Dear TIME-Reader:

IN Kenya, Chief of Foreign Correspondents Manfred Gottfried went with Johannesburg Correspondent Edward Hughes to Nyeri, not long ago the center of Mau Mau activity. Gone were the barricades, gun emplacements, and the black tent where captured terrorists were hanged. After strolling quiet streets, lunching at the famous Outspan Hotel, and watching golfers on velvety fairways at the edge of the bush, Gottfried remarked: "Why, this looks about as wild and woolly as a Connecticut village." Right after he left, a new emergency arose: three giant buffaloes, most vicious of all African game, crashed into Nyeri, killed a woman, injured a child and chased everyone indoors. "Just like Connecticut," said Hughes.

"Gott" was on his annual tour of our foreign bureaus. In eight weeks, he journeyed to twelve countries in Europe, Africa and South America without adventure, he reports. Since 1947, he has spent about two months each year visiting Time Inc.'s 15 foreign bureaus, most of the 64 staff correspondents and many of the 122 stringers (special correspondents). His domain is a major part of our news service, which operates more Teletype circuits than any other single publishing concern, and rates among the top four news agencies of the world. Time Inc.'s 130 correspondents and 282 stringers throughout the U.S. and the world pour almost 1,000,000 words per issue into our New York offices. This massive coverage by our own reporters supplements some 1,794,000 words from other news agencies; it gives our editors detailed research and guidance, which in turn give a TIME story its breadth, depth and significance.

Main reasons for Gott's travels are to keep correspondents in touch with the editors' thinking, to meet the statesmen and other leaders with whom correspondents deal locally, and to go over such problems as communications difficulties (censorship in some areas), antiquated transportation, currency exchanges and quick visas. This means busy, schedule-filled days. Of this type of travel, Gott says: "It's stimulating, but not for fun."

Though this year's trip was without adventure, it had its moment of romance. Gott arrived in London just in time for the surprise wedding of Correspondent Richard Weekes and Researcher Ava Smith. Genially, Gott played host at the wedding party, serving champagne and viands in our new TIME-LIFE Building.

Cordially yours,

James A. Linen

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