The arrival of ships loaded with the loathed East Indian Tea in the last months of 1773 provided a challenge to the Whigs of the four ports to which the tea was sent: Charleston, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Could they gather their numbers and respond with unity and speed to prevent the unloading of the tea and its allocation to those few tea “assigns” who had been designated by Whitehall to sell it? The two notices on the right, printed on the first page of each paper, demonstrate how the Whigs of Boston and Philadelphia summoned like minded citizens to emergency public meetings. While the Pennsylvania Gazette is direct and concise, the Boston Gazette characterizes the “detested Tea” as the “Plague,” and indulges in a histrionic appeal: “Friends ! Brethren! Countrymen! … the Hour of Destruction or manly Opposition to the Machinations of Tyranny stares you in the Face.” The Boston notice shows that two other communication media were used to achieve emergency, real time communication: printed handbills were posted around the town and the ringing of bells summoned all to meeting at the appointed hour.