The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-17
THE GRAND DUKE ALEXIS.
JUST WHIT OUR FORMER GUEST mas
DONE SINCE HE LEFT.
Information that VIII Interest sundry Persons
Along Finh Avenue md in the Ciubs-A Good
Record for the Handsome Young sailor.

Along Finh Avenue md In the CIubs-A Good
Record for the Handsome Young Sailor.
The three officers from the steamer Cimbria
are still at the Westminster Hotel They are
Capts. Gripenberg (brother Of the one at tho
Everett Housed. r. Avellon and Alexeeff They
registered MS from Bar Harbor. Me. When
selecting their apartments. Capt. Gripenberg.
rs the chief Of the party. was assigned richly
furnished private parlor connected with his
rooms. "Ahl" said he. struggling his shoul-
ders. and for 1t I suppose | shall have to pay
wiz ze skin of my back" "Oh. no." answered
good-humored Riley. the manager. II offer 1t
to you with my compliments. without any extra
charge" You are 70 most liberal man meet
in America" exclaimed the Captain. in amaze.
Since the Grand Duke Alexis sailed so Gayly
from these shores. now about yenr ago. the for
cign kilograms have had the least possible to
say about him. Indeed. his name has been
mentioned not more than once or twice. and
then but briefly. in any American paper since
the war hegan. His many friends in New York
have naturally been Interested in knowing what
hns become OF the bluff and good-looking sailor
lad during all this interval. Therefore. n ques-
tion to that effect was asked by n SUN re-
porter in his first interview with ono
of the recently arrived Russians. " The
Grand Duke AexisY' replied the officer
addressed. Why. he has proved himself
good officer and brave man. and
though the post Of duty assigned him has not
been one to make his name conspicuous and
win for him sudden glory. it has been very
highly responsible one. with very arduous
service. and has been occupied by him IN a
manner which entities him TO the highest
credit Upon his return from the United States
he was met Mt Brest or Chcrbourg-
/ do not now remember which - with
orders 70 proceed at once to st. Petersburg.
IN = ri hl tflU IN q "a
signed to the command Of the entire naval
forces on the DanWbe. Steamers. gunhoats, tor
troll. and he had learned so well in active SER
vice 70 obey that when the time came he know
Well now 70 rommand. HIS duty y WIS To guard
the entire D8nuhe, upper and lower. to pre-
pare for the stupendOus work Of securing
the passage Of tho Russinn. army when
the time came to invade Turkey. to break
the Turkish power on T. river and to guard
against Turkish reprisIis and the cutting Of
the Russian line of communication by the Sui
tans forces back Of Rustchuk-as well as to
maintain diysrsion hy the homhardment of
that fortress; Not the most difficult and dan
gerous portion Of his task WIS providing the
great ponioon bridges upon which the cross
mss were mnnde at simnitza and between
sections on different R5umanan rivers. rs.
and massed when needed. OF course the
that the Turks. though they might have had q
suspicion OF whnt was going on. could have had
no p9sitive knowledge. In getting the pontoons
to where they were 10 be used. 1t was necessary
10 float them past long line Of Turkish bat
teries. or course that was done Mt night
but even in the most profound darkness
tho task was one Of great peril and difficulty,
and II Is something 10 be- proud uf that SO we'll
| conceived were the arrangements. and so ad-
miraby were they carried into execution that
rot one section of the ponioons was lost in
transit ana not until the passage OF the river
was actually begun was it known BY the enemy
| whore II was to be- made.
-" For a time the headquarters of the Grand
Duke Alexis were ut Kischinew. and then he
wns much at Zimnsa. but his duties took him
| nll along the river and he proved himself MS
indeiatigahle as he was courageous; When the
crossing at Gnatz had been made by thinner
mana movement which amounted to little
more than a diversion. owing to the nature
been led by NiEolai NikohGewit',h from from
en- EElmhNllfa, pasi hnsiehuS and into Tur-
SpSraonsS srart ,ba 9rE.b 9 bnns, nyv eneSs no tSs
| lower Danuh". y wAS und"r his dir 'ntions that
tns nit4ck WIS made at Galatz upon the two
| TURKISH monitors. which resulted in one being
| blown up by shell which renched her powder
magazine and oVploied there, and the other
being sunk hy a torpedo hoated under her 10y
That was a hray" decd. hv tho way. when will
naNythe n1mes oi Lieuts. SubaroiHnt istukon.
- ne trnnd Duke Alexis also ruptured two
Turkish monitors az Nikopol The Turks in
the very moment of losing those vessels. made
desperate attempts to sink them and destroy
thor machinery. but. under AleNis's energetic
dire 'tipn, both wpra ready for service nouting
time OF their CAPTURE. | only speak Of
the principal things. those which were
on the Danube. and knew not Of the many
instances wherein thr personal intr"pidty
iufnit" number Of emergencies that must arise
IN such service ms his was instances which
know must have eX sted-lo have won for him
thu respect in which he is held
sine the DECLARATION OF peace he has been
recalled to 81. PETERSBURG. and hns been on duty
there in tn" Naval Department. hut IN what
capacity or 10 whnt end do not know and even
i did don't think TINT, under existing cir
| fHIl