19 
offices in Westgate street,” which was started on Saturday, May 
1st, 1773. I have only No. 7 to show you (no price is marked 
on it), but I believe it had not a long life. Gye was afterwards 
a stationer in Bath, the business now carried on by Messrs. 
Dawson having been Gye’s. 
J. Salmon appears some years later as the proprietor of a 
curious publication, which is not a newspaper but rather a 
weekly miscellany entitled “Salmon’s Mercury.”* The ornament 
on the title, with the motto, “Colligit ut spargat,” is the same 
as appeared on the “Courier.” There is one number dated 
“Saturday, December 20th, 1777,” price one penny, then several 
issues without date or number, price ‘‘only twopence,” which 
cannot be later than 1779, then they commence numbering at 
No, 4, though that contains “the twenty-fifth letter of a 
Turkish Spy,” and at length No. 33 is dated July 2nd, 1779. 
The last number in the volume is 130, Friday, May 11th, 1781. 
J. Salmon was a printer, and his father, Tobias Salmon, a linen 
draper ; they had both been tried for libelling John Jefferys, 
Esq., the Town Clerk, and the younger had a term of imprison- 
ment, the elder being successful with the line of defence pro- 
nounced to be infallible by the elder Mr. Weller. This 
“Mercury,” which was principally made up of cuttings beside, © 
was the vehicle for fresh attacks upon the Town Clerk, some 
very offensive letters addressed to him by old Tobias being here 
printed. Salmon’s “ Mercury” was printed and published in 
Stall Street, and T. Sketchley was a joint proprietor until No. 
18, when, as Bristol agent, he was described as T. Sketchley, 
auctioneer and appraiser, Register Office, 23, Clare Street, 
Bristol, so that the publication seems to have had a chequered 
existence. 
In January, 1792, William Meyler put forth his proposals for 
“a third Bath paper.” William Meyler was a bookseller in 
* The property of Mr. William Lewis. 
