon OF the time consumed In
sending dispatches between Bombay
and London from six months TO
81 days,
This express schedule, as de-
scribed In I842 by o popular Eng
lish publication, 1.-THE Penny Mag
a2ine," was achieved by q combi-
nation Of steamer, courier and q
primitive telegraph circuit between
Marseilles and Paris. It contrasts
dramatically with the ease and speed
Of circulating news In this day OF
worldwide cable and radio net
works.
Sent by Steamer
In i842 news dispatches left IN
dia by mail on the first day Of each
month by steamer. They reached
Suez on the goth and by the 22d
were put abroad the Mediterranean
steamer at Alexandria, reaching
MulGh Otl ulC STtA etaN S0"ASSAaASS
on the 30th,
The most important items of
news were then telegraphed from
Marseilles TO Paris and published
there that afternoon. A copy Of the
paper was forwarded to London by
fast express, where the news was
republished "a hours later.
Sometimes, however, the French
telegraph merely announced arri-
val OF the mails. carried no dis
patches, or at best only o few. The
bulk Of the news was secured at
Marseilles by couriers sent from the
London papers at a cost Of 100 pound
per trip. Using changes Of horses
like our own pony express" they
made the run from Marseilles to
London In four days.
Fined Horseback COurierS
The French were not always CO.
operative In this task Of getting the
news for British newspapers. On
several occasions they seized the
couriers and fined them, on the
ground that dispatches had to be
conveyed by post chaise, not on
horseback. Obviously, use Of car
riage slowed the service and in.
creased the cost
Newspaper publishers were as
keen then as now to satisfy the
thirst for news, and with the estab-
lishment Of this regular commune
cation, newspapers at Bombay, CAL
cutta, Madras and Ceylon began
printing monthly editions for cir
culation in Europe, containing news
from all parts Of the East up to
the time of earner-sailing, for
In Europe. -Four Indian
also prepared editions
in London for circulation In India,
in addition TO the London papers
themselves which were sent there
each month.
Arrival at Bombay Of the steam
err from Suez with the monthly
papers was a great. event. It was
signaled by hosting a red flag. is
feet long, bearing three white crosses.
At this, businss came TO q stand
still. Boats pushed of to meet the
steamer and she was boarded by
government officials and shipnews
reporters.
Native messengers from news
paper offices, wearing distinctive
uniforms, waited to receive their
London editions. Each carried an
umbrella as protection against sun
and rain. AS soon as the papers
were folded. these Indian newsboys
hurried off with them, crying tire
latest news.
Had Private Dispatches
About forty years before this
time the voyage from India TO Eng
land via the Cape Of Good Hope
had been reduced from SIX to four
months. The mails and the course
OF news was slow and uncertain.
Private persons sometimes were able
TO receive dispatches overland via
Persia and Turkey within three
months, but these led most often
to vague rumors and such reports
as those receiving them chose 70
put into circulation.
First experimental voyage from
India to Suez was made by a steam
err, the Hugh Lindsay" Ia 1880.
The mail carried on this trip might
have reached England in 81 days,
but no arrangement had ben made
for forwarding It.
II wasn't until Ave years later
that Mediterranean pogtof1ice