The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-12
ADMIRAL ALEXEIEFF .@sz f.
RUSSIA'S IRON HAND
LOnQOn Mail

pleasing personality, with nothing
IN his appearance to strike terror to
the world, is the man who holds the
keys of peace and war in the far east
to-aay. Admiral .Alexeieff, a man
whom the czar has many times been
pleased to honor, is still young enough
to look forward to great conuuests,
yet just old enough to impress us as a
kindly, mlddle-aged man, with a pat
rlarchal beard, whose delight is to
dandle child on his knee.
He is the first Russian viceroy in
the far east, the man upon
whom Nicholas II. has i'm
posed the. momentous task of
building up a new empire. Quite
what part Alexeieff has played in the
recent moves on the great chessboard
Of Asia nobody outside the czar's en-
plre knows. He has been in. his time
governor general Of eastern Siberia
and governor of Russian Manchuria;
and he is to-day commander-in-cflie
Of the Russian forces in the Pacific.
ltsis an office hardly understood in
England, for Elexeieff has power
oyer the forces on land and on sea.
I b. The Rise OF Russia's Navy.
If he has played his part in the
strange developments which have
brought Russia face to face with
Japan, A1exeieff has contributed his
share also to the strength Of the Rus
sian navy. Time was when the cars
navy was commanded and Differed by
Englishmen, when the sea-power Of
Russia was not such a thing as APP
ltpalled it's enemies. But it is different
|:noW, and Russia's fleet stands third
Eamong the navies of Europe. With
Eports 5000 miles apart, Russia has a
naval position which Sir George
clar Ike! declares 81, absolutely uniaue,
little to the fpres1ght and skill of its
greatest sailor. 3
T 50 lately as 1900 Alexeieff was side
/ by side with the forces =. Of Japan,
against whom he may soon be engaged
in war. He was in charge Of the
Russian troops in China, and had
| troops than all the other powers to-
gether, except Japan. The story is
told that the Russian band played the
French "Marseillaise" as it, marched
into Picking, and that it was only after
some minutes Of acutest agony that
the general was able to stop the army
| of the autocrat sounding the repub-
lican march. But it was the simplest
blunder, and should not be, taken as
in the least. suggesting lack of disci-
pline. Where Alexeieff rules, there
the soldier knows that obedience is the
only virtue in the world. s..lts sg'Fes
s27 'Lord of the Far East
If AIexeieff is not the slave Of a
strict convention-and we know that
his soldiers were seen in China
marching under umbrellas--he knows
how to fit in freedom with efficiency.
| It was probably he of whom a traveller
was thinking when he wrote home
that II have seen high Russian officers
joke and laugh with their soldiers as
| if they had been chums''; yet the same
| traveller wrote that OH the trying
march to Picking, where soldiers Of
all other nationalities collapsed in
hundreds along the road from sun
stroke or dysentery,, or oppressed by
! the great heat, ] never saw a single
Russian fall out Of the ranks
When the allies left China the czar
sent Alexeieff a sword shining with
| For victories at the seat of war in
Pechili, 1907
& Since then the emperor has made
him lord of Russia far eastern empire,
with powers almost absolute under
the car himself and a special commit
tee. The admiral has become, as a
/ Russian paper said, the instrument Of
the will and purposes of the car, and
that in the territories where Russia S
movements cause the greatest uneasi-
ness to the rest of the world.
1t is said that when he first received
his flag Alexeieff had a consuming pas
sion for Russian bridge and was the
best player on the Pacific station. But
/ he has no time for bridge to-day,
/ especially if it is correct that the car
has telegraphed to him that Il give
/ you full power to maintain, if neces-
sary, the prestige Of Russia by force
Of arms We shall hear more Of Adj
miral Alexeieff if thatSis true.