New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-12
A GAMBLERS WORK,
PECULIAR ORIGIN OF THE NEWLY
PROCLAIMED FRANCO-RUSSIAN
ALLIANCE.

RuSSia'S alliance with France WITHIN so very few
days after the departure OF Emperor Willan
from ST. Petersburg that it is difficult to find
fault with Parisians for interpreting the words
as well as the attitude. Of the Muscoyite ruler
to mean that lie is prepared to assist his allies
in the attainment Of the object that Is mos.
dear to every Gallo heart, namely. the recovery
OF Alsace and Lorraine. The world has been
aware for some time that there has been az
| understanding between France and Russia,
species Of military convention. But 1t was be-
lieved to stop short OF definite alliance. and
to partake of a purely defensive character, the
one country undertaking to assist the other
in the event of attack. But the full-iiedged ALI.
ance signed at ST. Petersburg in the course Of
the visit OF President Faure. and referred to
by the latter as we'll as by the Car. in Their
officially published speeches is something more
than this. and may well BE- construed as rot only
defensive but also offensive in its character.
Under the circumstances it may be of timely
interest to call attention to several litte-knoSn
and vet dramatic incidents that have served to
bring about this strange BROTHERHOOD pe'"eel
the most despotic Of monarchies End the most
revolutionary of republics. between the most
reactionary and the most progressive elements
of the Old World. an alliance as eXtraofdhaD
as that between Oliver Cromwell, the chiei
Magistrate OF the British Republic, who had BE-
beaded King Charles. and King LOUIS NV
France personification Of the doctrine OF divine
right, who SO arrogantly declared 'Tetat ees'
moran alliance that was denounced py 'n'
greatest Spanish statesmen of the day as uh'
ejamplo tan escandaloso contra las manarquas
"a most disgraceful example. calculated to III
fict terrible injury to the monarchical SYSTEM
OF RECENT ORIGIN.
The Franco Russian brotherhood IS but o. r.
cent origin. In 1874 when French sluaifOA
appeared for the first time before Cronstadt' inc
visitors were so much in doubt as TO "ha' "ouhs
be the nature of their reception mat the ad'"AN
sent on shore to find out II any salutes lh"' ~
might give would be returned 10y the husss-
ships and batteries. Until as recently as 1881
the regular liturgical prayers recited D! u,
clergy on every Sunday and feast day IN q"
the churches and chapels Of the car Ei'p"'
called down divine wrath and vengeance up'N
the French nation for the ruin ana deVas'i"o-
which its armies had wrought at the time Oh wv
terrible invasion of 1872. The first Emperor
Nicholas loathed Paris as the h|tbed' OF every
thing that was anti-monarchical. revolutionaf!
subyersve of order. ano after declining 10
represented by any one but mere cha's
d'affaires at the Court of King Louis Phlipps
went after the fall of the latter TO retuS
either to receive Napoleon III in ST. Peterspu's
or to accord him the title OF brother whe1
is the customary form of address between reisS
ing sovereigns. This slight placed by Russ"
upon France contributed To bring about 'n'
Crmean War, which terminated in NAME
humiliatng i'm the extreme 10 Russia shlpoa"
of Muscovite trophies in the shape OF gunA
flags. church bells. etc. being carried on
the French victors TO Paris after the fan
the greatest of all the Cars strongholds. name
ly. Sebastopol
In 1867. when Alexander ii and his sons visitee
Paris at the time of the Exhibition. he onehu''
both the Imperial Court and the people By de
Ginning to permit the CZarina To accompan! h'',
and by paying his respects to the celeers'e'
actress who was playing the part OF the u'S"s
duchess de Gerclstein before Offering MS "
voirs to Empress Eugene. And when. u"
days afterwari he was shot At while drNins
the Bots de Boulogne with Napoleon III W
Czarewitch afterward Alexander Ill turhihs
his parent exclaimed without the siightes' "
gard for the French monarch. Father o
away from here!' (allons nous en- dlep
obvious inference being that the autocra' "'
exposed himself to attacks OF that sort III wa w.,
ing to such place as France. Finally III i''"
the German victories of Sedan and Gra'e"'I
the fail of the French fortresses of Metz
Strasburg. as well as the captulaton OF r''
were nowhere celebrated with more enthusA
than at the Court Of ST. Petersburg where A'
ander II toasted his German relatives III '"
German language
EXPOSED BY GAMBErTA
No one was better aware OF this nor wv
these manifestations OF Muscovite hostility m'.
to heart than Gambetta who as long as ne NV.
never ceased to oppose the idea Of any a'Us" |
between France and Russia, declaring t'a' |
l>. mol