New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-05-12
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The Gear and the Sultan.


Every summer a series of military maneuvres
is executed in Russia, which as nearly as posi-
bic resembles actual warfare. The Czar takes
command of an army of twenty thousand men,
and the Grand Duke Alexander of another army
of equal size. They fight mimic hattles--the
losing party (Which is always the Grand DukesD
retreats-is pursued to its quarters-the camp
is stormed, and the war terminates amid the
roar of cannon, the explosion of mines, and the
blaze of bonfres.
This extraordinary but characteristic pastime
of the Emperor's occupies about ten days, and
attracts many visitors from England and the
Continent lfthey are military men, whatever
be their nation, they are entertained at the
Cars expense, furnished with horses and SER
wants, and have every facility afforded them to
behold and admire the discipline of the troops
and the tactics of the generals.
1t was at one Of these manuuvres that first
saw the Gar. The army was on the march and
we had taken horses at Sarskaselo to follow it.
We first overlook bands of peasants with carts
laden with wood and provisions for the troops !;
long lines of baggage and ammu milton wagons
guarded by detachments of infantry, carriages
containing doing officers inside, their chargers.
snorting and prancing, led behind We next
came up with the rear guard pontoon trains,
heavy dragons with helmets and cuirasses of
polished steel, gaily dressed hussars, rumbing
artillery, rank and file of foot soldiers plodding
along, tired and dusty.
There was a halt at o cross road to wait for
orders. Many soldiers, and horses too, threw
themselves upon the ground to rest; a scouting
party of Don Cossacks were shoeing their horses
at a travelling forge,-tall, fierce looking men,
dressed in plain blue, with wild, rough steeds,
As we kept on our course we heard a loud shout
Of g ssGossudar Gossudar ~ (The Lord the
Lord y our postillion turned the carriage aside
the troops halted. An orderly dashed past at
full speed and close behind, a carriage was
whrled along by four galloping horses 1t con-
tanned two persons, and we were at no loss to
distinguish the '' Gossudar,' the despotio lord
of so many millions of subjects Tall and we'll
made, with no supertluous flesh about him, with
a high forehead, piercing gray eyes, and an in
tellectual face marked with croBsfeet, his ap-
pearance would draw attention any where
though he has lost that youthful beauty, which
gave him the name of the handsomest man in
Europe. He was plainly dressed, with cloak
and military cap, looked fxedly at our party,
gave the military salute, by raising his hand to
his head, in answer to our uplifted hats. He
was on his way to dine at a nobleman's resi-
dence near by, and was travelling at his usual
rapid rate. Long after we lost sight of the
dancing plumes in the outrider's cap, when the
course of the carriage was marked only by a
cloud of dust, we could hear the shout of &c Cos.
sudar Gossudar" caught up by file after file
of the soldiery.
There was nothing save this to show the
stranger that this was the Emperor; no pomp
no parade; single attendant, and plain
travelling carriage drawn by four posters. Tht
personal supervision of the troops, the fatigues
of the march and the camp, constitute his sum
mer pastime. His mode of living is always sim
pie; his dress, on ordinary occasions, plain
military uniform, his equipage when in town,
one horse drosky. He is accessible to his sub
jects, and constantly appears in public unat
| tended. His delight is, like the fahled Haroul
Alrasohid, to visit his subjects in differen
DISCUSSES and thereby learn their sentiments
and feelings. When omnibusses were first in
| troduced into ST Petersburg, they were yotet
vulgar, and were left to muiiks (serfs). I,
check this feeling, the Gar rode in one himsel
and they at once became the rage. 1t is sale
that one night in returning from the opera h
took hack drosky and drove to the publ,
entrance of the Winter Palace. He told til,
driver to wait and he would send him down thu
fare by q servant. THAT won't do,'' said thu
fellow, that's what all the officers tell me, ant
| may wait all night and lose my money" sGal
you point out any that have served you thus p
said the Emperor. s'To be sure CAM was tn
reply. Nicholas threw him his cloak in pledge
and the servant that brought the money ordere,
him to appear before the Czar the next day
The trembling serf obeyed, and those whom h
PN1H N "~-O SS'StS'J po'AAAASN@ AVA sAeAA AAs'
honesty.
On another occasion an istvostchik (hacl
drosky driver) told him he thanked God he dit
| not belong to the Emperor, for in the part o
| the country he came from, a murrain had des
troyed the cattle, and the crown serfs in tn
| neighborhood had suffered great hardships il
| consequences but his master had sent to
| distance, purchased new herds, and supplied al
his own serfs Nicolai Gor that is the nam
which we translate into Nicholas) asked hi
owners name, and that night the nobleman wa
aroused from his bed and summoned before tn
| Emperor. "Alas, Sire,'' cried he, s' what hav
/ done to merit your displeasure ~ To hi
| astonishment, he was told he had been sent 70
to assume one of the chief offices Of the empire
| that of manager of the crown lands. The Gza
| told him the account he had heard, and saying
''Treat my serfs as you have treated your own,
dismissed him to the enjoyment of his ne'
dignity,
The Emperor is worshipped by the middle an
lower classes and dreaded by the nobility.
one will study for moment the condition
Russia, he cannot but admire the tact an
wisdom of the man that controls that vast EN-
pire A French author calls the Russian forr