The Press: Britannica Editor

To succeed the late Hugh Chisholm (TIME, Oct. 13, 1924, MILESTONES) as editor of the Encyclopedia Britannica, that compendium's directors last week—largely at the instance of Americans in their number—appointed James Louis Garvin, the man designated by the late Lord Northcliffe as "greatest living journalist." Since 1908, Journalist Garvin had edited the London Observer (Sunday), being retained by the present owner (Viscount Astor) after the death of Lord Northcliffe, the founder.

An omnivorous reader, intimate friend of many men of eminence, widely respected student of history and economics, James Louis Garvin has a mind exceptionally balanced and trained to cope with what he calls—and possesses much of—"the common stock of civilization"—all knowledge.

Born of Irish stock in Cheshire 68 years ago, he supplemented his schooling with private tuition in science and modern literature. He entered business, but at 23 became a proofreader for the Newcastle Chronicle. Within six weeks he was writing some of that paper's leading editorials. Contributions to the national reviews brought him wider notice, a position on the London Telegraph and the editorship, in 1905, of the Weekly Outlook. Three years later Northcliffe snapped him up for the Sunday Observer, which Garvin transformed into a magazine-newspaper with 250,000 circulation.