HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Hicky's Bengal Gazette or the Original Calcutta General Advertiser'' was an English-language weekly newspaper published in
Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...
(then Calcutta), the capital of
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
. It was the first newspaper printed in
Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
, and was published for two years, between 1780 and 1782, before the
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
seized the newspaper's types and printing press. Founded by James Augustus Hicky, a highly eccentric
Irishman The Irish ( or ''Na hÉireannaigh'') are an ethnic group and nation native to the island of Ireland, who share a common ancestry, history and culture. There have been humans in Ireland for about 33,000 years, and it has been continually inhab ...
who had previously spent two years in jail for debt, the newspaper was strong critical of the administration of Governor General
Warren Hastings Warren Hastings (6 December 1732 – 22 August 1818) was a British colonial administrator, who served as the first governor of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal), the head of the Supreme Council of Bengal, and so the first governor-gener ...
. The newspaper was important for its provocative journalism and its fight for free expression in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
.


Newspaper history

''Hicky's Bengal Gazette'' was first published on 29 January 1780, it's founder, James Augustus Hicky, having earlier printed a prospectus announcing that he would begin printing a newspaper. The idea of printing a newspaper in India had been floated twelve years earlier by the Dutch Adventurer William Bolts, but Hicky was the first to execute the concept. Hicky's newspaper was printed once a week on Saturday, and retailed for Rs 1. Its circulation was estimated to be around four hundred copies per week, although possibly more. Hicky initially avoided political controversy. As he observed the effect his paper had, he became more political and his neutral editorial policy shifted to an independent one. His slogan became "Open to all Parties, but influenced by None". After he learned that competitors with ties to the East India Company were intending to launch a rival newspaper, the '' India Gazette'', he took a strongly anti-Company stance. Hicky accused an East India Company employee, Simeon Droz, of supporting the ''India Gazette'' as punishment for Hicky's refusal to pay a bribe to Droz and Marian Hastings, Warren Hastings' wife. In retaliation for Hicky's accusation, Hastings' Supreme Council forbid ''Hicky's Bengal Gazette'' from being mailed through the post office. On 18 November 1780, the same day that the first ''India Gazette'' was published, Hicky modified the name of his newspaper from ''Hicky's Bengal Gazette; or, Calcutta General Advertiser'', to ''Hicky's Bengal Gazette; or the Original Calcutta General Advertiser'' to emphasize that his newspaper was founded first. Hicky claimed that the Supreme Council's order violated his right to free expression, and accused Hastings of corruption, tyranny, and prosecuting wars of aggression. Hicky also accused other British leaders in Calcutta of corruption, including the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William Supreme may refer to: Entertainment * Supreme (character), a comic book superhero created by Rob Liefeld * ''Supreme'' (film), a 2016 Telugu film * Supreme (producer), hip-hop record producer * "Supreme" (song), a 2000 song by Robbie Williams * ...
, Elijah Impey of taking bribes, and the leader of the Protestant Mission, Johann Zacharias Kiernander of stealing from an orphaned children's fund. Hicky's editorial independence was short lived as Hastings and Kiernander sued him for libel. After four dramatic trials in June 1781, the Supreme Court found Hicky guilty and sentenced him to jail. Hicky continued to print his newspaper from jail, and continued to accuse Hastings and others of corruption. He was finally suppressed when Hastings instituted fresh lawsuits against him. ''Hicky's Bengal Gazette'' ceased publication on 30 March 1782 when its types were seized by an order of the Supreme Court. The next week, its types and printing press were publicly auctioned and sold to the ''India Gazette''.


Editorial policy

''Hicky's Bengal Gazette'' was known for its sarcastic and provocative writing style. Unlike many newspapers of its time, the newspaper discussed taboo topics like female masturbation, and proto-
class consciousness In Marxism, class consciousness is the set of beliefs that persons hold regarding their social class or economic rank in society, the structure of their class, and their common class interests. According to Karl Marx, class consciousness is an awa ...
, arguing for the rights of the poor and against taxation without representation. It was strongly
anti-war An anti-war movement is a social movement in opposition to one or more nations' decision to start or carry on an armed conflict. The term ''anti-war'' can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conf ...
and anti- colonial and routinely ridiculed East India Company leadership for their expansionist and imperialist objectives.


Contemporary views

The memoirist William Hickey (who was not related to the paper's founder) describes its establishment shortly after he had succeeded (in his capacity as an attorney-at-law) in having James Hicky released from debtor's jail:
"At the time I first saw Hicky he had been about seven years in India. During his confinement he met with a treatise upon printing, from which he collected sufficient information to commence s aprinter, there never having been a press in Calcutta ... it occurred to Hicky that great benefit might arise from setting on foot a public newspaper, nothing of that kind ever having appeared. Upon his types &c., therefore reaching him, he issued proposals for printing a weekly paper, which, meeting with extraordinary encouragement, he speedily issued his first work. As a novelty every person read it, and was delighted. Possessing a fund of low wit, his paper abounded with proof of that talent. He had also a happy knack at applying appropriate nicknames and relating satirical anecdotes".
Hicky benefited little from the paper, as William Hickey further tells us that he allowed it "to become the channel of personal invective, and the most scurrilous abuse of individuals of all ranks, high and low, rich and poor, many were attacked in the most wanton and cruel manner ... His utter ruin was the consequence".


Legacy

''Hicky's Bengal Gazette'' was the first printed
newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
to be published in Asia. The newspaper became famous not only among the British soldiers posted in India at that time but also inspired Indians to write newspapers of their own.


Surviving collections

Six archives are known to have collections (all incomplete) of ''Hicky's Bengal Gazette:'' #
University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...
#
University of Heidelberg Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public university, public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is List ...
. From George Livius. Available for free onlin

#
National Library of India The National Library of India is a library located in the Belvedere Estate, Alipore, Kolkata, India. It is India's largest library by volume and public record. The National Library is under Ministry of Culture (India), Ministry of Culture, Gove ...
# High Court of Calcutta (only an extraordinary issue dated 25 June 1781). #
British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. Based in London, it is one of the largest libraries in the world, with an estimated collection of between 170 and 200 million items from multiple countries. As a legal deposit li ...
. Two collections
One
originally from the British Museum, from George Livius. Th
other
less complete collection, is originally from a private auction and from the India Office Library. #
University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
's Bancroft Library. Collected by H. Morse Stephens sometime before 1907. This collection was likely once owned by Paul Ferris, one of Hicky's assistants.


Gallery


References


Bibliography

* {{commons category, Hicky's Bengal Gazette


External links


''Hicky's Bengal Gazette''
University of Heidelberg Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg (; ), is a public university, public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI, Heidelberg is List ...
(free online)
''Hicky's Bengal Gazette''
University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

''Hicky's Bengal Gazette''
British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom. Based in London, it is one of the largest libraries in the world, with an estimated collection of between 170 and 200 million items from multiple countries. As a legal deposit li ...

Digital copy
held by Adam Matthew Digital)
''Hicky's Bengal Gazette''
National Library of India The National Library of India is a library located in the Belvedere Estate, Alipore, Kolkata, India. It is India's largest library by volume and public record. The National Library is under Ministry of Culture (India), Ministry of Culture, Gove ...
Newspapers established in 1780 Publications disestablished in 1782 Defunct weekly newspapers Defunct newspapers published in India 18th century in Kolkata Culture of Kolkata English-language newspapers published in India Gazettes 1780 establishments in India 1782 disestablishments in India