Donaldson’s paper, _The Edinburgh Gazette_, which had been established in 1699, continued in existence; and in the intermediate [Sidenote: 1705.] time there had also been many flying broadsides printed and sold on the streets, containing accounts of extraordinary occurrences of a remarkable nature, often scandalous. The growing inclination of the public for intelligence of contemporary events was now shewn by the commencement of a second paper in Edinburgh, under the title of _The Edinburgh Courant_. The enterpriser, Adam Boig, announced that it would appear on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, ‘containing most of the remarkable foreign news from their prints, and also the home news from the ports within this kingdom, when ships comes and goes, and from whence, which it is hoped will prove a great advantage to merchants and others within this nation (it being now altogether neglected).’ Having obtained the sanction of the Privy Council, he, at the date noted, issued the first number, consisting of a small folio in double columns, bearing to be ‘printed by James Watson in Craig’s Close,’ and containing about as much literary matter as a single column of a modern newspaper of moderate size. There are two small paragraphs regarding criminal cases then pending, and the following sole piece of mercantile intelligence: ‘LEITH, _Feb. 16_.—This day came in to our Port the _Mary Galley_, David Preshu, commander, laden with wine and brandy.’ There are also three small advertisements, one intimating the setting up of post-offices at Wigton and New Galloway, another the sale of lozenges for the kinkhost [chincough] at 8_s._ the box. The superior enterprise shewn in the conducting of the _Courant_, aided, perhaps, by some dexterous commercial management, seems to have quickly told upon the circulation of the _Gazette_; and we must regret, for the sake of an old soldier, that the proprietor of the latter was unwise enough to complain of this result to the Privy Council, instead of trying to keep his ground by an improvement of his paper. He insinuated that Boig, having first undersold him by ‘giving his paper to the ballad-singers four shillings [4_d._ sterling] a quire below the common price, as he did likewise to the postmaster,’ did still ‘so practise the paper-criers,’ as to induce them to neglect the selling of the _Gazette_, and set forth the _Courant_ as ‘preferable both in respect of foreign and domestic news.’ By these methods, ‘the _Courant_ gained credit with some,’ though all its foreign news was ‘taken verbatim out of some of the London papers, and most part out of _Dyer’s Letter_ and the _London Courant_, which are not of the best reputation.’ He, on the other hand, ‘did never omit any domestic news that he judged pertinent, though he never meddled [Sidenote: 1705.] with matters that he had cause to believe would not be acceptable [flattery to the Privy Council], nor every story and trifling matter he heard.’