The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1883-06-20
Pleasure. of tAe Russian Post onos.

In Russia, letter may be opened in its pas
sage through the post ohce by everybody. II is
true that acts Of this kind usually have the will
Of Minister for their authority. II is also vel,
known that certain times and seasons are
chosen far pTying into correspondents for
scraps Of sedition and threads Of conspiracy.
But is none the less true that there is nothing
in the regulations Of the Russian post of5ce to
prevent the arbitrary and irresponsible acts Of
Minister from being initiated by the post
master CT his clerk. The chances Of letter
heing allowed 20 pass without interference are
not visihly greater than the chances Of il being
openei. Nor is there mach ceremony in the
process. The officials seen to dispense with
that time-hoaored e1pedient Of irqrisitive lod-
eing house-keepers-a steaming tea-kettle.
The letter is simply alt fer half its Length
more Il neoessary-the contents removed and
examined, and the envelope finally fastened up
with the cummed paper that ferns the margin
Of sheet postage stamps. As there is not the
slightest necessity for ooneealnent, there Is
not the smallest attempt to Disguise the act Of
inauisitiou. and the opened letter reaches its
destination with the evidences Of its treatment
written broadly, even triumphsntlY, across It's
face OPENED communications are not, however,
always reclosed. On the evening Of the Sssas-
sinati0n Of the late Emperor, every letter
passing through the St Petersburg post ofhce
was opened and subsequently, delivered
where delivery took place-with gaping slit
in the envelope. indicating the feverish haste
with which the scrutiny had been conducted.
In the provinces, perhaps, post once officials
are less liable 10 panic than in the capital, but
:heir very distance from the seat Of government
gives q precari0usness 10 postal commrnica-
ton from which the system does not suffer in
centres ike St Petersburg and Mosoow.-lr the
capital there is al least dispatch, even If &C
ooupAnied by 5isagTeeable form Of espionage;
in the provinces postal tra5c is besei with
much slowness and uncertainty. Some Of the
postmasiers have habit Q! OBTAINING CORES
pondenoe for days al = tine. Frosa Astrskhan,
toT-e1amplc, have lust received 81 the came
hour and moment taro letters, one Of which was
posted SIX days before the other. X country
towns post once servants are strongly sus-
peoiei-Wita what justification know not
q delaying and opening letters purely for the
purpose Of possessing themselves Of local
secrets. II the address IS written badly, and
does not at once disclose its meaning 70 the
post oisoe employee, it is put aside and ulti-
u1iely oonsigoed 70 the fa-nes. In this way
many thousands Of letters are annually burnt
in Russia-ooumunication which ! think i
safe 10 say would, under a better and more
painsiaking system, for the most part, reach
their destination
Il Is, Of course, upon books, newspapers
and printed matter Of all kinds that the Rus
sian post othoe censorship presses mos: heavily.
To receive Tie Contemporary Rsriel- with
with four OF Eve pages Of an article obliteTa-
ted by a filthy sinking compound Of oil,
beeswaz and printing ink; 70 have ones lfzs-
llaS,zr E-IaiEer and Ti17ss handed 10 one
with It's srst OF seooDd leading article cut
clearly out by the oensorial soissors-are sx-
perienoes which in England could only be
conceived Of as the preiininsTies and prorea-
tives Of some national agitation, but which in
Russia are treated. because they have to be
iToate6, as everyday occurrences. AIaeIss-
.-- E-zaiae-