The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-09-04
Russian Horrors.

ening cruelties Of the Russian authori-
ties toward the wretched Nihilists on
their way to Saghalien. 1t seems i'm
possible that the officers of the Gar
could be so barbarous as to pack politi
cal prisoners in rows of iron cages like
wild beasts under the deck of convict
ship in such weather that the wretches
were nearly roasted to death. Yet such
is the fact vouched for by witnesses.
The Telegraph tells the story. Its vi
emma correspondent says: During the
second fortnight Of last month person,
whose testimony is above suspicion, Wis
tied ship at anchor in Odessa fitted
out for the transport of Nihilist con-
victs to the Island of Saghalien. He
describes it as manof-war of about
1000 tons, freshly painted white. On
going below deck he found that on
either side of narrow passage iron
barred cages had been constructed, which
he says were exactly similar to those
used for wild animals. These cages
were OF different sizes and contained
from four to twenty convicts each. The
rule observed was that such among
them that showed any disposition to be
unruly were confined in the smaller
cages so as to be more easily watched.
The gentleman who visited the ship es-
Inmates the number of these wretched
people at $50, most of whom had come
bv rail from the interior heavily chained
together by small groups. They were to
keep their chains during the journey,
and my informant says, the sinister noise
they produced was distinctly audible
long ere he reached the ship. Unable to
control his feelings he observed to the
officer IN command that his closely
packed cargo, chained together in place
where there was absolutely no venti-
lation, would never survive the passage
Of the Suez canal, the Red Sea and the
Indian Ocean. TO which the Russian
officer cynically replied, well, 50 much
the better for all parties if they do not. ="
He accompanied this astounding remark
by significant glance, which his inter-
locutor took to imply, Don't you I'M
derstand thai is precisely what we ex-
pect Z"
The same ship was visited at another
place ON her outward voyage, and on
compctant authority it was ascertained
that not one-third OF The unfortunate
prisoners on board could possibly reach
their destination alive. But my inior-
nation is not confined to this one in
stance. The Nijni-Novgorod, formerly
known as the SaXonia, OF the Hamburg
and New York line Of steamers, but
since purchased for the Russian volun-
teer fleet, arrived at Port Said, under
Russian colors, and manned 10y Russian
sailors, at the end of last month. She
had $50 convicts on board, for the most
part Nihilists condemned to be exported
to the Island of Saghalien. The Suez
Canal Company raised the question as to
whether this ship, which was known to
have sailed under merchant colors on
her last journey from Marseilles to
Odessa, and which belongs neither to
the Russian Government or to the Rus
sian Transport Service, but which was
freighted for the volunteer fleet, should
be considered as n ship of war. The
discussion resulted III the Niini-Novgo-
rod being treated as q ship OF war, under
protest of the Russian Consul. Now,
the question Just raised caused 4 stop
page OF three days, during which the
convicts We're literally left to roast in
the heat, which, at this time of year is
terrible. Their tortures We're pro
longed for seventy-two mortal hours,
because the Russian authorities hoped
to deceive the Sue Canal Company.
But this is not all. The same vessel is
to perform the same voyage with a
similar cargo four times in the course Of
the present year, and be it observed that
other ships are engaged in the same
traffic.
Ii has been reported since the above
was written that $50 persons had died
on one of those ships, and that $50 had
been landed in a diving condition. Mr..
Cowen asked Mr. Bourke about it yes
terday in the House of Commons, but,
of course, tho Foreign Office had no in
formation. He was asked If the Eng
lish Government had demonstrated, and
to this the secretary sardonically init
mated that the Government was not in
the habi. of interfering with other Gov
ernments unless they had reason to be-
lieve that their circumstances would
have some effect. But the subject is