April 1st, 1873. Fine.

We went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is located inside the Russian government offices, and there met Mr. [Alexander] Gorchakov, the minister. He has filled this office for seventeen years and enjoys great fame as a shrewd statesman.

The governance of Russia is completely different in nature from that of other European countries, for it is characterised by imperial absolutism. The government consists of four institutions. The Council of Zemstvo consists of members of the national deliberative assembly, half of whom are appointed by the emperor. There are also the Directing Senate and the Holy Synod. These, together with the heads of the eleven cabinet ministries, form the government. All are under the control of the emperor, and the emperor's wishes are, in effect, law. The main duty of the forty-two members of the national deliberative assembly is to supervise the work of administrative officials throughout the country and, in collaboration with the cabinet, to enquire into various matters and to determine whether laws are appropriate or not. Both the assembly and the cabinet are located within the imperial government buildings. The senate is a body which combines executive and administrative functions, and it is located in a separate building. The senators have the right to admonish the emperor.