The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-29 00:00:00

THE PRESS IN AUSTRIA.

A letter dated Berlin, Aug. 27, says :—The
change of Ministry in Austria, which was looked
forward to here with hopes that it would lead to a
better understanding between the two Cabinets,
has disappointed expectation. I saw two days ago
a letter written from Vienna in the beginning of July,
a short extract from which appeared in one of the pa-
pers some weeks ago. It describes the state of thral-
dom from which the press is now freed. On every
subject the editors received instructions as to how
it was to ba treated, a paternal provision against
the wear and tear of editorial brains, which the pre-
sent Minister will not discontinue. The paper for
the following day was sent to the police bureau
at midnight, and an hour afterwards was rte.
turned, expurgated by the scissors of the
' censor. Not only were whole articles often
cut out, but paragraphs and even single words
were condemned, and the writers had to exercise
their wits in finding words, sentences, or articles of
exactly similar length to fill up the spaces, for no
blanks were allowed to appear. There was a rich
variety of forbidden subjects. Home affairs were
naturally not to be discussed, for they concern Go-
vernment, and not the public of the newspapers.
Foreign affairs were the free field in which the edi-
torial genius could roam, provided always that he
permitted himself no unkind remarks on the doings
of friendly Sovereigns and statesmen, and avoided
everything laudatory concerning those who had the
misfortune to be in disgrace. The constituted autho-
rities, and of course the police is the first of these,
were to be spoken of with the respect due to the ser-
vants of the Emperor. As an example : apcaarreagifnorratpholine
tthe
was cut out because it complained of an obstruction.
of a public thoroughfare by the piling of a large quan-
titys
the
tre
ae oc ft;
vifire-woodittwy oafs the
en
psbioedifejocrreed e. onesaon undutifulem otfimthe Sometimes this
housesreflection
public safety extended itself to the correspondent
of newspapers in other States of Germany. The
condemned scribbler was watched when he went to
post his letter; as soon
rash act, a gendarme wouals he had
d step
up
t o committedh
im
and the
re-
quest him to walk into the office. Then his letter
was taken out of the box and opened, and he was
required to acknowledge it. Thus self-convicted,
he was sometimes only reprimanded, but more
generally received his passport, with orders to
quit at once. This was the regime to which
M. von Hubner has put an end; and how,
severely it was felt may be judged by the
gratitude which has followed his declara-
tion, that henceforward the preventive censure is
abolished, and newspapers only remain subject to
seizure if they transgress the well-known rules.

NEW HOP FAIR.—The hop-growers at Farnlaam,
in Surrey, and the principal inhabitants of Reading are
making efforts to establish a hop fair in the latter town. The
railway accommodation at Readingis represented as afford_
ing direct access to all parts of the
in that
and the opinion
has gained ground that a hop fair that town worild, as a
matter of course, attract many of the merchants .who have
now to attend Weyhill and other places whioh tyre difficult
to get at, so far as railway convenience is concerned A
committee of gentlemen interested in the proje ct has been
formed in Reading to confer with the principal hop-growers
in Surrey, Kent, and Worcestershire, and the matter has
been so warmly taken up iu Surrey that there is a prospect
of the first hop fair being held in Reading in the month of
September next. The hop growers, especially those in
Surrey, look upon this additional fair for the outlet of their
stocks as a great boon, and they have expressed their earnest
determination to support it if established. The authorities
of Reading have offered the Corn Exchange for the fair,
and its easy distance from the railway station renders it,
apart from other considerations, an excellent place for tills
purpose.