Morning journal and courier., 1882-07-08

Death of General SkObe1sH-The Career of a Remarkable Warrior.
 LONDON, July "A despatch from Moscow announces the sudden death of General Sko- belef, the famous Russian general, at the Hotel Dussaux there. His death was due to heart disease. His funeral will take place on Sunday.
 General Skobeleff was born about thirty eight years ago. His career as a soldier has been more remarkable for daring exploits than for discreet generalship. These bold deeds won him rapid promotion, and placed him in high favor with the Emperor. Dur ing the Bulgarian campaign he came into special prominence. He took part in all that was most exciting in the war. He was al- ways in the forefront of the hottest battle :; four horses were shot from under him In ten days but he was only wounded once, and for months he returned home safe and sound. He was always with his division in the most exposed positions in the fight, sleeping with them in the trenches and looking after all their necessities in the camp. His men were the best cloth ed and best fed in the army So thoroughly did he make himself one with his division that his men responded to his | thoughts readily the muscles obey the will. Like General Custer of our own army, he fond of brilliant uniform, mostly white and wore diamond hilted sword He gained reputation for being a wild dare devil, and when he was sent to take Geok- Tepe subdue the Tekkes, many believ- ed that his impetuousity would ruin the campaign. So far from that being the case, he displayed tke utmost caution, re- fused to move from July to December, until | he had made all his preparations, and after he had carried on camels to the trenches no fewer than l ,575, 1000 rounds of ammunition, he laid siege to Geok Teppe and captured l that hitherto impregnable stronghold. He ! had TO- GOO troops against 4O, GOO Asiatics, and he achieved the conquest of the Akhal Tekke country with the loss of 932 men. Once in 1 that campaign Skobelef displayed his usual | recklessness. After the fortress had fallen I escort when he met several Tskkes. He l asked who they were. They answered, 1 Friendly Tekkes.'' "How can I believe your word?" he asked again. 'Tekkes never 1 lie," was their confident response. "Well,' D | replied Skobeleh, "if that is the case I will l send my escort home and will return accom- panied by you " He was good as his word, I and his trust in the word of the nomads was not misplaced.
 i Only few months ago this brilliant officer
 came into a notoristy in time of peace which l was wholly unexpected by him. It was in ! February last, when the revolt in Herzege-
 vina was in full progress and Austria was
 making every effort to suppress it. General l Skobeleff was in Paris, and was invited to at- ! tend 8 banquet of Servian students. The General was called on to respond to toast, l and he claimed that when heated with cham :, I ha 11tfa &o Qrtf n 1 sentiaents which were ascribed to hin in an | exaggerated form. Among the significant paragraphs in his speech was the following ::
 "In this age it has been lot to experience the CTS, has established reiati ms based on blood and ! iron and that might governs right Gentlemen it s
 illegality actually committed had occurred in l earlier hist ry The experience of late years has
 bers haks to the history of his race that he Is one
 of great and powerful psople, and when Che Lord 1 Russian people g. e member of the great savonio
 ed % Oppressed 1 then certain bomsbrrd Foreigners
 raise cry against him. and say that he is laborng I under abnormal bacchanalian infuence"
 He declared that the struggle between the l Slavs and the Teutons was inevitable, and
 that it would be long and sanguinary, but the 1 Slavs would conquer. Ihe speech was fully
 reported by Paris newspaper, and immedi- ] ately the cry of Pan Slavism was raised. The I General published disavowal in the St. Pe- 1 tersDufg CDtc10t messenger or any ma.e'oleh1
 sentiments against Germany or Austria. But his high favor at court made the belief gen
 eral that the speech had been inspired. For ! several weeks the relations of these nations
 with Austria were strained, but on the Elm peror Williams birthday the Czar sent 8
 very warm letter of cengratulation to
 him and received an affectionate reply. Sko-
 beleff was summoned to the palace and SC l verely rebuked for his indiscretion. He es-
 pressed contrition, and said that he did rot
 intend to pose a political agitator. He
 was assigned to some duty in Turkestan for
 a time, which put him out of the reach of
 European politics.
 This ended the episode, but the delay of
 the Czar in rebuking the offender, and Sko-
 beleff's open avowal of Pan-Slavist sentiments
 on several occasions after the Paris speech
 was made. have led to pretty general belief
 that the speech had more significance than
 the author of it finally claimed.