Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 1.djvu/347

 12 S. I. APRIL 29, 1916.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

341

LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1916.

CONTENTS.-No. 18.


 * NOTES : ' The Standard,' 341 'Cymbeline' : Source of

the " Wager Incident," 342 Emendations of Shakespeare, 343_Water Tournaments at Estavayer Sir William Drury, Lord Justice of Ireland, 345 Folk- Lore: Remedy for "Wasting" Irish Flag Day Kilimanjaro, 346 Mylor Epitaphs, 347.

^QUERIES : Attempt to Drain the Fleet, Portland Cruikshank and Westminster School Anne Boleyn. 347 Copley and Mrs. Fort Accidental Likenesses Ralph, Bishop of Meath Exemption from Income-Tax " Gun- cases " Authors Wanted T. Sheridan the Younger- Rev. W. Thomas "Old Gamel," 348 Temple Grove, East Sheen Brown Family in Scotland " Scribenda et legenda"-"Ala Caroline "-Bills of Mortality-Ryder: Skinner, 349 Admiral Sir John Balchin, 350.

IlEPLIES : " La Bete du Ge'vaudan," 350 Chanel-house : Twisaday, 351 Countess of Huntingdon's Hymns Tubular Bells Sir Henry Cavendish, 352 Dr. Donne's Countess of Huntingdon English Pronunciation of Latin, 353 Cleopatra and the Pearl Claverhouse Eighteenth- Century Virginian Letters, 354 Tigers' Whiskers Jas. Scott, Engraver "Fat, fair, and forty" Funeral Biscuits, 355 King's Own Scottish Borderers Anne Clifford Elizabeth Evelyn, 356 Materia Medica in the Talmud "As dead as Queen Anne," 357 Death Warrants Baronetage Miscarriage of Justice, 358.

"NOTES ON BOOKS : ' Athenaeum Subject Index to Periodicals ' ' The Quarterly Review.'

Notices to Correspondents.

JEUrfes.

'THE STANDARD.'

THE story of the founding of The Standard is unique in the history of the British press, for it is the only instance in which an evening paper has been the forerunner of a morning paper taking the same title. The Times, in its notice of the suspension of The Standard on the 17th ult., says truly that "in a sense it began in the seventeenth century," for it was the offshoot of The St. James's Chronicle, " which first appeared in 1671," an independent Whig organ which, after getting into trouble more than once with the Government, came into the hands of Charles Baldwin. Baldwin was a member of a journalistic family, for his grandfather had been a newspaper proprietor, while his father, Edward Baldwin, was proprietor of The Morning Herald, which also on his death became the property of his son Charles.

The St. James's Chronicle was published -.three times a week, one of its chief features

being its strong opposition to Roman Catholic emancipation. The opponents of this measure, recognizing the ability with which the paper was conducted, sent a deputation of their leading men to Charles Baldwin, to persuade him to start an evening paper which should advocate an uncom- promising resistance to the Roman Catholic claims. Charles Baldwin, a keen man of business, slyly told them that, if they were so attached to Protestant principles, he would be willing to co-operate with them, provided they would lodge with his bankers a sum of 15,OOOZ. ; he would then start a daily evening paper which should strenuously and perseveringly advocate the cause of Protestantism, and no less strenuously oppose the Roman Catholics. This proposal they were not then prepared to accede to ; but after a lapse of twelve months another deputation, consisting mainly of the same gentlemen, waited on Baldwin with the same view, and, there being no other way, the money was forthcoming, and Baldwin promised that the paper should be published within a week. Thus in 1827 The Evening Standard was founded.

The first editor was Stanley Lees Giffard, brother of Sir Ambrose Giffard, and father of the veteran Lord Halsbury. He had been editor of The St. James's Chronicle, and was just the man for the position, being a Protestant to the backbone. He was in the prime of life, 39 years of age, and full of enthusiasm and zeal. His ability in the cause was so highly appreciated by the then Duke of Newcastle that he made him a present of 1,200Z. In begging his acceptance of it the Duke said it was a practical expression of his admiration of the masterly article which had appeared in the Standard of the previous evening. James Grant, who relates this, states that, " al- though Giffard accepted the gift, it is due to his memory PIC died in 1858, * D.N.B.,' xxi. 296] to say that he did not apply the money to his own individual use . " G iff ard had for his sub-editor for the first twelve months Alaric Watts,* who was succeeded by William

The Leeds Intelligencer, and, for a short time, of The Manchester Courier. He was, unhappily for himself, too fond of newspaper ventures, and will be best remembered as one or our minor poets. His ' Lyrics of the Heart ' are full of beauty. He had a great admiration for The At.hence.um, and every week came to the office while the paper was being published, so as to obtain an early copy, waiting patiently until the newsvendors who crowded at the counter had been served. His genial manner is to me a pleasant memory.
 * Alaric Watts had been formerly editor of