ABERDEEN, Tuesday. — The herring fishing at Aberdeen to-day was the largest that has been landed since the season commenced. The whole of the fleet proceeded to the fishing grounds on Monday, and by this afternoon more than one half of them had arrived. These were mostly fishing at a distance from 10 to 20 miles off shore, and landed average shots of from 8 to 10 crans each. The quality of the fish was good, and commanded fair prices, the price paid to unengaged boats ranging from 20s to 23s 9d per cran. Later in the day the rest of the fleet arrived with larger shots, of from 50 to 60 crans per boat, bringing up the gross average to about 18 crans, and making a total fishing for the day of over 6000 crans. The prices remained firm the whole day. The later arrivals had been mostly fishing from 30 to 50 miles off shore. The curers are busy preparing consignments for the continental markets. Most of the fleet proceeded to sea again to-night.

The Aberdeen Press and Journal, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, August 4, 1886

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As the commencement of a series of sketches of the Churches of the Metropolis, we cannot select one more worthy of the exertion of the artist, or the gratification of the reader, than the one of which a view is given at the head of the present article — St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields. We need not speculate on the years that have elapsed since that portion of its name which was given it as a distinction became a complete misnomer. We are not particularly disposed “to babble of green fields,” to sigh over the growth and spread of that mighty city which, if it usurps something on nature yet speaks of the irrepressible energies of man. There is a balance of good in all things; and it may be questioned whether the conversion of country to town has not created more human happiness than would have existed had it remained country still. Bricks and mortar form but a dingy combination; chimneys are less picturesque than waving branches; and hard flagstones are less pleasant to the tread than a green turf enamelled with daisies; and, as a whole, our common street and domestic architecture is about the ugliest and most repulsive on the face of the earth. Yet in spite of all regrets, utility predominates, and use and necessity banish the beautiful. It is a matter in which society obeys its own impulses, as careless of the regrets of poetry as if they were but the echoes of the pipings of Arcadia; and society is right.

But faint as our rural sympathies may be, we do lament that the spread of the great city has been so utterly remorseless and unsparing, that it has left the “sunny spots of greenery” so very few and far between. Some oases we would fain have had left amid the hard and arid expanse of pavement and dwelling, and in those spots we would have placed our churches. The sanctity of worship seems to require something at least of seclusion; we know nothing that jars more disagreeably with our better feelings than the position of most of the metropolitan churches. Surrounded on all sides by the abodes of men, and hemmed in by their paths, the echoes of feet passing in the ceaseless pursuit of gain, or even of crime, are never silent around their walls. The world, in all its gorgeous pride, or squalid misery, cannot be kept even a pace from their threshhold; it seems as if mammon had grudged that even the pace they occupy should have been rescued from its grasp and dedicated to Heaven.

St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields is no exception to these remarks. It stands in the highway of traffic, and as we look at it, we frequently wish that some portion of the “fields “ it once stood in, had been preserved, and that, like so many of the churches scattered over the face of our fair isle, it stood embosomed in stately trees. Its noble portico is worthy of a Grecian grove. There is nothing very remarkable in its history, except that both it and its predecessor have been peculiar objects of royal munificence. It is dedicated to an Hungarian saint, for what reason has never been discovered, for the origin of the old church, that stood on the same site, is lost in oblivion. That it must have dated far back, is evident from the fact, that there are authentic records of dispute, in 1222, between the Abbot of Westminster and the Bishop of London, as to which of them had jurisdiction over it: how long it had then been a religious edifice, is not known; but we think it likely that it was then first built, and was claimed by both dignitaries, for it stands on debateble ground, between London and Westminster. It is supposed then to have been a chapel for the monks of Westminster, when they visited their “Convent Garden,’ which then extended to it. The pious brethren would stare, if they could visit that “ Convent Garden” now! Pleasant and profitable doubtless, were the walks in the “garden,” and the meditations it the “chapel; “ but the time came which deprived the monks of Westminster both of one and the other. They fell to Henry VIII, who, with more than his usual consideration in such matters, built a small church on the site of the chapel at his own expense. As population increased, the small church grew smaller in proportion to it, and in 1607 it was enlarged, by the addition of a spacious chancel, built at the expense of Prince Henry and some of the nobility. Time passed on, and this too fell to decay; till, after many expensive repairs, it was taken down, and the frst stone of the present structure laid, in 1721. And an elegant building it is, though the praise must be chiefly confined to the portico, the proportions of which are said to have been taken by the architect (Gibbs) from the remains of an ancient temple, at Nismes, in France. It was completed and consecrated in 1726, when George I. gave a hundred guineas to the workmen, in addition to 27,441£. 10s. 4d., which he contributed to the building, and a further sum of 1500£. for the organ. This is a liberality so creditable to the character of a king not said to have been remarkable for that virtue, that we have thought it unjust to diminish the credit of it even by the odd fourpence. The whole cost was 69,891£., of which more than 30,000£. was granted by parliament, and the rest made up by voluntary subscriptions.

The portico, as above stated, has been often and justly admired. The effect is injured by the steps being imperfect, the north side of the porch being on higher ground than the southern; but this being unavoidable is rather a misfortune than a fault. Six fine Corinthian columns support a pediment which contains the royal arms in bas-relief. Pilasters of the same order extend round the buildings. The roof is concealed by a handsome balustrade in good keeping with the rest of the building. It is admired by every one possessed of any taste, and has now the advantage of standing in contrast with the National Gallery, a building which no one with any taste can admire at all. The interior of St. Martin’s is not so superior in its arrangement as to leave all other churches behind it, as may be said with regard to its exterior front. The body of the church is the usual quadrangle, the galleries and side aisles divided off by pillars; there is no approach to a nave, and the square form is only broken by the recess in which the altar is placed. The ceiling is richly carved, and the chief beauty of the interior may be said to be the lightness with which the roof springs from the pillars. The fittings up are good and substantial, having that general appearance which speaks the weekly presence of wealth, indicating that the inhabitants are proud of their church, and have no Braintree-like aversion to church rates, or that they are not wanted to an edifice so royally founded. The living is in the patronage of the Bishop of London, and is held by the Rev. Sir Henry Dukeinfield.

The Illustrated London News, London, England, Week Ending July 2, 1842

The Churches Of The Metropolis No. I — St. Martins-In-The-Fields was originally published in Reporting History on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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June 21st

The Rebels at McConnellsburg, Pa. — Help Themselves and Retire—Rebels plunder Pennsylvania town, but return some of the property to sympathetic citizens. (1863)

Italian Life Among The Better Classes—The social life of the impeccably decaying Venetian nobility. (1876)

June 22nd

Mr. Green’s Balloon Ascent–The intrepid aviator Charles Green again takes to the skies. (1842)

The Rebel Force at Hagerstown Largely Reinforced—Rebels reinforced at Hagerstown but fears of move to seize Pennsylvania capital at Harrisburg diminished. Governor Curtin visits troops drawn up to defend the city. (1863)

Gilded Prison For Deposed King Of Oude Does Not Come Cheap—Why he had a “deep hatred .. towards Europeans and white people generally” after his kingdom was annexed by the East India Company, we may never know… (1876)

June 23rd

A Letter’s Long Journey—This must be the original “I swear I texted you, honey.” (1870)

The Pirates Off Nantucket—Rebel privateer Tacony goes “fox in the henhouse” in New England waters. (1863)

U.S. Battleships Leave Portland After 3-Day Visit—Much to the sorrow of Portland’s lovely ladies and bootleggers, the fleet departs for southern waters. (1926)

June 24th

The Rebel Invasion Of The North—Watching the Rebel movements, but unconcerned about further incursions into Pennsylvania. Alas, dear readers… (1863)

Chinese Artillerymen—The Chinese may have been the first to experiment with gunpowder, but their artillery has been outpaced by European technology. (1842)

A Railroad Two Feet In Width—Proof that good things can come in small — or at least narrow — packages. (1870)

June 25th

The Invasion Of Maryland And Pennsylvania—Rebels reported to have moved into Maryland in force, possibly threatening Frederick. Prophetic in light of coming events, sources in Gettysburg, PA report no sign of Confederates in the area. (1863)

Collision Of Two Sapphos—No, it’s not THAT kind of Sapphic encounter! Focus, people! (1909)

Fezzan Chieftains Beheaded By Ottomans—Ottoman officials execute rebelling tribal leaders, though an insurgent army still remains under arms and occupying several garrisons. (1842)

June 26th

A Bold Adventure — Escape From The Maple Leaf—Confederate officers escape by seizing the steamer carrying them to the prison camp at Fort Delaware. (1863)

Battle In The Paris Catacombs—The battle for the City of Light finishes in darkness! With the Paris Commune overthrown, the battle moves underground into the sewers and catacombs beneath Paris. (1871)

Chinese Attack On Ningpo—We take it for granted that we can watch conflict unfold in real time through news and social media. But until the later half of the 19th Century, with robust telegraph infrastructure and undersea cables, news took rather longer to travel. (1842)

June 27th

Rebels In Gettysburg In Force—Rebel troops enter Gettysburg for the first time. Telegraph operator reports and flees with equipment, and most horses and cattle driven away as they approached. (1863)

Reporting History Recap, Issue 3 was originally published in Reporting History on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

June 14th

Father Fights Off Bear from Child In Exhibition Pen—So much to unpack here, starting with the bear at a gas station. (1926)

June 15th

Uncle Sam’s Porto Rican Soldiers—A reminder that Puerto Ricans have served in the US military since at least the Spanish-American War. (1901)

Icebergs In The Atlantic—Be at sea long enough and you’ll see mermaids, or possibly monumental architecture. (1901)

June 16th

Women Run The Newsroom—Women in the news, running the news! (1901)

Whereabouts Of The Rebels — Invasion Of Maryland—Rebel forces make their anticipated move on Maryland (1863)

June 18th

The Invasion Of Our City By The Rebels—Rebel cavalry under Imboden briefly occupy Cumberland, “purchasing” goods with Confederate notes (surely to be honored by the good local bankers). (1863)

Roosevelt and the Engineer—While on a railway trip campaigning across the country Theodore Roosevelt takes some time to chat with the engineer. (1901)

New Kaiser No Threat To Peace—Opinion on Wilhelm II might not stand up to historical scrutiny…“so long as he [Bismarck] retains the Chancellorship we have an assurance that the apprehensions [of German aggression] are not well founded” (1888)

June 19th

Brigandage Increasing In Italy—Crime may not pay, but folk hero / bandit Guiseppe Musolino became a national sex symbol during his trial(s), was a subject of Calabrian folk tales and songs, and lived to the age of 79. (1901)

Movements Of The Confederates—Keeping track of the Confederate movements as Lee moves into Maryland. (1863)

June 20th

Halts Rum-Running Dog—Turns out you really can’t teach an old dog a new trick… when it’s hitting the tequila! (1926)

Pennsylvania Invaded!—Rebels moving into Pennsylvania, state capital at Harrisburg threatened. Milroy falls back from Winchester to join Federal forces at Harpers Ferry. Union reinforcements on the move. But the news is several days out of date at publication… (1863)

A Japanese Corvette In American Waters—Japanese naval vessel visits San Francisco, open the ship to the public, and enjoy reception with US naval officers. (1876)

I share these historical news articles freely. They are all curated and transcribed from a variety of news sources. If you enjoy them, buy me a coffee and fuel my trips through the archives! Or become a sustaining supporter on Patreon.

See these articles and many more on the Reporting History website.

Reporting History Recap, Issue 2 was originally published in Reporting History on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

June 7th

Two Will Circle The Globe In 31 Days—Goldstrom & Titterington to attempt to set new Around The World record. (1926)

June 8th

News From Vicksburg — Latest reports from Vicksburg indicate siege is going well for Union forces. (1863)

3 Chicago Policemen, 3 Watchmen, Execute 100 Loop Burglaries—Cops and a Pinkerton busted for a hundred robberies, sometimes assigned to investigate own theft. (1926)

Electro Gilding—The amazing new science of galvanism, applied to plating with precious metals. (1842)

June 9th

Reception Of The New York Regiments—Returning New York regiments parade in review. (1863)

Pigeon Has Note Signed By a Man Who Disappeared—Some might say that report was for the birds. (1926)

Royal Observatory In No Serious Danger From Generator—Emissions from new electrical station may affect Royal Observatory observations, but no other serious effects expected. (1907)

June 10th

Girls To Leave Their Bosses Flat—Behind every great man is a woman doing the work… (1926)

Destruction of Property of Bull Island—Yankees camp out on Bull Island, destroy rebel property. (1863)

June 11th

Presents For Her Majesty—Queen Victoria receives presents from Zanzibar. (1842)

Construction At The Portsmouth Navy Yard—New Hampshire shipwrights have not been idle in doing their part to equip the Navy against the rebellion. (1863)

June 12th

Her Majesty’s First Trip By Railway—Queen Victoria becomes the first British monarch to travel by rail, returning to London from Windsor by train to Paddington. No record of whether she encountered any bears at the station, however. (1842)

Negroes as Soldiers—Colored troops make a very favorable impression on this New England officer. (1863)

June 13th

Woman Swimmer Saved After Passing Five Hours at Night in the Atlantic—Thus demonstrating the importance of remaining calm in the water when caught in a current. (1926)

I share these historical news articles freely. They are all curated and transcribed from a variety of news sources. If you enjoy them, buy me a coffee and fuel my trips through the archives! Or become a sustaining supporter on Patreon.

See these articles and many more on the Reporting History website.

Reporting History Recap, Issue 1 was originally published in Reporting History on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By the Associated Press.

NEW YORK. January 27. — The fate of 54 men, members of the crews of the British freighters Antinoe and Laristan, which have been in distress in a storm at sea for three days, was still In doubt today.

Six men of the were rescued yesterday by the German liner Bremen, leaving 24 aboard. The United States liner President Roosevelt, which has lost two of its crew in efforts to aid the Antinoe, was still standing by today.

Five of the dozen passenger liners that have been battling toward Atlantic ports front one to two days late in the teeth of the storm reached port yesterday. They were the Transylvania, Duilio, Giuseppe Verdi, Mount Royal and Regina.

leviathan Due Today.

The Leviathan and Columbus are due today and the Aquitania and France tomorrow.

The President Roosevelt sent word yesterday the condition of the Antinoe was serious and its ability to keep afloat doubtful. The Roosevelt has been standing by the freighter in a snowstorm since Sunday.

The Bremen, which answered the Laristan’s SOS Monday night, sent a radio to Halifax last night announcing the rescue of six of the 30 men of the Laristan.

Further assistance was hampered by huge seas.

The Canadian government steamer Reindeer is ready at Halifax to go to the aid of the Laristan, a storm outside Halifax preventing her leaving the harbor last night.

Freighters Heavy Laden.

The Laristan, with coal, was bound from Swansea to New York. The Antinoe was carrying wheat from New York to Queenstown.

Capt. Fried of the President Roosevelt sent a message by radio, in which he told of vainly maneuvering his ship throughout the day in snow, rain and sleet squalls and in high seas to get into favorable position for a rescue. The sea was too rough to get a line aboard the Antinoe. An empty lifeboat was launched and it drifted alongside the Antinoe, but members of the crew were unable to reach it, and later it capsized.

Capt. Fried described the Antinoe as riding sluggish, with the lee rail rolling under and engine room reported flooded.

He said he looked for improvement of the weather today.

The Evening Star, Washington, DC, January 27, 1926

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Rescue of 54 Men Thwarted By Gale was originally published in Reporting History on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A serious labor trouble has prevailed at Lawrence, Mass., this week, resulting from the strike of 15,000 textile workers. In changing from a 56 to a 54-hour week, the mills reduced wages accordingly. The hands wanted the full week’s pay. Now they demand an increase of 15 per cent, double pay for overtime and the abolition of the premium system. There was so much rioting that eight companies of the state militia were ordered to reinforce the police and civil officers. The state hoard of arbitration is trying to bring about a settlement, and there were indications yesterday that the troubles would soon be settled.

Vermont Phoenix, Brattleboro, VT, January 19, 1912

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Labor Riots at Lawrence, Mass was originally published in Reporting History on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Attack on Southard Follows Protest at Arrest of Chauffeur.

By the Associated Press.

ADDIS ABABA, Abyssinia, January 18. — Addison E. Southard, United States Minister to Abyssinia, was knocked down yesterday during an altercation with several policemen after an automobile accident.

Reports of the incident today said Mr. Southard’s car, with the Minister driving, ran over an Abyssinian woman’s foot. She was only slightly hurt, but when the car stopped and Mr. Southard was about to inquire the extent of her injuries, a native policeman ran up and arrested the Minister’s chauffeur. Southard protested and there was an argument. Several other policemen arrived and in the scuffle Southard was knocked down.

Addison E. Southard of Louisville, Ky., was appointed resident Minister and consul general at Addis Ababa by President Coolidge in 1928. Previously he was the American consul at Jerusalem.

On his arrival at his new post he was received with great ceremony and rode in a motor car provided by Haile Selassie. Emperor of Abyssinia and “conquering lion of the tribe of Judah,” escorted by 200 native soldiers.

The custom in that country is for a foreign diplomat to ride to his first audience with the Emperor on a gorgeously caparisoned mule, but Southard was given his choice between the mule and the motor car.

He was one of those who attended the Emperor’s coronation in 1930 and since then has received numerous gifts and honors, including the grand cross of the Holy Trinity and the costume of an Ethiopian warrior, with lion skin, a helmet of lions’ manes and a silver mounted lance.

Evening Star, Washington, DC, January 18, 1932

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See this article and many more on the Reporting History website.

U.S. Minister to Abyssinia Beaten After Auto Mishap was originally published in Reporting History on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.