Page:The Newspaper World.djvu/70

 special Correspondents, 59 picture of the ideal of a war correspondent, a profession which, as he aptly put it, is one of the oldest in the world. "The ideal war correspondent" observes Mr Forbes, " should have the gift of tongues, should be conversant with all European languages, most of the Asiatic languages, and some of the dialects of the Pacific Islands. In my own case I did not know any foreign language at all, and had to make my way with bad German, rudimentary French, some scraps of Spanish, and about one hundred words of Hindustani. I also fall short of the ideal in being so nervous under fire that I am compelled to steady myself by taking notes industriously. A paragon corres- pondent should be able to ride one hundred miles at a stretch, never to know any slight sinking, and be able at the end of the journey, however arduous and sleepless it may have been, to write in a fair round hand for the telegraph clerk at the rate of a column per hour ; after which it is his duty to return to the scene of action without a moment's delay. In these requirements I think I came pretty well up to the ideal. I could ride one hundred miles, go without food for two days, and longer if I could eke it out with a little brandy. I got so tired occasionally that I had to go on nearer dead than alive." Mr Forbes, by general consent, was nearer his own ideal when attendant on " grim-visaged war" than he is willing to confess. Fortunately for the world our war correspondents are at the present time more peacefully employed than in their dreadful occupation of describing human carnage. They may, it is true, be seen taking part in campaigns, but they are bloodless political caftipaigns, in which our statesmen endeavor to convince, not to slaughter. The special correspondence in the newspapers, what- ever its theme, will ever remain one of the most pleasing features of the Press. The particular charms of special correspondence may be enumerated as novelty, freshness,