The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-27
VIII.

Under John Ills son Basil. the Austrian
Baron. Herbcrstein. twice came to Moscow. once
in 1915 as an envoy OF the Emperor Macmillan
J.; next, ten years later. on the part OF the En-
peror Charles V. His commentaries on Mus.
covite affairs constitute one OF the most precious
documents relating TO the contemporary history
OF Russia. 1t was under the reign OF Basil's son,
John ~, the Terrible, that the first commercial
relations with England were begun. 1t will be
that an English society was founded
" for the discovery OF unknown lands and
that, In May, 1853. several vessels under the
command of Willoughby and Chancellor left tho
Thames provided with n letter OF Edward vi.
" to the sovcreigns Of Eastern and Northern
countries. The next year Chancellor entered
the mouth OF the Northern Dwina. got ashore,
and went TO Moscow, where, after a kind recep.
ton by the Gear. he was dismissed with a letter
10 King Edward. In 1855 the same Chancellor
reappcared in Moscow as an official envoy of
King Philip and Queen Mary. The outcome
OF the negotiations was that to the Eng
fish merchants was given the privilege of
free trade in all parts of the country.
When. two years later. the ambassador OF John
Nv. cnme TO London, the SAM privilege was
granted 10 Russian merchants in England. Thus
1t WAS bv way OF tho Arctic Ocean that Russia
experienced her first contact with the CONNER.
cial movement OF tho world. She might have
felt II from her frontier on the west. and
she hoped to do so; several times had artisans
and artists tcen asked for and sent, but her
nearest ~neighbor would not suffer them TO pass
the Russian border. Tho fact is recalled by
Prince Serge Wolkonsky TO show how Russia's
western frontier was watched and made into a
barrier. just as, In the present century, England
has striVen to shut out Russia from ac-
cess to tho sea, that. In l5I7. Charles V. rave the
Grand Dukes envoy "A permit comforting upon
him tho right OF recruiting, within the confines
OF the empire, formed and skilled men to be
conveyed TO Russia. A hundred and twenty.
three artisans were ready to sail from Lnbeck.
but they were arrested In consequence of 1.-Two.
MAN Intrigue; one OF them, who attcmpted to OF.
cape to Moscow, was executed by the German
knights OF tho TeutonIc Order. The magistrates
OF Riga even eXtoried from Charles V. u written
promise that no more artisans should be sent to
ltussia. King Sigismund Augustus OF Poland
wrote to Queen Elizabeth to demonstrate against
the despatch OF English vessels to Narva.
lhhs far, the proper appellation OF the ruler of
AioSeo" had ncen Grand Duke. 1t WAS In 1917
that tho grandson OF John Ill, John ". subso.
quently known as the Terrible, crowned himself
the nTst Car OF Russia. The title, n Russihcd
aooreviation OF the Latin Cesar. had indeed an
peared before; John III. and his son Basil had
often boon called Car. hut never In official act
The formal i . mption OF the title was not lonp
nlter followed by a species Of political revolu.
ton. When John ~. was crowned. Moscow ex.
hibited a mixture OF an absolute monarchy with
an aristocratic Government. When he died in
1851 all power had been concentrated In his
hands after massacres which had made havoc of
the high nobility. The character OF Joan the Ter.
rioie has been Yariously estimated by Russian
historians. Some have seen In him sort of Peter
the Great, to whom history refused opportuni.
ties Others make him II kind OF Russian Nero.
or worse. seeing that he at least lived in Chris.
tian times and professed Christianity. Prince
Serge Wolkonsky does not deny to MIN up.
common ability and exceptional learning;
nevertheless 1t is pointed out that by re-
auclhs Inc great interests OF internal policy to
! questions Of personal security he suspendsd