some of its last numbers were accompanied with a separate half sheet, containing a few articles of news and some advertisements. But neither its writers nor its printer could give it a general circulation, and it was discontinued before the revolution of a year from its first publication.

The Royal American Magazine.

A Prospectus of this work appeared many months before the magazine; but the disordered state of public affairs, and the difficulties which individuals experienced from them, prevented it from being sooner put to press; and after a few numbers had been published, the distress occasioned to the inhabitants of Boston by shutting up and blockading their port, obliged its editor to suspend the publication.

The first number for January, 1774, was published at the close of that month. It was printed on a large medium paper in octavo, on a new handsome type. Each number contained three sheets of letter press, and two copperplate engravings. The title was, The Royal American Magazine, or Universal Repository of Instruction and Amusement. The type metal cut in the title page, represented, by an aboriginal, America seated on the ground; at her feet lay a quiver, and near her a bow on which her right hand rested; in her left hand she held the calumet of peace, which she appeared to offer to the Genius of Knowledge standing before her dispensing instruction. Imprint, "Boston: Printed by and for Isaiah Thomas, near the Market." Then follow the names of several printers on the continent who sold the work.

The editor, after having been at considerable trouble and expense in bringing the work before the public, published it six months, and then was obliged, first to suspend, and

afterwards to relinquish it; but Joseph Greenleaf continued the publication until April following, when the war put a period to the magazine.

This was the last periodical work established in Boston before the revolution. It had a considerable list of subscribers.

SALEM.

The Essex Gazette.

Containing the fresheft Advices, both Foreign and Domestick. This was the first newspaper printed in Salem. No. 1 was published August 2, 1768; and it was continued weekly, on Tuesday, crown size, folio, from small pica and brevier types. In the centre of the title was a cut, of which the design was taken from the official seal of the county. The principal figure a bird with its wings extended, and holding a sprig in its bill; perhaps intended to represent Noah's dove; and this device was far from being ill adapted to the state of our forefathers, who having been inhabitants of Europe, an old world, were become residents in America, to them a new one. Above the bird a fish, which seems to have been intended as a crest, emblematical of the codfishery, formerly the principal dependence of the county of Essex, of which Salem is a shire town. The whole supported by two aborigines, each holding a tomahawk, or battle axe. Imprint, "Salem: Printed by Samuel Hall, near the Town-House, Price 6s. 8d. per annum."

It was afterwards "printed by Samuel and Ebenezer Hall." The Gazette was well conducted, and ably supported the cause of the country.

In 1775, soon after the commencement of the war, the printers of this paper removed with their press to Cambridge, and there published the Gazette, or, as it was then entitled, The New England Chronicle: Or, the Essex Gazette. The junior partner died in 1775, and S. Hall became again the sole proprietor. When the British army left Boston Hall removed to the capital, and there printed The New England Chronicle, the words Essex Gazette being omitted. After publishing the paper a few years with this title, he sold his right to it, and the new proprietor entitled it The Independent Chronicle,' and began the alteration with No. 1.

The Salem Gazette and Newbury and Marblehead Advertiser.

A Weekly, Political, Commercial Paper-Influenced neither by Court or COUNTRY.

This paper, the second published in the town, made its first appearance in June, 1774, printed on a crown sheet,

1 This being the only allusion by Mr. Thomas to that paper, a portion of a letter from the late Mr. Nathaniel Willis referring to it, dated Boston, March 20, 1861, is quoted: "When I was an apprentice in the office of the Independent Chronicle, about 1796, I found in the garret enough of these papers to make a volume, which I arranged, had them bound, and have recently presented the volume to the Boston Public Library. From this it appears in their notices to the public, that Samuel Hall transferred the paper to Nathaniel Willis and Edward E. Powars, June 13, 1776; in December, 1779, N. Willis appears as sole publisher until 1784; it was then transferred to Adams & Nourse, afterwards Adams & Rhoades; and then my father went to Virginia. I was an apprentice in the Chronicle office from 1796 to 1803. Samuel Hall was a bookseller in the same store where Gould & Lincoln so long remained, in Washington street." The Chronicle was united with the Boston Patriot in 1819, when its title ceased. For a full account of this paper, see Buckingham's Reminiscences, 1, 248–87.— M.

folio, on an old long primer type, published weekly on Friday. Imprint, "Salem: Printed by E. Russell, at his New Printing-Office, in Ruck-street, near the State-House."

This Gazette was of short continuance; its circulation was confined to a few customers in Salem and the neighboring towns, which were inadequate to its support.

The American Gazette: Or, The Constitutional Journal,

Was first published June 18, 1776. It was published on Tuesday, printed on a crown sheet, folio. Imprint, "Salem Printed by J. Rogers, at E. Russell's Printing-Office, Upper End of Main-Street," &c. Russell was the conductor of this paper, Rogers being only his agent; it was published only a few weeks. In the head was a large cut, a coarse copy of that which then appeared in the title of the Pennsylvania Journal; the device, a ship and a book, or journal, &c., as has already been described.

It was several years after this newspaper was discontinued before the printing of another commenced in Salem. In January, 1781, Mary Crouch and company issued from their press The Salem Gazette and General Advertiser. This Gazette was printed only nine months, when Samuel Hall, who first published The Essex Gazette, returned to Salem, and, on the 18th of October, 1781, established The Salem Gazette, afterwards printed by T. Cushing.2

[See List of Newspapers printed in the United States in January, 1810.]

'Meaning court house.

"In 1857, the editor of the Gazette stated that 49 other papers had been started in Salem since the Gazette, of which 46 had broken up in bankruptcy. Samuel Dodge died at Rowley, Mass., June 17, 1860, aged 82, who had taken and paid for the Salem Register sixty years.— M.

NEWBURYPORT.

No attempt was made to establish a newspaper in that place until the year 1773.

The Essex Journal, and Merimack Packet: Or, the Massachusetts and New-Hampshire General Advertiser,

Was issued from the press, December 4, 1773, by Isaiah Thomas, printed on a crown sheet, folio, equal in size to most of the papers then published in Boston. At first its day of publication was Saturday; afterwards, Wednesday. Two cuts were in the title; one, the left, representing the arms of the province, that on the right, a ship under sail. Imprint, "Newbury-Port: Printed by Isaiah Thomas & Henry Walter-Tinges, in King-Street, opposite to the Rev. Mr. Parsons's Meeting-IIouse," &c. Thomas was the proprietor of the Journal; he lived in Boston, and there published the Massachusetts Spy. Tinges, as a partner in the Journal, managed the concerns of it. Before the full expiration of a year Thomas sold his right in this paper to Ezra Lunt, and, about two years after, Lunt sold to John Mycall. Tinges was a partner to both; but to the latter only for about six months, when the partnership was dissolved, and Mycall became the proprietor and sole publisher of The Essex Journal, the publication of which he continued many years.