Notwithstanding the comparative innocence of the contents of the
early numbers of the paper, certain passages which appeared in it
on two occasions subjected the publisher to imprisonment in
Newgate. The extent of the offence, on one occasion, consisted
in the publication of a short paragraph intimating that their
Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York had "so
demeaned themselves as to incur the just disapprobation of his
Majesty!" For such slight offences were printers sent to gaol in
those days.
Although the first Mr. Walter was a man of considerable business
ability, his exertions were probably too much divided amongst a
variety of pursuits to enable him to devote that exclusive
attention to The Times which was necessary to ensure its success.
He possibly regarded it, as other publishers of newspapers then
did, mainly as a means of obtaining a profitable business in
job-printing. Hence, in the elder Walter's hands, the paper was
not only unprofitable in itself, but its maintenance became a
source of gradually increasing expenditure; and the proprietor
seriously contemplated its discontinuance.
At this juncture, John Walter, junior, who had been taken into
the business as a partner, entreated his father to entrust him
with the sole conduct of the paper, and to give it "one more
trial." This was at the beginning of 1803.
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