THE MOST CURIOUS NEWSPAPER IN EUROPE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 25 November 1907, Page 4

THE MOST CURIOUS NEWSPAPER IN EUROPE.

Instead of the largest circulation, the newspaper of the greatest earthly dignity his the "smallest circulation in the world" It is the Emperor of Austria's Chronicle, or Review, the most curious publication in Europe. Its proprietor is the Emperor Francis Joseph, who publishes it for his sole benefit, and not for that of the public. Francis Joseph is a great reader. State duties, however, occupy most of his time, and, consequently, he has but very little leisure to indulge in his hobby. News, however, the Emperor must have, and through this paper, the Imperial Review, he gets it in richer and fuller measure than anv other man in the world.

The construction of the paper is as unique as its object. The Imperial newa bureau, which is almost a Department of State, publishes it at a cost of 21)0,000 gulden (about jtaj,(KJo) yearly. The chiefofficial is assisted by several sub-editors, each of whom is in turn assisted by a corps of trained clerks. Tlie work begins before dawn, when the chief's mail cart proceeds' to the station for the foreign papers. Once in the bureau, they are assorted according to the different countries or States, and taken to the various subeditors. There is a copy of every leading paper in Europe, no matter in what language it may be printed, and there are also copies of several minor Austrian papers in the different dialects of the Empire.

The huge pile of papers being arranged, the clerks go to work. On any reference to the Austrian Government or the Imperial family being found, a blue pencil is drawn through the article. In this manner the readers get through their work, after which the marked papers are sent to the sub-editors, »ho read the ar tides' through and condense them.

A lengthy criticism may thus be reduced to a few lines, though, if very important, very little pruning may take place. In all cases, the original language and style are closely preserved.

It is necessary to translate all foreign articles into German, as the Review is of course, in that language. This work of translation takes a long lime, but can not be shirked, as foreign criticisms form an essential j.art of the Review. In due tune, however, every paper has been read, and every article condensed, and now ™mes the last process in the construction ot this strange paper. It is late at night, for the work is veoy heavy, and the paper must be ready for the Emperor in the morning. Men famous for their penmanship do the finishing work. The selected articles are given to hen, and they make three copies-one 7 the one for the Foreign Hinder, and one for the Secretary of State The copy for the Emepror is written on beau ifu! , men pancrj and at thc of he firs page stands the fnely-decoratcd title Journal Revue fur Seine Majestot den fcuser." The copies for the Minister and the Secretary are also written on excepUonally handsome paper, but of an inferior quality to that used for the Emperor's. The writing itself j 3 l ikc cop plate, and, no matter what the hurry may be, excellence in this respect is imperative.

There are usually from si.Ntccen to •>() I»g«i in the paper, but ia dull time*, times, when criticism is scanty, it falls as low as four or five.

It is the Emperor's regular custom to read the Review as soon as he rises in the morning, and if there k anv specially important article in it, he .amnions his Minister and has a talk with him shout it. At any rate, he reads the journal from beginning to end, and tlm- knows each day how he and his Uovcruinciit are regarded by the civilised nation* of the earth. The articles may Ijc old—as a matter of fact, each journal w a day old— But he did not get very far with it,