Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Saturday 19 December 1885, page 12


SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1885.

TO-DAY we launch au addition to the literary fleet of Western Australia.

Greatly as that fleet has beeu enlarged and improved of la^e years, we trust that no one after having seen it will doubt that room exists lor one more accession, in THE WESTERN MAIL. In some respects, indeed, the MAIL is ?ot so much a new ship, as an old one remodelled, lengthened, strengthened, and altered to suit, the tiene;- Its pre-decessor Vas the Saturdays edition of the West Australian. But it bad long been felt that the form which circum-stances compelled this latter to develop into, inflicted an equal hardship on town aud country subscribers. These ! latter it was thought ought to be sup-plied with a journal more exactly suited to their needs, the former might justly complain, that their daily paper was loaded on one 'morning in the week, with news that had already been published in its columns. Under these circumstances its proprietors decided to improve ihe Saturday West Auetra^ lian, tor its town readers, aud to pub-lish, at the saine time, another paper, weekly in issue, adopted specially to meet the convenience and wants of the dwellers in the country, and which might prove of peculiar service to sub-scribers in the other colonies of Aus-tralasia, as well as those residing in all parts of the United Kingdom.

Our bark now having fairly started on her voyageait will naturally be ashed what under what flag does she sail, what cargo does she carry, are ber navigating officers meu who mean to

make themselves popular and trusted. For the last we must let her pilotage speak for itself as time goes on. For her freight, we offer the present issue as a sample of the quality of the comtnodities she will carry, as a fair and true manifest of the cargo which will form her staple. Beneath its present standard, wo are satisfied it will not fall. On the contrary,- mouth bjr month, we trust it wili be found, that improvements are being introduced. If it be true that the first-step is hall the battle, uoae know better than our-selves how many difficult steps ure needed before victory is accomplished, and an approach made to satisfying thc hopes ot' the first conception. Every-one will readily recognise that in the present circumstances of outcolony an undertaking such as this involves the exercise of a forethought, and of a determination not "to be daunted by obstacles, not readily to be matched iu other parts of tito continent. It is inevitable that this should affect the early issues ol' this journal to its prejudice. But enough we hope may be gathered lrom the present number to assure all ch)eses, conditions, and interests, that all their reasonable wishes and wants will find themselves solicitously, and we trust not uuwortluly,considered and catered

for.

So much for our freight, a word about the colours under which we de-sire to sail. Most distinctly these will bind us to no narrow or partial line of the questions which agitate our com-munity. We shall pursue our editor-ial course through the party politics of the "colony, unbiassed by predilec-ción, ana unmoved by iateresi, intent only on discovering these fair jewels of truth, which are ever to be i'ouud beneath the passion and prejudice of either side, and whose existence aloue after all will account for the heat and vitality of these struggles. But it is our auxious desire to hold our col. nines open to the lull discussion ol'all matters ot public or private moment, and each may count upon a ia ir,eve a a welcome and asympa netic hearing for kis views, if he be ouly honest in his purpose, and restrained in his dis-course. For above all we wish the

new journal to become the paper of the people.

And so, to resume our metaphor, we leave the dockyard, trusting we shall liud our sails speedily filling: be-fore the prosperous breezes of popu-

lar favour.