This is received in its branch offices in all the important towns
throughout the United States, and transmitted to the papers. The result
of last year’s Derby was in the New York office of the Associated
Press, nearly 3,000 miles away, twenty-five seconds after “Rock Sand”
had passed the winning post, and was published in San Francisco, about
7,000 miles from Epsom, two minutes afterwards.
Interesting as is this system whereby the news of America and the
outside world is simultaneously distributed to the American papers--a
system of mechanical ingenuity and organization that would require
several columns to describe adequately--it must be almost of secondary
importance to English readers compared with the influence wielded by
this American news agency over matters British and European.
The Associated Press has treaty relations with the three great European
news agencies, viz., Reuter’s, which supplies Great Britain, Greater
Britain, all the British possessions, Egypt and the Far East, except
Tonquin, with their news. Havas, which covers the newsfield of France,
and through its subsidiary agencies all the Latin countries, including
South America; and Wolff’s, which from Berlin controls and distributes
the news of Germany and all the Teutonic countries, and, through
allies, the news of Russia, Austria-Hungary, the Slav countries,
Scandinavia and Danish territory.
These three European agencies in turn rely upon tributary agencies such
as the Telbureau, in St. Petersburg; the Stefani, in Rome; the Fabrin,
in Madrid, and the Corresponz, in Vienna--all official voices of
Government opinion.