The golden age of print

QUESTION Which are the world’s longest-running national and local newspapers?

HAARLEMS Dagblad, founded in 1883 in Haarlem, the Netherlands, claims to be the longest running local newspaper.

However, this claim is based on its merger with the Weeckelycke Courante van Europa (Weekly Newspaper Of Europe), founded in 1656.

In 1664, it became known as De Oprechte Haerlemse Courant. During the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II, the Opregte Haarlemsche Courant was forced to merge with Haarlems Dagblad, hence the paper’s claim.

A stronger contender is Gazzetta di Mantova, a local daily paper published in Mantua, Italy, since 1664. The oldest existing specimen of it dates back to November 27, 1665. At first, just a number and a date were printed; the title was first used on August 12, 1705.

A claimant to the national title is Sweden’s Post- och Inrikes Tidningar. It was founded as the Ordinari Post Tijdender (Regular Mail Times) in 1644. However, it is really a government gazetteer. The true longest-running national is Scotland’s The Herald, founded by John Mennons in January 1783 as the Glasgow Advertiser. The first edition had a scoop on the treaties that ended the American Revolutionary War. David Gould, Pangbourne, Berks. QUESTION Did any other industrial countries suffer killer smogs equivalent to London’s Great Smog of 1952? FuRTHER to the earlier answer, despite the institution of clean air laws, 1962 saw a global event affecting places as far afield as the u. S., London, Frankfurt, Paris, Rotterdam, Prague and Osaka in Japan. Thousands suffered respiratory symptoms and 700 died in London alone. Mr L. Moorhouse, Brighton, E. Sussex.