Year: 1878

Printers Who Can Set an Article In the


Dnrk-CensOrsIiip Of the Press,


A Toxic (Japan) correspondent gives
an interesting account of one OF the
local newspapers-theC ChOyG Minlboa
AS follows: As one of the most i'm
portant rivals of the Nichj Nichj Shin
bun, the Choya Shina6un perhaps de-
serves a paragraph. With the HOchi
Shinb1n the two papers just named
constitute what are known as the San
Shinbla, or the three newspapers, and
of the trio the ChOyG holds in general
estimation the second place. Its office
occupies an eligible corner on the prin-
cipal street and we'll repays visit. We
enter through doorway where on lac
quered stand is an abstract of the morn
ing's issue elegantly written with pull
verified and moistened chalk on a
glossy black bulletin board. APP
pended is tho table of contents
of the latest number of The
FoaOer and the Moon, a tri-monthly
periodical devoted to Chinese poetry,
published at this Office, which holds the
highest rank as magazine of elegant


literature. A similar reputation for
classic scholarship attaches to this daily
newspaper.


We do not find displayed here such a
spirit of innovation as is observable in
the Nichj Nichi office, yet everything is
pleasantly and ingeniously arranged on
national models, and the effect of
scrubbed floors, low stands and native
methods of work in lively operation is
very striking. We are conducted to the
reception room on the second floor, and
here introduced to the responsible per-
sons in the establishment, with whom
we exchange polite civilities and enter
into conversation through the more or
less opaque medium of Interpreters.
For while most of the leading editors and
politicians have working acquaintance
with English as q written language,
comparatively few conquer or attempt to
conquer our mysterious orthoepy. 1t
follows that some of the best native
scholars cannot speak word of our Ian
guage, and are utterly incapable of car
rying on the most limited conversation.
The type-setting does not differ materi-
ally from the operation as observed in
the other Office. We again see the long
stands filed with the five thousand char
acters required in the ordinary work of
the newspaper, between which the COM
positors walk to and fro at their tasks.
Yet, incredible as it appears, we are as
sured by the manager that the more
competent hands can set up an article
in the dark Each issue of the news
paper contains about eleven thousand
characters, including three thousand, or
an equivalent space, required by adver-
tisements. These are not set with all
the necessary spacing, as with us, but
first in simple solid column, and after
ward spaced and punctuated by men en-
ployed for that special duty. The work
then passes under the eye of the proof
readers, who must be fine critical schol-
ars, as they have to detect errors of
taste, imperfect characters and other in
accuracies, almost inevitable in the use
of so complicated means of expression.
Next to the composition room is the ed
itorial room, where the eight gentlemen
of the staff do their routine work. Down
stairs we find the press and mailing
rooms and the business Office. The
printing paper, until recently imported
from Germany, is now made at large
mandatory in the pretty suburb of Oil,
while the type, also made, is cast
nearer by in the district of Taukiii


The circulation of the Ch0y0 Shjn1bun
is about seven thousand copies daily.
This is rather less than the list of the
Nichi Nichi, and considerable below
the circulation of the Yonaiuri, which is
distributed widely among the lower
classes; but this kind of statistics
does not gauge very accurately the in
fiuence of newspaper. Its literary
ability is acknowledged, and it's subtle
opposition to the government is equally
well known, so that it is the natural
mouthpiece of the disaffected among the
more intelligent classes. The recent
suspension is not the first time that the
newspaper has felt the heavy hand of
authority, as several years ago it had the
temerity to assert that no government
exists by inherent right, but derives its
just powers from the consent of the
governed, for which bold assertion of
popular sovereignty the nominal editor
underwent long term of Imprisonment
the nominal editor, because the rigor
of the press regulations has had the
effect of substituting figure. head for
the real directing power in the editor
ship, who is paid comfortable sum to
assume any awkward consequences of his
indiscretions. But recent
change in the press laws may do away
with this absurdity, for in the future
violations of the regulations are not to
be visited by confinement but by confis-
cation of a deposit made by all news
before their license is granted.