The story of the Sun, New York: 1833-1928 / by Frank M. O'Brien ; with an introduction by Edward Page Mitchell ...

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THE STORY OF "THE SUN"

S. F. B. MORSE AND CYRUS W. FIELD,
WIRE-PULLERS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
The first piece of news to come by cable was printed
in the Sun of August 27, 1858, and ran:
A treaty of peace has been concluded with China,
by which England and France obtain all their demands, including the establishment of embassies at
Peking and indemnification for the expenses of the
war.
It will be remembered that this first cable was not a
success, and that permanent under-sea telegraph service
did not come until 1866; but the results produced in
1858 convinced the world that Field and his associates
were right, and that perseverance and money would bring
perfect results.
After the war, when paper became cheaper, Beach preferred to enlarge the Sun rather than reduce its price to
one cent. He never printed more than four pages, but
the lost columns were restored, with interest, so that there
were eight to a page. Even at two cents a copy it was
still the cheapest of the morning papers; still the beloved
of the working classes and the desired of the politicians.
Just after the war ended, the Sun declared that it was read
by half a million people.
On January 25, 1868, when the Sun had been in the
possession of the Beaches for about thirty of its thirty-five
years. a new editor and manager, speaking for a new
ownership of the Sun, made this announcement at the head
of the editorial column: