The Avalon Gazette

The Official Public Record of the Avalonian Empire

The Avalon Gazette is one of the official journals of record or Government gazettes of the Avalonian government, and the most important among such official journals in the Avalonian Empire. Certain statutory notices are required to be published within its pages. It is one of the most important sources of information for both the rank-and-file of the Avalonian Imperial Navy, and the general public seeking information about its activities.

Purpose

The official Gazettes are published by Their Imperial Majesty's Stationery Office each weekday (except for major holidays) as a method of informing the subjects of the Empire about matters of great import to the Empire as a whole. It features significant public records and proceedings, dispatches of the activities of the Avalonian Imperial Navy and other armed forces of the Empire, and important notices and declarations. When a sailor, marine, or other member of the Avalonian Crown's Armed Forces is "mentioned in dispatches," it means that the official reports on a given action included a specific mention of them, and thus, their name, and the record of their action, has been published for the public to read in the Gazette.

Document Structure

Clauses

The Avalon Gazette publishes these reports, documents, and notices verbatim, except when matters of security may be compromised. In that case, the document is still published, but with the relevant information redacted.

References

The Gazette posts the following notices:

Granting of royal assent to bills of the Parliament of the Avalonian Empire
The issuance of writs of election when a vacancy opens in the House of Commons
Appointments to certain public offices
Assents to the House of Peers
Commissions in the Armed Forces and subsequent promotion of officers
Corporate and personal bankruptcies
Granting of awards of honours and military medals
Changes of names or of coats of arms
Imperial Proclamations and other Declarations

Publication Status

Public within the Avalonian Empire -- or at least, any part of it that is still in contact with the Avalonian Imperial Navy.

Legal status

The Avalonian Crown, in the form of Their Imperial Majesty's Stationery Office, is the official publisher of the Gazette.

Historical Details

Background

As the Avalonian Empire expanded further and further into the stars, it became increasingly imperative that the far-flung colonies find ways to communicate with each other, and that the Crown find ways of communicating quickly, and simply, with its subjects. The former purpose was accomplished as the Empire developed the Avalonian Merchant Marine to support its Naval infrastructure. The latter was accomplished by means of the Gazette.

History

Adinzara Twinkletoes was a clever Half-Gnome and Half-Elf, who invented a fantastic new machine called the Printing Press in the early 3200s. She was quick to share her clever invention with both of her peoples. Along with her mother, a retired Aide to an Admiral within the Avalonian Imperial Navy, she established a printing and publishing firm, and sought a Royal Charter from the Avalonian Crown; which was granted in 3204 AC, forming Their Imperial Majesty's Stationery Office. (Being an enterprising Gnelf, she also sold the plans to a half-dozen Gnome companies, and industrial espionage quickly spread throughout most spacefaring Gnomish communities in The Core Worlds.) When the Crown of the Stars vanished, the Gazette became essential for maintaining communication and attempting to hold the Empire together. It also played a significant role in keeping the public informed during the First Interstellar War (IW1). Now that Known Space is on the verge of the Second Interstellar War (IW2), many feel that it will soon become essential once again.

Public Reaction

The general public reacted favourably towards the Gazette, as it provided access to information that was previously unprecedented. Even magical communication was not as effective for sharing news among the common people, since magic is usually limited among them.

Legacy

The Avalon Gazette remains perhaps the most trusted source of official information from the remaining machinery of the Empire. It is said that there are librarians who have meticulously preserved as many issues of the Gazette as possible, and reading it is like reading an abridged version of the last 2000 years of elven history.