The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-06-28
THE RUSSIAN Army.
A Spring Review in the Champ de Mars =
st. Petersburg.

A Spring Review in the Champ de Mars ~
st. Petersburg.
II YOU wish to see military Russia in
all its glory and epic luxury you must
AXE your place in the first days OF
April on one of those tribunes which
rise at the extremity of the Champ de
Mars on both sides of the imperial pa
vilion. Society meets there TO assist
at the grand spring review. All the
Guard is massed before us-2o.0W
men ut least. and perhaps more.
Other States may pride themselves on
military force equivalent to this,
but none can show a force so magnifi-
cent and picturesque in aspect. All
the races aud all the arms of this
varied empire are about to defite be-
fore our eyes, from those noble Chew
alier Guards. who seem to have been
resuscitated from the romantic Middle
Ages. down TO the kirgheez of the
Asiatic steppe. who are still pagans.
"AttentiOnr Thousands of voices
have transmitted the same word Of
command. The Emperor" He APP
pears yonder at the corner of the
Champ de Mars. The moment he is
seen all the flags fiutter, all the bands
Join in one formidable chorus 10 send
heavenward the sounds OF the ma
tional hymn. God save the T>ar.
The Emperor arrives at IA gentle gal
lOp. Behind him follows an escort
which makes many hearts beat
amongst the fair public of the
tribunes. 1t is Il gathering of the
most illustriOus names and the
finest hOrsemen of the Russian no.
bility. All the armies of the world
nave contributed to form this staff
The Hungarian magnate rides side
by side with the Japanese military at
tache. the French kept salutes the fez
of the Mussulman hey. The Master
passes along the front of his troops;
the Empress follows in an open
barouche. At the approach of their
Maj esties the band Of each regiment
resumes the hymn with wild fury-a
hurricane of harmony, which accom-
panies and envelopes thu imperial pro-
cession. The traditional salutatiOns
are exchanged between the Tsar and
his soldiers /: "GO"d-day. children. -
I'VE are happy to do well for your
Imperial Majesty"
The sovereign stops before the trib-
une of the Grand Duchesses; he gives
the signal. and the march past begins
At the head are the platoons of the
Asiatic csc TT, eastern and wild Russia
Mussulmans from Khiva and BOkhara,
Georgian princes. Tcherkesses. Per-
SLAMS. MOngols and Caucasians These
primitive warriors. armed with lances
and steel maces. wear long coats of
mail over their brilliant silk dresses.
furs of great price. damascened helm
cts or Tartar caps. This is the van
guard Of the hOrdes of Attila. the con-
resslOn made in the regular army to
legend and fancy. Then come the
compact masses of the regular army.
the infantry first of all-Preobrajens-
ky, Finland Chasseurs, and soldiers OF
the Paul Regiment. with their large
copper hats in the form Of miters -
such as were worn by the grenadiers
of Frederick the Great. In accord
ance with an old tradition, all men who
have fiat noses are recruited for this
regiment. The lines of cavalry follow
the infantry like living walls of brass
and steel. Then come the light troops.
Red Hussars. Grenadiers and Lancers:
and finally swarms of COssacks, gal
Looping on their little ponies, sweep
along from the extremity of the Champ
de Mars at full speed, stop and turn
short at the foot of the imperial tri-
bune. These troops perform the ex-
ercises of the Arab fantasia down
on their saddles. lean over to the
ground without quitting their stirrup>
and pick up the lance or pistol that
they have thrown down before them.
The artillery closes the march. The
batteries. admirably horsed. are car
ried along at full speesl by black
chargers as fine as the finest trOtters.
As the last cannOns disappear. rat
thing over the pavement behind the
trees of the Summer Garden, the court
and its guests go to breakfast in the
palace of the Princes OF Oldenburg
which faces the Champ de Mars; and
the foreigner who follows the Emper-
or--his eye still full of his heroic Wis.
ion-wOnders how man can resist the
intoxication of such power gathered
in his hand and the temptation which
must come upon him to let loose this
superb force against the world. vi.
comte. Eugene Melchoir de Vogue, in
Harper's Magazine