in the olden times. The Herald was the worst edited, but the best sub-edited and reported newspaper up to 1851.
Cavenagh, fussy and in appearance energetic, had not much backbone, though on one or two occasions he put on a spirt by which he obtained a small reputation for pluck. He was the first to obtain intelligence of a race-meeting in Geelong on the night of the day on which it came off. This was effected on horseback by a shipping reporter named M'Grath, hereafter to be referred to. Cavenagh entered upon a more spirited though not very large undertaking in 1846. The bi-weekly overland mail from Sydney arrived at Kinlochewe, about twenty miles from Melbourne, late in the evening, staying there that night, and starting the following morning in time to have the mail delivered in Melbourne by nine o'clock. Cavenagh was so irritated that he very smartly organized a mounted express to leave Kinlochewe on the arrival of the Sydney mail, and by obtaining a loose bag from the Sydney Post Office, had his letters and papers between 3 and 4 a.m., and so far forestalled the others that he could print the news in his regular Tuesday's issue, and had his Friday's "Extraordinary" out before the other papers. The Argus was soon obliged to get an express of its own. The Herald contractor was a Mr. R. H. Budd, a Kinlochewe publican, whilst the Argus express was ridden by a Mr. E. M. L. Smith, an ex-shipping reporter. Budd and Smith had rough journeying of it, but the former was the better bushman, and never came to grief. One wet boisterous night the two equestrians had a miserable trip, and on the way Budd's companion was suddenly pulled out of his saddle, and on Budd looking round to ascertain the cause of the unexpected disappearance, found the other very uncomfortably "up a tree," and, bidding him good morning, left him to follow as best and when he could. The night was dark. Budd was more accustomed to the road or thoroughfare than Smith, who got entangled in an overhanging bough, and was so placed "horse de combat." When Budd arrived at the Herald, and recounted the occurrence, there was much rejoicing thereat, for the Argus would be for the nonce minus its "Express" news. This arrangement, unwelcome and inconvenient to all the newspaper employés, continued in force for several months, when some post-office alterations were effected by which, instead of the 9 a.m. arrival, the Sydney mail was due at the Melbourne Post Office at 4.30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. The Kinlochewe "Expresses" were consequently discontinued.
At the beginning of 1849 the Port Phillip Herald changed its name SO as to be the "Melbourne Morning" instead of the "Port Phillip," and was published as a daily. Towards the close of the following year it procured the first steam-printing press introduced to the Australian Colonies. This was a "Napier Improved," which was imported per the "Brilliant," from London, on the 5th October, 1850. It was adapted either for manual or steam propulsion, working off by hand, within an hour, eighteen hundred copies of a paper twelve columns larger than the size of the then Melbourne journals, and by steam it could do three thousand. Cavenagh remained sole proprietor until the colony had got well into the astounding and unexpected anomalies emanating from the goldfield discoveries. The position at length grew too much for him, and in a couple of years infusions of new blood and money were taken into the concern, and though there was ability in abundance, the tact, business management, and skill of economizing within reasonable bounds were wanted, and the paper lost the position it had for many years held. Fortune at length deserted it, and passed over to the Argus, which, in the end, had an easy victory in the championship. In its financial adversity, Cavenagh was compelled to abandon the old ship, and he died near Melbourne some fifteen years ago. Amongst all the early newspapers, the Herald had the advantage of being the most amply equipped office, and for ordinary journalists and jobbing purposes it was decidedly superior to any of the then existing Colonial establishments.
"The Melbourne Argus."
Mr. William Kerr, who was connected with the defunct Courier, was a man who had had some grand opportunities thrown in his way, but he abused them. The ball was more than once at his foot, and he kicked it so unskilfully, that he tumbled head-foremost over it. His
