"Peking Gazette's" Origin in 6th Century B.C.
The beginnings of the newspaper in China were described by Dr, Roswell S. Britton, of New York Univerity, in jo. lecture entitled "The Chinese Periodical Press," given at a meeting lof the Royal Asiatic Society, on Dr: Britton said that, in the 6th Century B.C., political pamphlets were being written and distributed; they were written on bamboo strips, and bung in u public place, From thie was evolved the "Peking Gazette, and this certainly was in existence during the Sung Dynasty, printing by hand had been invented. In the 39th Century, the "Gazette consisted of three documents, first war a bulletin issued from the Imperial Court, stating the principal functions that had taken place the previous day, and containing a forecast of what the Emperor would do on the fellowing day. The second section consisted of edicts and decrees issued by the Throne, and was the most distinguished portion of the "Gazette." The third section contained reports submitted to the Throne, and was the longest portion. The reports were sent in by ministers of the Government, and censors, and contained wide expressions of opinion, Dr. Britton also dealt with the production of provincial gazettes, consisting of but one sheet and produced at the various pravinelal "capitals throughout China,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.