Gibraltar Chronicle

Infobox Newspaper
name =


type = Daily newspaper
format = Compact (Tabloid)
foundation = 1801
political =
headquarters = Gibraltar
editor = Dominique Searle MBE
website = [http://www.chronicle.gi www.chronicle.gi]
circulation = 5,000

The "Gibraltar Chronicle" is a national newspaper published daily in Gibraltar since 1801. It is Gibraltar’s oldest established daily newspaper and the world’s second oldest English language newspaper to have been in print continuously. [ [http://www.birminghamuk.com/cities/gibinfo.htm Birmingham UK International Directory – Gibraltar Fact File] ]

The "Gibraltar Chronicle" archive is currently housed in the Garrison Library.

History

Casualty lists and news were slow in the 18th century and when five regiments from the Garrison of Gibraltar were promptly shipped to Egypt in 1801, the news was posted on a notice board in the Gibraltar Garrison Library. It was soon decided that the information should be made available to the public. A bulletin headed, "Continuation of the INTELLIGENCE FROM EGYPT received by His Majesty's ship Flora in three weeks from Alexandria," was printed at the Garrison Library press on May 4 1801 and sold by H. and T. Cowper. The report consisted of four pages, three of which were in English and French. The news of Nelson's victory at Copenhagen appeared on the fourth page as well as the names of officers who had died since they had landed in Egypt. The second edition was printed on May 8 1801. The first editor was a Frenchman named Charles Bouisson, who had settled in Gibraltar in 1794. [ [http://gibraltar.costasur.com/en/chronicle.html Gibraltar costasur.com – The Gibraltar Chronicle] ]

The last of the "Gibraltar Chronicle" to be numbered in Roman numerals was number 160 (CLX) of September 22 1804. Publication then ceased for five months owing to the yellow fever epidemic until number 161 appeared on March 23 1804, and it afterwards continued to be published weekly in editions bearing Arabic numerals.

The first 160 editions carried verbatim extracts from "The London Gazette", Spanish, French (in original or translation) and Russian, Court papers, Parliamentary debates, and proclamations, military and naval dispatches, local regulations, rates of exchange and reports culled from foreign newspapers. They carried few letters, advertisements or details of social occasions except those connected with the Royal Court and the activities of the members of the Garrison. The Chronicle was sold at a price of 1½ reals, and the readership was mostly made up of serving officials. ["Some diverse observations on the Character and Style of the Early Gibraltar Chronicle" by Diane Sloma, publ. in the Gibraltar Heritage Journal No.2 (1994) ISBN 0 9524808 0 8]

News of Trafalgar

Five days after the Battle of Trafalgar in October 1805, Cuthbert Collingwood, 1st Baron Collingwood sent news of the victory to Lieutenant Lapenotiere, commander of a small schooner "Pickle", which was en route to England. Prime Minister, William Pitt, and King George III did not have news of the victory until the early hours of November 6, consequently delaying publication in "The Times" until November 7. The British fleet had met with a fishing boat a day after the battle that brought a report to Gibraltar from Admiral Collingwood. The "Gibraltar Chronicle" published the news of the victory on October 23, in English and French, and included a letter from Admiral Collingwood to the Governor of Gibraltar Henry Edward Fox, giving an account of the battle. [ [http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_trafalgar2.html The Battle of Trafalgar] ] [ [http://www.stfaith.com/november05.htm "Faith Matters" The Parish Church of ST. FAITH in HAVANT newsletter] ]

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.chronicle.gi The Gibraltar Chronicle official website]

ee also

* Communications in Gibraltar