The Irish standard., 1902-01-25

at that time has been made.
That you may understand why was
given an audience by the Emperor and
why he talked to me of many great
acts, must tell you. what you may
know already. that III May, 1878, 1
was appointed Russian financial agent
in America by the Grand Duke Con
| stantine, General Admiral of Russia at
that time, and associated with Captain
Semetschllin, chief of board of officers
J sent here to build cruisers for the Rus
sian navy. OF the members of this
board semetschkin is dead, Grippen-
berg is now retired Rear Admiral
and Avalon is now Vice Admiral and
Chief of Staff of the Russian navy.
Alexieff is now Vice Admiral and Com
mander-in- Chief of the Russian naval
and military forces in the far East
and Civil Governor, the most impor-
tant position held up to this time by
any Russian not a member of the i'm
perial family. Several Of the subordin-
ate members of that board are Rear
Admrals. These men were all my
friends twenty-five years since: they
all are my friends today.
| I must also tell you that was
called to Russia in 1879 by the Grand
Duke Constantine and Prince Dol
gorouki for conferences with them and
the Minister'S of Finance. Ways of
Communications and Public Domain
about large and important railroad
coal. iron and steel enterprises about
to be undertaken in the south of Rus
! sia. In consideration of these serv-
ices on Aug. 2G. 1879. the Emperor
created me Knight of st. Stanislaus,
second class. and gave me the cross
and other insignia of the order | have
been to Hussa many times since.
always on public business. You will
now understand my position and why
the audience of which I have spoken.
On a Sunday morning in August. 1879,
after breakfast with the Grand Duke
Constantine at his palace of Pavlovsk.
where | had gone upon urgent invita-
| tfon sent me the day before. the Grand
Duke and We're talking in his library
upon snndly subjects of interest. but
not of great Importance: like his effort
to induce Mr.. Gladstone to join with
him in work to unite the Church of
England and the Greek Church-Of
course an impossible dream.
After an hour or more OF this con-
vnrsation, when I was about to take
my leave. not understanding why
had been brought eighteen miles from
st. Petersburg into the country for
breakfast, the lodge bell was r,ng and
the Grand Duke called me to the win
dow opening on the courtyard. and
said: "You will now understand why
You are here; the Emperor wishes to
talk with you in Il somewhat informal
way as he could not if you were pre-
sentel in formal manner by your
Minister A man, the Emperor of
Russia. mounted on horseback. came
into the yard. No escort of servants
or bodygllard or armed men with him.
followed by a One-hOrsc pllacton, III
which were two ladies. the Empress of
Russia and the Queen of Greece
daughter of my host, the Grand Duke
Constantine. This was surely Il
unique ana most interesting beginning
to an important interview. Within
half an hour | was presented to the
Emperor by the Grand Duke Constan-
tine. the Empress, the Grand Ouch
ess Constantine, and my dear friend
Semetschkn also in attendance. I
was presented as your American
banker"
| The Emperor spoke English and
talked more than half an hour. He
spoke of financial plans of his Minis
ter of Finance and asked my opinion
of them: Of the liberation of his scrfs:
of his giving them property as, well as
personal liberty. remarking that Amer
leans in giving freedom to the negro
slaves had not done as we'll by the
slaves; of his course during the war
made by Prussia and Austria upon
Denmark: of his course during the
war of Prussia upon Austria in 1866.
and of his course while Germany made
war upon France in 1870, and of his
great part in support of the Washing
ton Government in 1863 There is no
reason at this time to make account of
any of his statements of these great
questions and the why of his action,
save one, the American.
With great earncstncss ana some
sadness he said that in the autumn of
1862 France and Great Britain pro.
posed to Russia in formal, but not in
official, way the Joint recognition by
European nations Of the independence
of the Confederate States OF America.
Hc said his Immediate answer was:
Il will not cooperate in such action
and I will not acquiesce but on the
contrary I shall accept recognition of
the independence OF the Confederate
States by France and Great Britain as
a casus belli for Russia, and that the
governments Of France ana Great
Britain may understand that this is
no idle threat I will send a Pacific
fleet to San Francisco, and an Attain