New-York tribune., 1885-08-16
RUSSIAN GOSSIP.
PECKSNIFFIAN CRIrlCISMS-DROUTH AND
FIRE. \


fPnox AN OCCASIONAL CORR EsPoSDESr THE TRIBUNE
ST. PETERSBURG. Jdly ~. \
The Russian newspapers have pounced eagerly,
upon the revelations Of The Pail Mall GdsettsS
Though it were difficult to find city In the whole
world in which vice attains such colossal diinons
sions as in this capital of the Cza,s lwthoce
even excepting this very same corrupting Of
minors, yet, delighted to find an occasion
of picking hole in the reputation of chast@
Albion. the whole Russian press has taken up the
motive and worked it into the most intricate and
wonderful symphony, the sound OF which now fl6
all the empire. The Retrogrades especially have
proed by the opportunity to raise their eternal cry
against the denominations Of European civilization
in general and the horrible corruption OF England
in particular, which owing to tho utter rottenncsg
of her society must soon tall with great crash aud
give place to younger and purer elements" In
general, Whatever may have been discovered ID
London is monstrous exception which has caused
all England to shvcr with Indignation and shame,
whereas here vice has become so ordinary that II
has almost ceased to be considered as vice. So
Russia has no call to raise such cry OF triumph AZ
the moral downfall of her enemy. Russia Is Q
Colossus her virtues colossal are her defects,
and her naiycten is more colossal than all.
Since the change in the Ministry the Russians
no longer seek to disguse the hostility with which
a.
them and it is natural that it should OD so. Mr.
Gladstone commanded the sympathies 10th of the
Government and OF tue people to an extraordinary
degree and the former might have gone l"ng way
I'm the article of concessions. had the Libcra Cab.
met continued to hold the power; As II 10 fhines
are changed aud althcu Russia nas JUS, as s'.onk
reasons as before To avoid the war. collision may
bc brought about by the irritation now iet ana tnS
disappointment that power shonli have Iaiien
:uto the hIuds of such thorough hlconproinsin8
Pnssonhobas as Marquis Salisbury aud Lard Norths
cote Ii is not true that the Russian army attempted
to take Zulkar az least u was @ nO, Mo '' aIaus
with other fables Sut 1t quite true ina. cnofsetio
preparat ons are being made Oh the Russian sidc as
well as on the English Inc news o. a.so,ag's ara "a
here believed 10 have serious foundation; gfeaS
deal more importance seems 10 be ATTACHED 10 tne
revolutionary state of Afghanistan here than IN
England This nation, brave D0ld. and accustomed
to Independence. can give endless trouble ad even
If conquered will never he kept und eontroi Tue
eyaent purpose OF these cunning Asatcs Is to Keep
both England and Russia alternately IN boDe ot
their alliance. and their favor Is very linpota3s
element in the coming struggle. What Is surs sis
that the Russians are much better acquainted WITH
the character of tn people than the Engiish, ana
Lord Salisbury, who appears 50 anxious 10 keep INC
promises made to Ablurrahman, will perhaps see
that the Emir on his side has no such scrnpies II
suits MS convenience to turn to the w bite Gar"
nocs hI .a is NOT likely to be prolonged and We must
ex pect serious events III very snort time.
This year. which began favorably fol- the crops,
is now threatening to be one OF famine III many
parts Of the empire Tho unusual aud prolonged
heat reaching temperature OF i5o too00 Reaunurs
has caused the harvests TO dry before rpenlng and
a great want of water is felt IN all the s,uthorn
Goyernments especially in that OF klarkot:
SayIgation is seriously impeded on the volga and
other large rivers. Such scarcity of RAIN has noe
been felt tor many years, aud the cattle are iaing
everywhere, struck down by the Siberian plague.
In the Saratof the temperature has reached 80 10
the shade even In Pskof. Noygorod, aud Peters'
burg we have had s nt
at all as there have been occasional storms ana the
hay is remarkably fDe Of course 1t is dilicuit,
considering the immense territory occupied by the
Russian Empire iucludng the fertile provinces OF
the AmoorD and the variety of climate an condtS
to say anything pHs'SSs sSs @ors thst .n
regular or reliable information can DO found oae
there is every to suppose that this year the
crops will be considerably below the average botI
in Luautity aud in quality. The dronth haG
attacked the most fertile provinces, those on wncR
the greatest hopes were built. The American anQ
Australian wheat will very soon oust tho fussau
wheat from the European markets, aud u sn uu(
favorable state OF the crops 10 America this yea&
give up race become 700 hhequai sne sscA W.
herself new markets
The great fire in Grodno. or rather the reducing:
of that ancient city to ciuders, has been fDiowcd4
as might have been expected Win tnis ttop.ca4
weather. by such grand series of coniagratone
that the like has not been seen since i3OZ AZ am
writing these words the town Of klinn. near Mos
COW is burning; 800 houses and eleven churches
have become the prey OF the fumes, and the lire Y
not yet extinguished. Villages burn, woods ana
torsts catch fire from the heat OF the sun, ana tuo
very atmosphere in the country becomes unbteat9.
able with the smell OF burned wood. These dread:
ful calamities reduce the already miserable peasant9
to despair During the last iortnight processione
have been organized in the towns and villages, anQ
images of the Saints are brought out and carried
abont Heaven Is wearied with the sappcatione
of the faithful. IL in those trying moments thaQ
the poor ignorant mnjk shows what great iuno
of religious feeling he possesses. Sinpic anu sins
cere in his faith child. aud entirely dehcent IN
practical virtues, he has the negative one OF .sigs
nation, and never murmurs against frovicnco
however hard his lot rwas the VIII OF God'" ~
saws as he stands helplessly contemplating the
blackened ruins of his hcpiestead. lhe introuuc.
tion Of such u thing as hre-engina, however
simple into these primitive villages here men Ave
like animals would DO considered ~ useless
luxury borrowed from the corrupt European civ-
ilization." Hardly any peasants insure their coz
tages even well-todo people grudgc the insurance
money and prefer TO risk their oil.
Rubensten has arrived from Gemany purposely
TO give q concert for the victims OF the Grodno
catas,rophe, though if he wished to relieve them
all he would have to play night and day foi mvntha
Ii will take place on the lith in the English Palace
at Peterhoh, the summer residence OF the Emperor
and Empress. Rubensten Is ever ready to SACRIFICE
himself tins way although he dislkes playing in
public More than half the concerts he gives In
Russia are for charitable purposes, and IN thiq
great artist there is ostcntatous display no FAM
asked to play, only stipulating to play alone I'm.
aided by the orchestra, he holds his pubic
entrauced aud interested for four or i've consoc-
utive hours. In the concert to take place ON Suul
day the composer will play only ono piece OF nis
| own and will perform works OF TcharkovSky ana
| Qui, these two being the representatives VI n
| modern Russian school