The localities were perhaps not always well chosen; the fact of a leading
organ of Evangelical thought being edited for two successive fortnights
from Trouville and Monte Carlo was generally admitted to have been a
mistake. And even when enterprising and adventurous editors took
themselves and their staffs further afield there were some unavoidable
clashings. For instance, the _Scrutator_, _Sporting Bluff_, and _The
Damsels' Own Paper_ all pitched on Khartoum for the same week. It was,
perhaps, a desire to out-distance all possible competition that
influenced the management of the _Daily Intelligencer_, one of the most
solid and respected organs of Liberal opinion, in its decision to
transfer its offices for three or four weeks from Fleet Street to Eastern
Turkestan, allowing, of course, a necessary margin of time for the
journey there and back. This was, in many respects, the most remarkable
of all the Press stampedes that were experienced at this time. There was
no make-believe about the undertaking; proprietor, manager, editor, sub-
editors, leader-writers, principal reporters, and so forth, all took part
in what was popularly alluded to as the _Drang nach Osten_; an
intelligent and efficient office-boy was all that was left in the
deserted hive of editorial industry."
"That was doing things rather thoroughly, wasn't it?" said the nephew.
"Well, you see," said Sir Lulworth, "the migration idea was falling
somewhat into disrepute from the half-hearted manner in which it was
occasionally carried out.
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