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The time lag in news reporting, 1776…
June 18, 2009 by TimHughes · 6 Comments
Communication throughout the colonies in the 18th century was a slow process, particularly in winter. It took postriders a week to journey from New York to Boston, at least two days from Philadelphia to New York, and two weeks or more to the Southern states.
A good example of the slowness of mail delivery is revealed by an analysis of the printing of the Declaration of Independence in the various colonial newspapers. The first printing was in the Pennsylvania Evening Post of July 6. Three days later it appeared in Baltimore, and four days later in New York.
The list below gives some indication of the time lag distances required, but it should be remembered that the printing often had to await the proper day of the newspaper’s publications as many were just weekly while others were bi-weekly or tri-weekly, although a few of the papers published “extraordinary” issues.
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE NEWSPAPER PRINTINGS
July 6 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Evening Post
July 8 Philadelphia, Dunlap’s Pennsylvania Packet
July 9 Philadelphia, Pennsylvanischer Staatsbote
July 9 Baltimore, Dunlap’s Maryland Gazette
July 10 Baltimore, Maryland Journal
July 10 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Gazette
July 10 New York, Constitutional Gazette
July 11 New York Packet
July 11 New York Journal
July 11 Annap0lis, Maryland Gazette
July 12 New London, Connecticut Gazette
July 13 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ledger
July 13 Providence Gazette
July 15 New York Gazette
July 15 Hartford, Connecticut Courant
July 15 Norwich Packet
July 16 Exeter, New Hampshire Gazette, Extraordinary
July 16 Salem, American Gazette
July 17 Worcester, Massachusetts Spy
July 17 New Haven, Connecticut Journal
July 18 Boston, Continental Journal
July 18 Boston, New England Chronicle
July 18 Newport Mercury, Extraordinary
July 19 Newburyport, Essex Journal
July 19 Williamsburg, Virginia Gazette by Purdie (extract; in full July 26)
July 20 Williamsburg, Virginia Gazette by Dixon & Hunter
July 20 Portsmouth, Freeman’s Journal
July 22 Watertown, Boston Gazette
Aug. 2 Charleston, South Carolina & American General Gazette
Aug. 17 London, The London Chronicle
In the beginning…
June 8, 2009 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
Some collectors like to pursue a newspaper from each of the original thirteen colonies, and ideally one dated as close as possible to the beginning of that colony’s first newspaper. For those active in this pursuit, we offer this list of the earliest in each.
Although the first newspaper in America was published in Boston in 1690, Benjamin Harris’ “Publick Occurrences Both Forreign & Domestick” lasted by a single issue before being suppressed by the Royal authorities. The first successful Massachusetts newspaper–and the first in all of the colonies–started 14 years later in 1704, also in Boston, titled “The Boston News-Letter” which continued until the British occupation of the city in 1776.
Here are the remaining colonies and the newspaper titles. As you see, originally in titles was not a strength among the newspaper publishers:
American Weekly Mercury (Penna.), 1719
The New York Gazette, 1726
The Maryland Gazette, 1728
The Rhode Island Gazette, 1732
The South Carolina Gazette 1732
The Virginia Gazette, 1736
The North Carolina Gazette, 1751
The Connecticut Gazette, 1755
The New Hampshire Gazette, 1756
The Newport Mercury (Rhode Is.), 1758
The Georgia Gazette, 1763
The New Jersey Gazette, 1777
It may seem curious that New Jersey was the last of the colonies to have its own newspaper, however given its location between the major metro areas of New York and Philadelphia there likely wasn’t an incentive to create its own until much later than the others.
So what’s the earliest “London Gazette”?
May 21, 2009 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The world’s oldest continually published newspaper was begun in 1665 and still prints today, a staggering 345 year history which likely will never be broken by any other single title. Indeed, the newspaper still publishes today so it sets a more unbeatable record as each year passes.
The newspaper is titled “The London Gazette“, but collectors have occasionally seen issues of “The Oxford Gazette” and wondered about the connection.
First, the most convincing derivation of the term “gazette” is from “gaza”, the Greek word for a treasury or store. That newspapers are a “treasury or store” of information would allow for a plausible adoption of the term “gazette”.
In 1665 the Royal Court had been removed from London due to the Plague which had been ravaging the city. The smaller towns in the country seemed less susceptable to the contagion. So with a newspaper serving as a mouthpiece of the Royal Court it was logical that it would set up shop in Oxford, calling itself “The Oxford Gazette“.
But when the affects of the Plague seemed to have abated sufficiently for the Court to return to London, so did the newspaper. Twenty-three issues were published in Oxford, and with issue number 24 was the first with the title “The London Gazette“, a title which has remained unchanged for over three centuries.
So there might be a bit of a debate as to what the earliest issue is of “The London Gazette“. The earliest with this title would be issue #24, dated February 5, 1665 (1666 by today’s calendar), but argument certainly could be made that the first issue of “The Oxford Gazette” would qualify, it dated November 16, 1665.
Given its short life under the earlier title of “The Oxford Gazette”, such issues are extremely elusive. We have sold many over the past 33 years but rarely find them today.
Responding to the patriotic call…
April 25, 2009 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The Columbian Centinel newspaper from Boston, April 28, 1792 contains a very inconspicuous notice at the bottom of the front page which calls for recruits for the military. It’s the wording which is a delight, as the call was put forth:
“To the sons of ambition—Those noble fellows whose courage and superiority of soul dictate to them to enter the list of Fame…Her field is now open and filled with every inducement for a Soldier; every necessary of life and every chance for fortune. It will be your fault if she does not stamp on your names HERO to be caught by every ear…” with more.
See the photo for the full text of this delightful little gem from the 18th century.
Historically significant: one from our inventory…
March 21, 2009 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Although we would like to think we have a large number of interesting and fascinating newspapers within our inventory, there are few which float to the top when it comes to being very historically significant.
Our “American Weekly Mercury” from Philadelphia, 1735 is certainly one. The title and date alone would qualify its rarity, as American newspapers from that time are exceedingly scarce; from when Ben Franklin was just beginning his career. It is a handsome issue as well as the masthead features two wood engravings which make this a very decorative issue.
This was the first newspaper not only in Pennsylvania but also the Middle Colonies, having begun in 1719 by famed newspaper publisher Andrew Bradford, and continued until its demises in 1746. It was also just the third newspaper in all the colonies.
The content is certainly noteworthy, reporting on the very founding of the colony of Georgia. See the photos for the report and the involvement of James Oglethorpe. Its appeal as a purchase might be limited to those with a strong interest in Georgia history, but anyone could appreciate the value of having such an inconspicuous gem of a report on the front page of a newspaper.
Click on the link and enjoy.
Newspapers are not the only place to find buried treasure…
March 13, 2009 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
During the past several months we have enjoyed exploring the hidden gems often found within rare and historic newspapers. One of our friends drew our attention to another recently discovered treasure which relates to our beloved historic collectible, specifically, the Revolutionary War era. There appears to be a new finding involving Bunker Hill in Boston, as reported by the Boston Globe:
Bunker Hill dead may lie under gardens… (read more)
A related graphic may be found at: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/08/history_of_the_remains/.
Although history may never be more facinationg than when it’s read from the day it was 1st reported, current discoveries certainly add depth to our walk through the past.
Note: If you’ve never taken a Walking Tour of Historic Boston, it is worthy of your time. The next time your in the Boston area, this tour is a must.
Coffee House newspapers: a brief history…
February 26, 2009 by TimHughes · 2 Comments
A number of titles on our website are referred to as “coffee house newspapers” with little explanation as to what they are. I think we owe our customers a bit of history on this interesting era.
During most of the 17th century newspaper publishing was very heavily regulated. All printing offices in England were under the control of the Surveyor of the Imprimery, or Press. Roger L’Estrange held the position in the latter half of the century and had the sole privilege of writing, printing & publishing newspapers, being involved in the “Intelligencer”, “The News”, the “City Mercury” and the “Observator“. His monopoly was broken in 1665 with the creation of the “Oxford Gazette”, renamed the “London Gazette” when it removed there after 23 issues in Oxford.
With the arrival of William of Orange in 1689 came a reduction of state control over the press. This new-found freedom gave the independent press a real impetus. Readers’ interests widened. Politics & religion were no longer everyone’s cup of tea, for it was in the post-1689 years that the coffee house as a meeting place for exchanging merchandise & ideas came into its own. Newspapers provided stimulus for conversations and gossip & entertainment became accepted & then demanded.
The London coffee-houses provided a gathering place where any man who was reasonably dressed could smoke his long, clay pipe, sip his coffee, read the newsletters of the day, or enter into conversation with other patrons. At this period when journalism was in its infancy and the postal system was unorganized and irregular, the coffee-house provided a center of communication for news and information. Runners were sent round to the coffee house to report major events of the day, such as victory in battle or political upheaval, and the newsletters and gazettes of the day were distributed chiefly in the coffee house. Most of the establishments functioned as reading rooms. In addition, bulletins announcing sales, sailings, and auctions covered the walls of the establishments, providing valuable information to the businessman who conducted much of his business from a table at his favorite coffee house.
During thie era, particularly the early years of the 18th century, newspapers such as the “Tatler“, “Spectator“, “Guardian” “Athenian Mercury” & “Rehearsal” among others were very much in vogue in the coffee houses, and were more dialogue in format with back & forth discussion of a specific topic rather than reporting of news of the day.
By the latter half of the 18th century coffee house culture had run its course, but left in its wake much interesting literary work by some notable names including Daniel DeFoe (wrote for “A Review Of The State Of The Nation“, Joseph Addison & Richard Steele among others. Newspaper format tended more towards reporting news events of the day with presses being established outside the boundaries of London as well as increased activity within the city. One of the more successful titles which flourished in the latter half of the 1700’s was the “London Chronicle“, many issues of which we offer on our website, catalogs and supplements.
An Interview with Timothy Hughes…
February 16, 2009 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
BakerTowne Collectibles recently filmed an interview with Tim Hughes on their Collectibles Corner TV website. Tim appears about midway through the show at the 4:38 time stamp. Once the program fully loads you can drag the time tracker to this spot; however, if you have the time, Tammy’s (the host) entire program is enjoyable to view.
The interview may be found at: http://www.collectiblescornertv.com/?p=114; even better, view the interview below.
Thanks Tammy for your addition to the Rare Newspapers Community.
The Articles of Confederation formally united the 13 colonies…
December 18, 2008 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
For a collector of historic American documents as printed in period newspapers a printing of the “Articles of Confederation” would be a very significant issue. With much credit to Wikipedia, the creation & importance of this document provides some fascinating reading:
The Articles of Confederation was the governing constitution of the alliance of thirteen independent and sovereign states known as the “United States of America.” The Articles’ ratification, proposed in 1777, was completed in 1781, legally uniting the states by agreement into the “United States of America” as a union with a confederation government. Under the Articles (and the succeeding Constitution) the states retained sovereignty over all governmental functions not specifically deputed to the central government.
The last draft of the Articles was written in the summer of 1777 and adopted by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777 in York, Pennsylvania after a year of debate. The Articles set the rules for operations of the “United States” confederation. The confederation was capable of making war, negotiating diplomatic agreements, and resolving issues regarding the western territories; it could not mint coins (each state had its own currency) nor could it borrow money, whether inside or outside the United States. An important element of the Articles was that Article XIII stipulated that “their provisions shall be inviolably observed by every state” and “the Union shall be perpetual”.
The Articles were created by the chosen representatives of the states in the Second Continental Congress out of a perceived need to have “a plan of confederacy for securing the freedom, sovereignty, and independence of the United States.” Although serving a crucial role in the victory in the American Revolutionary War, a group of “federalists” felt that the Articles lacked provisions for a sufficiently effective government. The key criticism by those who favored a more powerful central state (the federalists) was that the government lacked taxing authority; it had to request funds from the states. Another criticism of the Articles was that they did not strike the right balance between large and small states in the legislative decision making process. Due to its one-state, one-vote structure, the larger states were expected to contribute more but had only one vote. The Articles were replaced by the United States Constitution when created in 1787.
Our issue of the Pennsylvania Ledger dated March 11, 1778 contains the complete printing of the Articles of Confederation. The many photos will allow you to enjoy the significance of the newspaper and to appreciate how those who held this actual edition some 230 years ago might have felt knowing the independent colonies were joining together for a common cause–to not only provide a foundation for a united country which might some day–hopefully–become a world player, but for more immediate purposes, to survive the incursions of the British during the ongoing Revolutionary War. In 1778 no one knew how either effort might turn out.
Enjoy the issue!
Weaponry in the 17th century… distant cousin of the modern hand grenade…
November 28, 2008 by Historys Newsstand · Leave a Comment
One of the key issues featured in our latest catalog is a newsbook of the Mercurius Politicus, from London, dated March 24, 1659. Newsbooks, for those unfamiliar with the term, were the forerunners of newspapers. This particular newsbook measures about 8 1/2 by 6 3/4 inches and has 16 pages. While looking for interesting content to describe, I noticed a report datelined “Marienburgh, March 5”, that contained details about a military engagement. In the report is word that: “..Colonel Drake came with a party back, fetching from hence Morter pieces, Balls, Handgranadoes, and other amunition, and is gone back to the army which lyeth near Rysenburgh…” In reading this passage I was fascinated by the term “Handgranadoes“. I did some research and discovered that the concept of “throwing” grenades may date to the Ming Dynasty in China, although the first known use of grenades occurred during the early to middle part of the 8th century. The research also suggested that some “Medieval petards” were small enough to be considered primitive hand grenades. Later, during the Song Dynasty, Chinese soldiers began to pack gunpowder into ceramic and metal containers, resulting in what one expert determined to be the prototype of the modern hand grenade. Variations of this prototype eventually appeared in Europe during the late 1460’s. About 200 years later, 
“Grenadoes”, according to a Wikipedia source, were used during the English Civil War (1642-1651). The source also says: “The word ‘grenade’ originated in the Glorious Revolution (1688), where cricket ball-sized iron spheres packed with gunpowder and fitted with slow-burning wickets were first used against the Jacobites in the battles of Killiecrankie and Glen Shiel. These grenades were not very effective….and, as a result, saw little use.” Obviously the mention of “handgranadoes” in the newsbook report confirms the use of such a weapon during the mid 1600’s. More importantly, this may be one of the earliest references to a distance cousin of the modern hand grenade to appear in newsprint. Note: The term “grenadier”, which is derived from the word grenade, was a classification given to soldiers in the 17th century with the specific role of throwing grenades. You simply never know what you might find while perusing collectible newspapers (and newsbooks).