Press

official residence is the White House, Wash-
ington. For the mode of election, sec ELEC-

TIONS.

Press, Freedom of the. In England and
(he American colonies the struggles against
censorship of the press wore marked by com-
mon recognition of the facts that the govern-
ment may be criticised, and that the right of
criticism ought always to be unfettered in
matters plainly affecting the public good and
public safety. There arose among friends of
popular government there a conviction that
the press was an indispensable instrument in
securing its progress and permanence. "But it
was not till 1764, when the North Briton of
John Wilkes was prosecuted by Grenville's
ministry, that the right of the press to dis-
cuss public affairs was established. Six years
later the failure of the prosecution directed
against 'Junius' for his Lcttrr to the
established the right of the press to criticize
the conduct, not of ministers of Parliament
only, but of the sovereign himself.

In the American colonies, the governors
were intrusted with the power of royal cen-
sorship, but its exercise was strongly resisted.
The methods of English opponents of a free
press were practiced in Pennsylvania, New
York, and other colonies. The most notable
case was that of Peter Zengcr, the publisher
of the New York Weekly Journal, who was
tried for Jibel. By their verdict of acquittal
in 17,35 the jury, ignoring the admonition of
the presiding chief justice, assumed to decide
both the law and the fact, and thereby es-
tablished for all the colonies a precedent
which assured free discussion. On the con-
tinent of Europe no rigid censorship exists;
but in its place, and in apparent defiance of
constitutional provisions to the contrary,
are severe laws against certain activities
of the pruss in several of the countries.

Press Associations, local, national, or
international associations for the collection
and dissemination of news. The idea of col-
lecting news and selling it to subscribers ap-
pears to have originated with Paul Julius
Reuter, a German telegraph employee, who
about 1845 opened an office in Aix-la-Chap-
elle. In 1851, having induced the London
Times to try his service, he moved to London,
where tbe business was conducted \. Ith such
care and accuracy, especially with regard to
political news, that the service was .scon in-
dispensable to every important ncwspaj>er in
England and on the Continent. About 1857
the New York Associated Press was organ-
ized., with an agent in all large cities of the

3824_____________________ Prestonpans

United States. It has photographic and feat*
ure services as well as being the largest dis-
tributor and gatherer of news, uith private
wire system. There are various other well
known press associations and many press
services which specialize in providing photo-
graphs and feature news.

Pressburg, or Bratislava, town, Slo-
vakia, capital of the district of Bratislava,
on the left bank of the Danube; 58 miles
northeast of Odenburg. Pressburg is the cen-
ter of a wheat and vine growing district.
Glassware, musical instruments, gloves, min-
eral oil, champagne, and edible fats are the

principal articles of commerce. Since the
Great War it has become the chief Slo-
vakian port on the Danube and has been
greatly enlarged and improved; p. 93,[So.

JPress-clipping Bureaus, firms whose bus-
iness is to supply extracts from the press of
the United States and abroad on any partic-
ular subject to those interested in such in-
formation.

Prcssgang, a term in Great Britain denot-
ing a gang or detachment of seamen em-
ployed on shore to impress seafaring men and
others into the king's service in time of em-
ergency.

Pressure, a force which depends on two
factors, being proportional to tbe force ex-
erted, and inversely as the area acted on.
Thus, if a force of ^o Ibs. weight is concen-
trated on an area of i sq. inch, the pressure
will be 100 times greater than if the same
force is spread over 100 sq. inches.

Pressure Gauge, an instrument for indi-
cating the pressure of a fluid contained in a
vessel.

Prcstcr John, or Presbyter John, a per-
sonage believed in the i2th century to be
reigning over a. Christian kingdom in the Far
East. In the popular belief he was often
identified with the apostle John. Opinions
differ as to the original of this practically
mythical character,

Presto, a term in music meaning that the
composition should be performed in a rapid
manner.

Preston, Thomas Scott (1824-91), Amer-
ican Roman Catholic cleric. He served in
several parishes in New York, and became
private secretary to Archbishop Hughes,
From 1853 to 1873 he was chancellor of the
archdiocese; from 1873 to r£8i, vicar-gen-
eral ; and domestic chaplain to the Pope from
1881 onward^ with the title of Monsignor,

Prettonpam, town on the n.w, coast of
Haddmgtoushirc, Scotland) 9 miles c. of Ed-