The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-02

attained the RANK OF fulI general oi imam
try and the command OF the corps OF the
Guards. picked body Of troops numbering
about Sc. 600 men Of all arms. lie was In
active service throughout the whole OF the
campaign on the Danube, and he had his
full measure OF hard hghting in series OF
battles and combats. principal among
which were Karahassankiyi, Ablava, Met
chika and Trstenik
Nihilist Attempts on His Life.
For some time after his elevation TO the
throne, Alexander III seldom appeared In
public. but lived in the closest retirement
at Gatschina being in constant dread ot
the nihilists. His coronation did not take
place until May "a, 1888 at Moscow, his
entry 60 the city having been accomplished
five days earlier. His life since his acces-
sion 60 the throne has been so closely in
terwoyen with that Of his country that TO
attempt 20 record it would be 70 write the
history OF Russia. IL not that Of Europe,
for the past 10 years.
At the time Of the assassination OF Alex
anaer II -hes--liela the most important mill
tary position I'm the empire, the command
of all the troops I'm the department OF the
capital. succeeding therein his uncle as
field marshal, the Grand Duke Nicholas
This was meritcd ack acknowledgement by
the czar OF the great service his son had
rendered in the Turkish campaign.
Immediately personal were however,
the attempts upon his life by the
nihilists. When in 1887 the nihilist at
tempt of March 10 came within hairs
breadth OF success. the emperor displayed
the most absolute self command
This was only the first of long series
of plots that have kept the czar In con-
stant apprehension. OF coarse but few OF
the many attempts and conspiracies
against his life have become known TO the
public so strenuous are the efforts of the
Russian secret service To keep the reports
from leaking out
AS Father aud Husband.
Although stern and even overbearing TO
the majority OF those who surrounded
him, Alexander III has always been a
sympathzing and affectionate husband
and father Hisehildren are none of them
very strong, and he has always been most
tender in his treatment of them. The
Czarewitch Nicholas was born in 1865.
Grand Duke George In 1871. Grand Ouch
ess Xenia i'm 1876. Grand Duke Michael in
1873 and Grand Duchess Olga, his favor
ite, in 1852.
Russia, France and Germany.
OF recent years the czar has played an
important part in preserving the peace of
Europe. To maintain his specific policy
he visited Germany In 1882 arriving on
Oct. 10 at Kiel and proceeding to Berlin
the next day, where he was received with
the utmost show of cordiality by the
kaiser. Emperor William returned the
visit in August, 1890, and he was received
with the same cordiality in Russia that he
had extended to Alexander in Germany.
These expressions of friendliness on the
part Of the car had not, however, over
come his old dislike TO the Germans, for In
1891 Russia entered into negotiations for
an alliance with France that was
cemented in July of that year by the visit
of the French fleet TO Cronstadt, and cula
minated in defensive alliance with
France in November Of that year A
further expression of the close sympathy
of the two nations occurred in October,
1893 when the Russian fleet visited
France, 20 be received with such exagger-
ated enthusiasm,
Despite its friendship for France, Russia
was forced into commercial treaty with
Germany in March OF last year. Emperor
William having intimated that unless
such an agreement was reached only war
could follow.
The New Ruler.
Nicholas Alexandrovitch, Gar of all the
Russias, is by no means a robust young
man. He Is short and rather delicate
looking, with anything but imperial bear
ing, which has come to be associated with
the Ronanoff family. The dead car was
a veritable Ajax. of enormous size and
strength
His heart would probably have gone out
in,sympathy TO an heir who inherited the
bodily qualities of his race, or would have
forgiven his weakness of frame had he con.
tanned an imperious mind; but the present
czar had neither and it Is said to be only
through the influence of the czarina that
the eldest son was not set aside from the
succession in favor OF his younger brother,
Michael.
However much the czar may have loved
his eldest son, he had no great respect and
admiration for him as Russian emperor.
He is student, and Alexander Ill
thought that students were of small &C.
count in the world as compared to men
who can bend iron pokcrs in the fingers
Nicholas Alexandroviteh studied all his
life, because studying was his only pleas
ure. Fear of nihilists kept him for years
almost a prisoner in the imperial palace
and country places, where he grew up an
innocentfaced boy with no knowledge OF
life except what he gained through books
and papers that had been carefully in
spected before he saw them. The darker
side or Russian history was 10 him sealed
volume.
Some five years ago the young prince
started out upon his travels He went TO
Denmark, to England and to Germany.
aud the amount of modern information
that he managed TO imbibe and carry back
to Russia set the teeth of his father on
edge. The young man had brought back
with him well-deflned and radical opinions
and theories upon the questions and liter
ature of the day.
Grand Duke George.
The Grand Duke George the second son
-