The Reporter and the Pope.

Otago Witness, Issue 1901, 10 July 1890, Page 42

The Reporter and the Pope.

Sixteen or seventeen years ago Mr Troll ope •was made correspondent at Rome of a London paper, and what he says of this period throws some curious side-lights on English journalistic methods. At first he was in the habit of writing long letters, but soon had to change, to condense and use the telegraph. He seems to have fairly had his breath taken away by the feat of a young American correspondent of a New York newspaper, the story of which is, partly in the author's words, as follows :—

"The Pope had prepared an allocution, and had copies of it locked up ready to be issued in due time. But the New York representative was bent on a ' scoop,' even if the Pope had to be removed from the path. He finally persuaded an American (Dr C.) near the Pope to broach the matter. With fear and trembling, and a deprecating preface of apology, Dr O. asked for an audience on very special and urgent grounds, and obtained it.

" ' Telegraph my allocution ! ' said the Pope, when he heard the American prelate's hesitating request, submitted with all sorts of excuses and apologies for the ignorance of his countrymen of the ways and etiquette of courts ; « telegraph my allocution 1 Does he know how long it is and what it will cost 1 '

" ' Oh, that, your Holiness, is a matter of no consideration ; perhaps COOOfr or GOOOfr. The anxiety of our people for the words your Holiness has so benignly spoken on this occasion is such as to make the cost of a few thousand francs more or less o£ no importance whatever.

" Pius was immensely impressed, and as pleased as possible. lie got up, trotted across the room to a large standing desk,

and taking from it a printed oopy of the desired document, said : 11 'Not a copy will go out before to-morrow, but take this to your friend, and let him telegraph it at once. Five thousand francs I I rejoice that our words are so highly valued by your people.' 44 But Dr C.'s part of the businsss, however, was not over yet. When he triumphantly brought the copy of the speech to his young friend, the latter, taking it from him, said:

44 4 All right. But this is in Latin I I must telegraph it in English. I'll tell you what it is, Dr C, you have got to come with me to the office and translate it while I copy it for the wire.'

14 And that was the way that domestic prelate spent the better part of that night."