The Osceola times., 1882-01-14
Paper-Making In Russia.

Psper-Making In Russia.
The materials on which mankind have
in different ages, conirived TO write their
sentiments. as we know, have been ex-
tremely various The substances on
which the ancient Russian manuscripts
were written, were Of three kinds,
parchment, cotton paper or bombasin,
and paper made Of linen rags, Accord
ing to the testimony OF the Arabian
writers of tenth century, the passports,
or warrants of protection and authority
TO travel were written ia Rnssia, on
white bark. In the judicial acts Of the
fifteenth century, we II d the expression:
And they were inscribed on bark.
"And they" (the accounts), "were kept
on bark" (ls43l. The Russian Imperial
Lihsry az st Petersburg, among a large
collection of various writing materials
exhibits some highly interesting speci-
mems Of this ancient material. But
parchment appears b. he the most an
cient substance used in Russia for man
uscripts aud edicts. There cannot he
the least doubt but that the Russians
obtained parchment from Greece long
before the Introduction of Christianity
into the couutry, for the treatise Of the
Russian Princess Oleg, Igor and Sviatos-
laf, we're written on that substance. II
is possible also, that Novgorod. which
was in those times flourshing COM
mercial state in Rnssia, obtained II from
the West, in their trade with the nansa
merchants, but whether parchment were
ever manufactured or not in Russia, u is
impossible TO tell. All the ancient Rus.
sian manuscripts aud edicts of the
eleventh. twelfth, thirteenth, and the
first half Of the fourteenth centuries are
written on parchment. This material Is
met with also at a,iater ite, but not fre
quently. The cotton paper or bpmbasiu
on which edicis were written, and which
was bound in the form Of books. pre-
sents a thick. solid material Before
using, it was usually smoothly polished
by the scribe with a tooth Or similar
instrument. Many Of the ancient Rus
sian documents are written on hombasln
a. for instance. the treaty between
Simon the Proud, the 6rst Grand Prince
of all the Russias, with his brothers in
l3il, and also Lis viii In 1853 The old.
estbook of hombaziue contained in the
Imperial library dates from the year
1871. Paper made Of linen rags appeared
in Russia likewise in the fourteenth cen
tury, conse -uently about this time, il
became known in Western Europe.
Kaiaonize. the historian, remarks that
paper made of rags was in ancient times
obtained through the medium Of the
Germans. In 1854 England first came
into contact with Russia. when chart
cred company was formed, invested with
the exclusive privilege of trade with
l,4 al.
paper is mentioned: it was probably
obta ned for the first book printed IN
Russia, the Acts Of the Apostles" which
ap cared in Moscow in 1854. II is sup
posed that the Manufacture Of paprr In
Russia was not introduced until the
reign of the Gar Alexay Mkhalovich,
or Fedor Alexayitch O6i5-l67G)
The manufacture OF the finer sorts Of
writing paper and letter paper in Russia
dates from the reign of Alexander
who when in England, in 1915, invited
an English paper manufacturer 10 Rus
sia, who constructed at Peterhoh. near
st. Petersburg, the so-called Government
! peterhotf paper fcin, for which al IN,
neces sary machinery was Obtained from
! this country. This was the first mill in
which machinery was employed H.
paper-making in Russia, and served rs
a model for private manufacturers. Not
less than 10000 reams of paper of all
sorts, particularly the finer qualities
were made here yearly, the coarse kind
beng abundantly iur islcd for the trade
10y the inland manufacturers. The Gov
eminent mill employed at tlle time Of
| its prosperity 500 workmeu, chiefly sup.
@t"sa t'issa nom the iouudlng hospital. Il
mauufartuTinS ts9y'a,,,,nnent,w with othel
thirty years ago. II is note worthy tifsi
since It's foundation, the Manufacture Of
paper in Russia has been, 10 q great eX.
tent, under the supiutendence Of English
managers, and the machinery Ia general.
1 ly imported from that country. one o.
/ the largest private mills, the Neilsb,
paper mill, near st. peiersburg, va
originally founded by an Engiishman.-
/ Er.