Page:The Newspaper and the Historian.djvu/248



Bismarck who stated how much the Chancellor admired the Pall

Mall Gazette and that he wished to supply it occasionally with really good information on foreign affairs. Bismarck, it was rep resented, wished to send both news and letters of observation and comment. When his representative was told that only news

would be desired, he said that no doubt this could be arranged , and left, but nothing further was heard from him. Not alone in

the press of Great Britain has danger lain concealed in " letters of observation and comment, " offered by admiring chancellors. But the press has not always refused proffered letters from

royalcorrespondents even when made with a view to influencing opinion .” Sir Roland Blennerhassett has somewhat recently dis closed the efforts of Napoleon III in this direction. “ It is a

curious fact, ” he says, “ not known to half a dozen individuals

even at the present moment, that most important communica tions were sent by Napoleon III to the Times during the last ministry of Lord Palmerston. These contributions were made with the utmost secrecy, and no human being was aware that the Emperor of the French was writing in the Times except Mr. Delane, editor of the leading journal, and Lord Palmerston, the

Prime Minister. The correspondence between Mr. Delane and Lord Palmerston on this subject was until lately in the hands of my recently departed friend, Mr. Evelyn Ashley. The com munications were made by Napoleon III with a view to influ encing opinion both in England and France, and Lord Palmerston

was able to get from them true insight into the policy of the Emperor. ” 28 While, however, governments have not been averse to ac quiring true insight into the policy of emperors, they have chafed under the “ true insight” of themselves that foreign corre spondents have ostensibly given. Charles Lowe much resented

the misrepresentations of England given to the German press by

its correspondents in London 29 and it was in England a long standing grievance.

Sir William F. Butler has given an interesting and enlightening 28 “ The Foreign Policy of Queen Victoria ,” National Review, January, 29 “ The German Newspaper Press,” Nineteenth Century, December,

1908, 50 : 811 -825.

1891, 30 : 853-871.