_Newspapers._--Which is the oldest newspaper, town or country, daily or
weekly, now published? The _Lincoln, Rutland, and Stamford Mercury_
(weekly), published at Stamford, is the oldest paper I am acquainted with.
The paper for the 21st January, 1853, is numbered "Vol. 158. No. 8231."
This gives the year 1695 as the commencement of the paper. Perhaps other
readers of "N. & Q." will follow up this interesting subject. Vide Vol.
ii., p. 375., and Vol. iii., pp. 164. and 248.