The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-09-23
Pleasures of the Russian Post
Office.

In Russia, letter may De Openeu III |
ts passage through the post office by |
ANYBODY and everybody. 1t Is true
that acts of this kind usual, have the
will of Minister for their authority.
1t is also well known that certain
times and seasons are chosen for pry-
ing into correspondence Tor scraps OF
4edition and threads of conspiracy.
But it is none the less true that there
is nothing in the regulations of the
Russian post flee to prevent the arbi-
trary and irres ponsible acts of Minis
ter from being initiated by the post
master or his clerk. The chances of a
letter being allowed to pass without
interference are not visibly greater
than the chances of it being opened.
Nor is there much ceremony in the
process. The officials seem to dispense
with that time honored expedient of
inuuisitive lodglng-house keepers-a
ssteaming tea-Kettle. The letter is SIM
ply slit for half its length more If
necessary the contents removed and
examin ed, and the envelope finally
fastened up with the gummed paper
that forms the margin of sheet postage
stamps. AS there is not the slightest
necessity for concealmen t, there is not
the smallest attempt to disguise the
act of inquisition. and the opened
letter reaches its destination with the
evidences of its treatment written
broadly, even triumphantly, across its
face. Opened communications are
not, however, always reclosed. On
the evening of the assassination of the
late Emperor every letter passing
through the st. Petersburg post office
was opened and subsequently deliv-
ered-where delivery took place-with
a gaping slit in the envelope, indicat-
ing the feverish haste with which the
scrutiny had been conducted. In the
provinces, perhaps, post office oftic
are less liable to panic than in the
capital, but their very distance from
the seat of government gives precari-
business to postal communication from
which the system does not suffer IN
centres like st. Petersburg and Mos
COW. In the capital there is at least
dispatch, even if accompanied by a
disagreeable form of espionage; in the
provinces postal traffic is beset with
much slowness and uncertainty.
Some of the pOstmasters have habit
of detaining correspondence for days
at time. From Astraghan, for ex-
ample, 1 have just received at the
hour and moment two letters, one of
which was posted six days before the
otner. In country towns post office
servants are strongly uspected-with
what justification / know not-of de-
laying and opening letters purely for
the purpose of possessing themselves
of local secrets. If the address is
written badly, and does not at once
disclose it's meaning to the post office
-empIoye, it is put aside and ultimately
consigned to the flames. In this way
many thousands of letters are annu-
ally burnt in Russia-communicat
which [ think it safe to say would
under better and more painstaking
system for the most part reach their
destination. 1t is, of course, upon
books, newspapers and printed matter
of all kinds that the Russian post
office censorship presses most heavily.
To receive The Contemporary Review
with four or five pages of an article
obliterated by a filthy sinking com
pound of oil, beeswax and printing
ink; to have ones Manchester EronaS.
ner and Times banded TO one with it's
first or second leading article cut
Clearly out by the censorial scissors
are experiences which in Englan
could only be conceived of as the
preliminariesa and provocatives of some
national agitation, but which in Rus
STA are treated, because they have to be
treated, as every day occurrences.
Not very many months ago regis
tered letters could not be received
without first passing through the
Custom House. The owner of the
communication, after complying with
certain preliminaries, designed to as
sist the authorities in his identified.
ton, went to the Custom House to
claim his letter. He was there sub
ected to an examination. If his pa
.pers and documents We're satisfactory.
the letter was produced, solemnly
opened, aud, finally, if found to con-
tain no contraband articles, it was
handed over to the claimant. 1t hap.
,pened often enough-the Russians
have perfect mania for the unneces.
sary registration of letters-that all
the package contained was a photo
graph or a pair of stockings, and to
obtain possession of those articles the
law-abidiDg citizen was subjected to
delay of at least two days, charge of
from Cd. to is, and to the loss OF a
whole afternoon or morning spent in