 Black chambers were also employed by the Dutch Republic.In 1911, the "Encyclopædia Britannica" took the view that the "cabinet noir" had disappeared, but that the right to open letters in cases of emergency still appeared to be retained by the French government; and a similar right was occasionally exercised in England under the direction of a Secretary of State.In England, this power was frequently employed during the eighteenth century and was confirmed by the Post Office Act 1837; its most notorious use was, perhaps, the opening of Mazzini's letters in 1844.