BELL, Charles Frederick Moberly, Eng lish journalist, managing director of the Lon don Times: b. Alexandria, Egypt, 2 April 1847; d. London, 5 April 1911. Started as a young man on a commercial career in Egypt, in 1865, aged 18, he took a vacation in walking along the entire length of the Suez Canal (103 miles) then in course of construction, and sent a glow ing account of his trip to the London Times, pointing out the enormous advantage and bril liant prospects of the undertaking. At that time the venture was still decried in England as a colossal folly, and Bell's article was re ceived with a shower of reproof. When the canal was opened, four years later, and speedily became one of the world's most important high ways, the young correspondent's prophecy was amply fulfilled. He was appointed by The Times to send reports of news from Egypt, which he did for many years while carrying on his business as a cotton merchant. He kept the outside world in close touch with Egyptian af fairs, especially the profligate rule of the Khedive Ismail. The Arabi Pasha rebellion in 1882 gave him his chance. With unerring fin ger he pointed out the real instigators of the revolt, who were using Arabi as a tool to fur ther their own purposes. The Anglo-French intervention was directly due to Bell's writings in The Tinies; it was he who drove Gladstone into the only act of foreign aggression that statesman was ever guilty of. When the French fleet withdrew from the harbor of Alexandria, the British squadron remained and bombarded the rebel positions in the forts, afterward land ing troops. This proceeding led to the British
occupation and ultimate absorption (17 Dec. 1914) of Egypt. Bell was an attentive eyewit ness of these historic events, and his descrip tions of them were masterpieces of journalistic composition. In 1890 Bell was invited to come to London and take over the management of The Times. That paper had just passed through a critical period. The disastrous Par nell case (q.v.) had cost The Times over a millon dollars and a strong hand was needed to guide the business side of the concern. For 21 years Bell labored with terrific energy in that post and filially died in his office chaip while writing a letter respecting newspaper copyright. He led the paper into avenues dis tinct from journalism, such as publishing the 9th and 10th editions of the 'Encyclopedia Britannica,> The Times (Atlas,' The Times (History of the War in South Africa,' and instituted The Times Book Club. He chartered a steamer for a Times correspondent to follow the naval operations of the Russo-Japanese War; established a private wireless system and inaugurated the first service of wireless press messages across the Atlantic. A man of im mense stature, with a leonine head and merci less driving force, he spared neither himself nor those who worked under him. He had the.gift of choosing the right men for allotted positions, and never failed to encourage merit and reward those who had achieved any suc cess for the paper. He published three books on Egypt.