File:Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries- Volume 8, page 120, December 14-20, 1856.jpg

Transcription:

14. Sunday. A dismal and persistently wet day. Wrote to Alf [Waud].

[15. Monday through 20. Saturday] To the [European] Office each day as usual. I do now, in part, “let go my opinion, hold it no longer—” as to the management of the paper, and suppose it to be just as its projector wishes, and that he has some ulterior purpose of backers in a pecuniary sense. [Hugh] Forbes knows no more than I, and is probably engaged as an ostensible authority, Russell not wishing — as he intimated on my engagement — to appear openly in connection with the paper. (He has other offices in the building and is [word crossed out] said to be engaged, largely in the telegraphing business. These rooms, we newspaper employees don’t go in) The printers are all Englishmen, the foreman’s name appearing as publisher of the paper. The Colonel contributes about one article per week — generally on Italian affairs — which I think Russell lets go in to please him rather than considering it of importance. Forbes too fusses round generally, entering rooms like a tornado, always leaving doors open, interrupting my proof-reading and exasperating the printers — whom Seares (the foreman) fears will insult him some of these days. He (the Colonel) will stop the press to have a word changed from Italics into small caps. Withal he is good humored and simple-hearted as a boy, though very authoritative. One day this week he got talking of his Ita-