| Type: | Daily newspaper |
| Founder: | James Carlile McCoan |
| Foundation: | 1856 |
| Ceased Publication: | 1914 |
| Headquarters: | Constantinople |
| Sister Newspapers: | Constantinople Messenger |
| Oclc: | 556630285 |
Levant Herald was a bilingual newspaper which existed in the period 1856–1914 in Constantinople. It was founded by British subjects of the Ottoman Empire. The paper had English and French language editions.[1] Published more than fifty years it was one of the long-lived publications in the Empire.[2] However, it was banned from time to time during its run.
Levant Herald was started in 1856 under the title Galata Courier.[3] [4] Its founder was James Carlile McCoan who also edited it.[5] The paper was temporarily closed down in the period between 29 May and 24 July 1878.[6] The weekly edition of the paper was Constantinople Messenger which was first published on 24 July 1878. Constantinople Messenger was an eight-page publication which was published on Wednesdays. From 1890 to its closure in 1914 the paper was published under the title The Levant Herald and Eastern Express.[7]
Edgar Whitaker was one of the editors of the paper which covered all significant events of the period, including Ottoman-Russian relations, the Bulgarian issue, tensions in the Balkans and the Russo-Ottoman War.[8] Najib Al Hajj was the Cairo correspondent of the paper.[9] It was one of the supporters of Ottoman Sultan Murad V[8] and received financial aid from Khedive Ismail of Egypt in the 1870s.[4] The paper also played a role in the formation of the opposition against Abdulhamit, another Ottoman ruler.[8]
Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad includes references to Levant Herald in Chapter 34.[10] In the book it is stated that due to its frequent reports about the rebels in Crete the paper was often censored by the Ottoman authorities in the late 1860s.[10] Levant Herald sold 5,200 copies in 1907.[11] It ceased publication in 1914.[3]