April 8, 1863, Charleston Mercury
The Augusta Constitutionalist, of Saturday last, appears in a half sheet. The editor says:
The destruction of the Bath Paper Mills, from which was derived our supplies of printing paper, may entail on us the necessity of suspending the issue of the Constitutionalist. At this time it seems impossible to obtain paper from any other sources. All the paper mills of the Confederacy are now monopolized to their fullest capacity by press engagements. Under these circumstances, we prefer not to receive any more subscriptions. We request all persons contemplating remittances by mail or express, to withhold them, at least until we can announce definitely whether we will be able to continue the issue of this paper. Should we be compelled to suspend, we will resume our publication as soon thereafter as practicable. It is wholly impossible, however, now to make any calculation as to when that can be.
The remarks apply equally to the publication of The Southern Field and Fireside.
It would be vain for us to attempt to express the depth of our regret at this great calamity. It is one of those terrible providences to which we must bow, and we feel our subscribers will do so likewise, without any other sentiment towards us than that of regret at a common misfortune.
Under these circumstances, we will be compelled, for the present, to publish our daily on a half sheet, and to condense, or perhaps leave out, our contract advertisements.
The Macon Telegraph, of Monday, also appears on a half sheet. The editor says:
What we have for a long time foreseen and dreaded as inevitable, has come upon us. We are obliged to take to a fragment of a sheet and even then can only promise that it shall be as large as possible.For the reasons which impel this step we refer the reader to an article copied elsewhere from the Charleston Courier of the 3d instant–and so stringent are they as to force that old, wealthy, and influential sheet to a suspension for a few days. Nothing remains for us and all other Confederate newspapers, but to diminish our consumption to the lowest possible limit consistent with keeping our readers advised of current events, and this must be done by throwing out all standing advertisements, and restricting that branch of our business to the smallest possible limit.