NEWSPAPER STATISTICS. 



reporters are a peculiar class requiring special qualifications, and 

 are generally barristers who have not yet obtained sufficient 

 practice to occupy their time. Police reporters form another 

 distinct and peculiar class, who supply that part of the journals 

 to which are consigned the proceedings of the police offices. 



In fine, there is another class of agents for the supply of 

 general intelligence, whose business it is to collect information on 

 all subjects in all parts of the town. 



30. The Court Newsman is not to be overlooked. This per- 

 sonage supplies daily to all the journals, those paragraphs in which 

 are found recorded the movements of the Sovereign and the Royal 

 Family ; who was invited to dinner at Windsor or Buckingham 

 Palace ; what music was performed at and after dinner, and by 

 what band, and so forth. The same functionary is entrusted to 

 supply accounts of the various parties and entertainments given by 

 the aristocracy. 



31. Foreign Correspondents. Among the staff of daily 

 London journals the foreign correspondent holds a conspicuous 

 place. The principal journals maintain such a correspondent in 

 all the principal foreign capitals, and, in case of war, such a cor- 

 respondent accompanies the army and the fleet. The foreign cor- 

 respondents maintained in the principal European capitals usually 

 keep bureaux, and have assistants, who collect news and supply 

 reports. A despatch is forwarded to London always once, and 

 often twice, a day, the telegraph being resorted to when news of 

 considerable importance is required to be transmitted with more 

 promptitude. 



32. The rapidity with which the circulation in newspapers has 

 increased in the United Kingdom during the last century, but 

 more especially during the latter half of it, may be judged from 

 the following facts. 



In the annexed table is given the total number of newspapers 

 circulated in this country during the years expressed in the first 

 column : 



Thus it appears, that while the average annual increase of the 

 circulation of journals, in the latter half of the last century, 



31 



