The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Reuter, Baron Paul Julius von
(bärn´ poul y´lys fn roi´tr) (KEY) , 1816–99, founder of Reuters Telegram Company (now Reuters Group PLC), b. Kassel, Germany. His original name was Israel Beer Josaphat. First a bank clerk, he started in 1849 a pigeon post service, which bridged a gap in the telegraph line between Aachen, Germany, and Verviers, Belgium. In 1851 he went to England, where he was later naturalized, and soon opened a news office in London. In 1858 he persuaded English newspapers to publish his foreign telegrams. He then extended his influence and soon had worldwide cable connections. In 1865 he converted the Reuters agency into a joint stock company, and he was governing director until 1878. He was named a baron by the duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1871. See news agency.
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