people (two artillery officers) who were both married.  But what most
    of all distressed me, was the condition of their windows; they had not
    double sashes, which, in a cold climate, are as necessary to health as
    to comfort; but such even as they had, were in a very wretched
    condition.  The panes were of glass, but notwithstanding their extreme
    smallness, they were all of them broken, and made of pieces fitted
    together.  They afforded no protection against the snow and frost; and
    I could not, without feelings of commiseration, behold the children,
    who, in no part of the world, are brought up so wretchedly as here.” 
    If such were the condition of the best houses, we shall have little
    reason, for the sake of any pleasure at least, to make any enquiry as
    to those of an inferior kind, belonging to the other inhabitants.  It
    is perhaps enough then to say in general terms, that they are all ill
    built, that they are so low, as to be entirely covered up with snow
    during the winter, and that in consequence of this circumstance, they
    are throughout that period completely deprived of the fresh air, to
    which want, and to the badness of their provisions, it is
    unquestionably with perfect truth that K. ascribes the pallid hue of
    all the inhabitants, even, as he adds, of the youngest females.  The
    construction of a house at St Peter and St Paul, we are further told,
    is very expensive, as there is no suitable timber in the neighbourhood
    of the town, and the people are consequently necessitated to bring it
    from the interior.  It is in this manner that thirty or forty soldiers
    are employed, when any public building is to be erected.  They are sent
    out under the command of an officer, and for several weeks, during
    which time, and at imminent risk, they fell the timber, and float it
    down the rivers.  Thus says K., “the whole garrison of Kamtschatka had
    been occupied during two years in building some barracks for ten or
    twelve men, nor were they even then completed; and the church, on
    which they had been several years employed, was in the same
    predicament!” It is, no doubt, a very natural consequence of such slow
    procedure, that, before a building is quite finished, some part of it
    falls to pieces.  Some persons have suggested the use of bricks in
    place of timber, and it seems pretty obvious, from K.’s account, that
    this is quite practicable.  It may well be doubted, however; if either
    the prejudices or the indolence of the people will yield to the
    innovation; and much more, indeed, may it be doubted, if the people in
    fact will ever require more houses than those which already exist.  If
    they should, notwithstanding such weighty evidence as has been adduced
    to the contrary, the advice which K. has given on the subject, would
    deserve the serious consideration of the government.—­E.