The New York herald., 1869-05-05
o BIT U A r Y.

Prince Alexander Serjevtsch Menschikon.
Since the death OF Nicholas l. put little nothing
has been heard OF Prince MenschkoG he having on
the Of the present Emperor, been retired
from public and political life. Yesterday cable
despatch from st. Petersburg brought the news Of
his death. the day previous, at the advanced age
Of eighty years.
HIS ANCESTRY AND EARLY CAREER.
1t is not true, as stated by numerous biographers,
that the deceased was the grandson OF pastry
COOK" His great grandfather was Prince Alexander
Danovitch Menschikon Russian general OF
marked Skill and a statesman OF ability under Peter
the Great and Catherine Soon after the accession
OF Peter II. he was dlsgraced, through the
influence OF his rival DolgOruki, and banished
to Siberia, where he died, short time after
his wife and daughter The remaining
members of his family were recalled by the Empress
Anna and were again taken into favor, though none
attained to prominence until the great-grandson OK
the founder OF his house. the subject of this sketch.
entered the imperial service 1t VIII thus be seen
that instead OF being of obscure birth Prince Mems
chikolf was really descended from the man whose
victories over the Swcdes and conquests In Europe
aided materially in advancing Russia TO first POSI-
ton among civilized nation.
At the time Of his birth, in 1885, Prince Mcnschi-
kof-s family had already been restored 10 favor
ana possessed considerable influence at the I'M
peIia court lie was educated in school OF ideas
intensely pro- Russian and arrived at the age of dis
cretion filled with prejudice against the policy Of
form which many prominent Russians advocated ana
which the entire middle class OF the empire advocat-
ed. 1t was somewhat singular, under these circ UNI
stances, mat lie should ever have become lavorie
oi Alexander l.. who was his antpodes on the I'M
portanC question or admitting into Russia tnose
foreign IDEAS and Influences which, checked by
Nicholas are now a considerable extent, patron
lied by the present reignng emperor. That he rose
10 prominence under liberal master was, perhaps,
al more a
ENTRANCE INTO POLITICAL LIFE.
At the age OF twenty-siX years rS0j) Prince Mems
chlSon entered the service OF the Emperor, and
was for some time an atache TO the Russian Ein-
bassy at Vienna. In 1911 he was appointed AN aid
decamp the staff OF Alexander L. In this capacity
serving during The campaigns beginning IN isl2 II ana
poleon |. Distinguishing himself on the held he
won the favor Of his IN, master raer and an vsne. was
raj. Immcdiaely after the peace OF Paris had been
| ratified IN 1915. he became prominently identified
under tue emperors of Russia. The hnal refusal
of the Car to commit himself and his government
| resignation oil his commission by the Prince IN
1925 be, together with Capo d'Istria, and sew
era others, retired from the court much m0rtlned
| Alexander and accession Of Nicholas, however, he
| was recalled and az once taken INTO favor The
ideas OF Nicholas asslmlated those of Menschikof.
| Both were absoutists both opposed foreign infu-
| ence In the empire, and both almed-the one as
master, the other as servant-at that absorption or
| all the Turkish provinces and dependencies which
in tns Trmean war ar ,he ana conrl Ier.ea % an
| baz-Mirza, Shah OF Persia as Envoy EXtraor-
binary, His mission was 70 negotiate t,t tne lie ie-
| siderable part Of the Persian territory, which
had already been seized by the Car; "a The
| was inangurated here. Prince Menschikon con-
Quoted the negotiations on the part Of Russia with
| buntness bordering on rudeness, which so offended
| the Shah tnat he abruptly terminated them anu
endeavored to secure the person OF the Prince as
hostage. The deceased succeeded IN escaping, and
on reaching the Russian lines promptly inaugurated
hostilit'es. Sezing possession OF Anapa tlS2s he
advanced into Europe as COmmander-in-Chief OF the
| Russian army, and laid siege to Varna, a seaport
| town on the Black Sea, in European Turkey. He was
PEELED 10 reinquIsh hIs command. But the war thus
| commenced with Persia and Turkey was vigorously
| prosecuted by Paskewitch, afterwards entitled
| Erwanskoi and Diebitsch titled for his exploits
Zabaikanskoi, whose capture OF varna and victories
| at Balkan, i'oti, Kars and Akhaltzlk completely
prostra ted Persia and compelled the sultan OF Tur-
key to accept the terms OF Russia, which were rati-
lied at Adranople during the spring OF 1923.
| HIS CAREER AS ADMIRAL AND MINISTER OF MARINE.
| If Prince Menschkofrs services had been OF i'm
portance to Russia they rewarded in princely
| manner. lie was appointed Governor General OF
Finland, subsequently Admiral oil the Russian Navy,
! and afterwards Minister OF Marine The nrst at.
| pointment made IN 1881, as soon as he had
thoroughly recovered from the effects OF his wound.
AT this time the Russian navy existed almost en-.
| tIrey on paper The Prince, with the energy that
ever characterized his acts set about restoring and
improving 1t. In fact, the Baltic fleet, which was
afterwards DESTROYED by the allied feet duilng the
I'rimean war, was created by him. For twelve years
he labored to bud up formidable navy and TO
|
| not succeed was due the disadvantages which
Russia labored under, and not TO any want OF energy
or skill on his part. Ills career as Governor OF FIN
land. as well as OF Minister OF Marine, was sgnaly
| successful. With the means given HIM he prepared
| arms " ith Turkey, which all saw to be inevitable.
Every here along the Baltic was felt the admins
tratiye abilities OF the Vice Admiral and Chief of the
| Native STAFF OF the Empire. by wnich title Prince
| Mcnschikon was officially known.
THE CRIMEAN WAR.
| Meanwhile Russian diplomacy had been preparing
| for another conflict with Turkey In 1895 the de-
ceased was sent TO Constantlnopie to insist upon the
subjects of the Porte better known as the "Queston
| OF the Holy Places" whether the Envoy acted
under instructions L. not yet known, but II Is certain
| that his conduct at Constantinope was most ofen-
sive to the Porte causing for the first time In Turk
ish history the resignation OF Minister IN the person
| Of the late Fuad Pacha. The rupture OF peaceful
| relations which followed Is well known. Upon the
sIve and the victory over the Turkish fleet at sinope
| was no doubt due TO his skill IN organizing tae
lam ana naval forces In the Crimea. here he
| with nothing but disaster. Commanding at the
though he succeeded in strengthening sebastopOi
the loss OF the first named battle was severe blow
to the Russians In March asSs, nc was snperseaed CT %
stadt, but dd nothing OF Importance during the re-
| mainder OF the war.
! Soon after the death OF Nicholas and accession OF
Alexander H., treaty OF peace was signed and the
| war closed. Prince Menschik0lf was then deprived
OF the Governorship OF Finland aud the Ministry or
Marine retaining only his rank OF admiral He ever
inv part IN the political affairs OF the empire
| cerned. lie was however, the recognized nead OF
the national or Russian party whose oppostnnon ns @ 70
| PRODUCTION OF foreign IDEAS and customs n.o ue
empire are well known. Personally Prince Memson,.
| koi was blunt In his manners and by no means
| pleasant companion. lie was, however, q man OF
decided ability. TO use the language OF M ano!ner .
writing OF hiu, his character exhibited that sin
guar mixture of barparlsm and culture SO often
found associated IN the Russian mlnd' manners ana
politics."