The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-29

!
reference to but one or two of the many Sig
nihcant manifestations which have marked
| the occasion as an altogether exceptional
| one will 60 sufficiently far 70 prove
| the truth Of this assertion. Il II
| probable that cable dispatches have already
/ Informed the American people OF some ot
/ the extraordinary Oyati0ns which have con-
stantly greeted the visiting Frenchmen from
| the moment their war ships came TO anchor In
| COnstradt roadstoad until the present hour.
! 1t may. however, even at the risk OF repeti-
ton. be well 20 refer % the singing of the
Marseilase by the famous SlayleDSh choir,
accompanied by the massed bands OF the
Russian army and navy stationed at the Iron
| Port"
RARE COMPLIMENT.
How rare a compliment this was will be un-
| derstOOd when one reflects that there are
| grandfathers ID st. Petersburg. lovers OF in
! spring music too, who never before heard the
| grand revolutionary hymn rendered by men
| who wore the uniform Of the Gar. There Is
/ another case IN point. and one which we'll Illus
| trates the subtety of Russian inst not IN indi-
! eating how under certain conditions. very
( clever things mey be done. As IS we'll known.
! there are IN tho magnificent gallery OF the
winter palace few military pictures which at
| tract moro attention from visitors than docs
/ Sanerwaids' painting entitled The Taking OF
/ Paris by the Allied Armies In 1914" Yet, for
/ the present this picture j. not visible. IL has
! been completely hidden from view by most
artistic interminging Of the standards OF
/ France and Russia.
On the other hand, the smaller pictures
which have supported Kotzebuo's Taking OF
Berlin September y, 1900" have been tenn
porarily removed thus causing the pOrtrature
Of Prussian humiliation % stand out IN bold
relief. No other pictures have been disturbed.
As the palace has been thrown wide open 20
the public for the time being and as q par
ticularly cordial invitation has been extended
TO the visitors to gaze upon It's treasures
thousands Of Russians and hundreds Of
French sailors who are given liberal leaves
OF absence from their ships) have been both
grati6ed and amused by the odd concelt.
RUSSIAN BOAST.
| Il is uct 50 much, hoveve Of strains If
music or bygone victories or defeats that Rus
SLAMS and French are thinking u this morn
| ing. Excitement has grown rapidly since yes
terday when in carefully prepared and re-
markably yirile editorial article the semi
official NovOye Yremya haughtlly declared IN
effect. that not with the drelbund nor Lord
Salisbury, bat with France and Russia rests
the fate OF Europe. No Russnn newspaper
dare utter such q menace did IL not 10 30 with
the approval Of the Imperial Government.
The editorial in question has done much 10
create the impression that the prelimiuaries
of a final understanding have already been
agreed upon between ". de Giers the Rus
sian Prime Minister, and NJ. de Laboulsye.
tie French Ambassador, assisted Dy Admiral
Geryais Consequently attention is concen-
trated upon tho peterhof palace, where to-
day the Gar gives a grand state dinner b tho
French admiral and his suite, and there arc
not wanting those who predict that very soon
after tho taking Of salt at the banquet hateful
words viii bo spoken in no undecided man
ner 4 few hours more will tell the tale.
THE PREPARATIONS.
Early Yesterday afternoon the troops Of tho
Imperial Guard and OF the military division Of
1t Petersburg, under the Immediate command
OF the Grand Duke Nladimr-AlexandrOyit
the brother Of the Czar moved TO the posi-
ti0ns assigned them along the route from 81.
Petersburg 20 Peterhof. ard thence over the
road leading to Oranenbaum and Cronstadt.
The posts II especial honor those III, about
and around the palace andlttle town Of Peter
hof-were guarded by tho flower Of the Rus
sian army, the regiment OF Preobralensky
and the tfTenadieT5, Chasseurs ana CO15acks
OF the Guard.
Early this morning tho streets of this city
hecame alive with the sounds and movements
Of preparation for the great state dinner, and
before tho sun was well up the St. Peters
burgers in al sorts of conveyances were by
land and water hurryipg westward to secure
BOme cOgn Of vantage from which, Il possible,
% catch glimpse Of the nations guests. The
sharply contrasting yellow and black of Rus
ala and the blue white and red Of France Yero
united in rosettes and other devices which or
namented the bosoms Of thousands Of the
holiday makers.
THE RUSSIANS ENTHUSIASTIC.
The dinner given 20 tho French sailors yes.
tsrday at the Cronstadt Exchange was marked
by lesser degree of official character than
any Of the previous festivities. There were
about 900 sailors present. and al toasts Of
significant nature were drunk amid the utmost
enthusiasm. During the entertainment tho
officers OF the French fleet appeared
upon the balcony Of the Exchange where
enormous crowds Of people greeted them with
frantic cheers, and fought and struggled 20
get a piece OF the tri-colOr flags which the
french officers detached from the decorations
of the Exchange and threw among tho p0pu-
lace. shouting at the same time "Vive la Rus
sieW The people about the Exchange re-
sponded to those cries with ''Niye Ia Francew
and in every way the utmost eDthusiasm pre-
vailed The crowds also several times insisted
upon hearing the MarseiIlaise."
OFFICIAL CIRCLES HOLD ALoor.
LONDON July 2s.-The st. Petersburg cor
RESPONDENT of the Times telegraphs that the
official journals do not like the enthusiasm
which has been aroused by the visit OF
the French feet to Cronstadt. lie
adds that it is asserted that tho Gar II
displeased with the manifestations made in
favor OF the republic and that he ordered
that no pleasure steamer was 20 beallowed %
approach near tho French war ships when be
visited Admiral Geryais. II is not believed
in this city that the visit Of tho French
SQUADRON 10 Cronstadt will have q lasting
eifsc, upon tho friendly relations existing be-
tween the two countries.
The opinion is expressed that the Gar Will
never consent 70 an actual alliance with the
French republic. and il is asserted that the
Gar was only with the greatest Of difficulty
persuaded 10 abandon for moment his
known distrust Of France.