[1] Madras Courier was found on 12 October 1785 by Richard Johnston, a British Army officer turned printer.

[2][3][4][5][6] Functioning as a weekly publication, the Madras Courier gained official recognition for publishing government notifications.

[1] The newspaper, according to Henry Davison Love's Vestiges of Old Madras (1640-1800), benefited from privileges such as postal waivers within the presidency and exemptions on freight charges for importing printing equipment.

[1] Nonetheless, it encountered controversies, such as debates over the legality of lotteries for public projects and accusations of libel.

[1] The newspaper typically encompassed four to six pages and featured a Latin motto, "Quicquid agunt homines" ("Whatever people do").