War Correspondents as Generals.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue XI, 10 September 1904, Page 12

War Correspondents as Generals.

JOURNALISTS WHO HAVE TAKEN COMMANDERS’ DUTIES. At last the gag has to some extent been removed from the war correspondents in Tokio, and they have been allowed to proceed to the front. One of our generals, on a certain memorable occasion, took the liberty of referring to journalists as “drones,” “encumbrances” and the “curse of modern armies”; but some of the feats of the newspaper men attached to armies have been more of a military than a journalistic nature. Witness the surrender of Volo during the war between Turkey and Greece in 1897. The town did not submit to Turkish bayonets. The leading citizens, anxious to capitulate, received no redfezzed, deeorated Turkish general, but two energetic war correspondents—Mr Gwynne, of Reuter’s Agency, and the late Mr G. W. Stevens, then representing the “Daily Mail” with the Ottoman Army. It was the “Daily Mail” correspondent who drew up the proclamation which a leading citizen read to the inhabitants of Volo from the balcony of the town hall; and a most interesting account of the incident is given in Mr Steevens’ brilliant book, “With the Conquering Turk.” Some hours after the journalists had received the capitulation the Sultan's troops marched in. A somewhat similar experience befell Mr Gwynne during the South African campaign. The Army under Lord Roberts fully- expected Bloemfontein to be stubbornly defended, but it is now a matter of history that it was not. As soon as it was known that there was to be no battle, Mr Gwynne, accompanied by- Mr Patterson, of the “Sydney Herald,” started for Bloemfontein, keen on being the first British to enter the town. On the way- they met two bicyclists, who hurriedly fell off their machines, and held up their hands in token of surrender. Pushing on, the two journalists reached the town, and noted a terror-stricken inhabitant rushing wildly down the street, shouting: “The first of the British—the first of the British!” This was all right as far as it went, but the situation began to grow slightly embarrassing when the Mayor, the Landdrost, and the Acting-State Secretary signified a desire to open negotiations for a surrender with the newspaper men. Whatever Reuter’s representative had done in the little matter of Volo, mentioned above, he had no desire to usurp the functions of a British Commander-in-Cliief, and Field-Marshal Lord Roberts at that. It ended in Messrs Gwynne and Patterson escorting the officials to Lord Roberts’ head quarters, where the surrender duly- took place. J. A. MacGahan, one of the most brilliant journalists who ever lived, may be held responsible for the Russo-Turkish War. He was in Bulgaria for the “DailyNews,” and his vivid pen-pictures of the Bulgarian atrocities sent a shudder through Europe. Translated into every language on the Continent, they so enraged the Russian people that Alexander IL was absolutely forced to draw the sword. It is a dramatic circumstance that MacGahan was slain by the war he had made. He accompanied the Russian army in the interests of his paper, and was stricken down by typhus. Similarly, it is the. proud boast, of Mr W. R. Hearst, the millionaire newspaper proprietor of the United States, that he made war between Spain and his own country. The constant agitation kept up in the columns of his various journals inflamed people’s minds to an extent which made war inevitable. A story is told of a newspaper artist who was sent by- Mr Hearst to a spot where there was likely- to be fighting some time before hostilities actually began.

After kicking his heels in idleness for some weeks the artist wrote to his employers, saying that there was no war in sight, and asking if he might return to New York. Back over the wire came the confident reply: “You provide pictures; we will provide the war.” But to return to our journalists in the field. Over and over again have newspaper correspondents beaten the official despatches; and on one occasion, at least, a journalist's account of a great victory- was read by Ministers to both Houses of Parliament, being the only news to hand. The victory was that of Ulundi, which finally crushed the Zulu King, Cetewayo, and ended the Zulu War of 1879.

On the evening of the battle Lord. Chelmsford announced that he did not intend to send the news home till th*

mext day. This gave an opportunity t* Mr Archibald Forbes, then representing the “Daily News,” for the great feat of his life. From the battlefield to Landmenu's Drift and the nearest telegraphoffice was a hundred miles. Hostile Zulus swarmed around the—track; indeed, two Englishmen—Lieutenant IScott-EUiott and Corporal Cotter-* were cut up in the same path the same night. Nevertheless, the intrepid correspondent set out on his perilous ride of a hundred miles, and, not without several scares, reached the wire iq safety. | His despatch to his paper had the signal honour of being read in Parliar inent, as already- noted, and the “Daily News” was provided with one of the biggest “scoops” of its existence, which, from a journalist’s point of view, was rather more to the point. In Afghanistan the previous year Mr Forbes had the honour of conveying the official message as to the victory of Ali Musjid to the Viceroy. The correspondent was entrusted with the message by the ill-fated Cavagnari, the British political officer, afterwards foully murdered at Cabul. Indeed, as it is a work to get the news on the wires with the least possible delay, the roan who knows -"his business arranges a transmission service, of which generals have been glad to avail themselves. During the Russo-Turkish war the great Muscovite commander General Gourko, wa» often beholden to a journalist for transmission of his despatches. The scribe in question was Mr F. D. Millet, of the “New York Herald,” whose organisation was the most perfect that had ever been seen on a battlefield. xV. Again, the first-news of the victory of Magdala which Queen Victoria’s Ministers received was from Mr H. M.

Again, the first-news of the victory of Magdala which Queen Victoria’s Ministers received was from Mr H. M. Stanley, then winning his spurs in war correspondence. The Abyssinian expedition was his first campaign, but the youngster got ahead of the veterans with his mad ride to the coast with the tidings. (i It was in a great measure due to the constant hammering away of the “Times” on the subject that orders were sent to Lord Raglan to reduce Sebastopol during the Crimean War. In a leading article, doubtless inspired by Mr—afterwards Sir—W. H. Russell, its correspondent at the front, the “Times” said: “The taking of Sebastopol and the occupation of the Crimea are objects which would repay all the costs of the present war and would permanently settle in our favour the principal questions in dispute.” . RUSSELL’S “SCOOP.” This was on June 15, and on the 29th definite instructions were despatched! by the Duke, of Newcastle to Lord Raglan with regard to the taking of Sebastopol. The British Commander-in-Chief obeyed, but with great reluctance, as ths proposed operations went against his judgment; but events proved the correctness of the views enunciated in the leading journal. Subsequently the letters of Russell on the sufferings of our troops, owing to the faulty commissariat arrangements, directly led to official investigations, and greatly improved conditions. j