The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-20

ic and which extend from the Arctic
to the Yellow Sea-" Admiral Alexieff
| holds unique position in the cosmogo-
ny OF Russian absolutisn which is q
tribute TO his achievements as one OF
/ the enpire-builders of the age.
And yet, except during the critical
! few weeks of the Boxer uprising in
China, when the troops of the Powers
were called upon to protect the Picking
| legations, Admiral Alexieff has been, so
F., far as overt action, at least, was con-
cerned man of peace" Even when
| the fleets of Russia and Japan were lined
, against each other in the harbor of Che
foo, and the dispute over the possession
OF the Llau-tung peninsula had reached
the stage where a telegram had been de-
| hvered TO the Russian naval commanders
| from St Petersburg announcing that
war was inevitable and concluding with
the significant words, GO with God"
Admiral Alexieff threw his efforts into
averting the contest which was so i'm
minent, and, by delaying for a day the
shot that would have plunged two nations
and how many others Pinto war, gave
time for the receipt of later telegram
conveying the news that Japan had
yielded.
There is something that savors of the
American IN the story of the rise of
Admiral Alexieff Unlike so many COM
manders i'll the armies and navies of
Europe who have owed their positions to
wealth and birth. Admiral Alexieff is
graduate from the ranks. An obscure
lieutenant, without fortune or family, he
first attracted official Russian attention
through an exploit which had its scene
laid in the United States
1t was at the time, few years ago,
when hostilities between Russia and
England seemed imminent, as result
of negotiations regarding the Balkans,
previous to the Berlin Congress. Lieut..
enant Alexieff had landed at San Fran
cisco, returning TO Russia on the battle
ship 'Rurik, after a period OF sea duty
IN Siberian waters. The trouble with
England assuming an acute phase, Alex
Jeff, still only a Subaltern cabled to the
Russian Minister of the Navy request
that he be allowed to purchase COM
merce-destroyers in America to prey on
English trade at sea.
Permit me to say most respectfully
that your Exceflency does not know
America let me try he cabled III re-
Spouse to reply that there was not then
time to buy the suggested destroyers.
He was permitted to try, and within
ten days had secured eight speedy ships
ready to put to sea at an hours notice.
The war-c1oud blew over, but when
Alexieff reached Russia he was given
command of ship, and in three years
was an admiral
Admiral Alexieff is a man of imposing
appearance, being about six feet tall and
broad i'll proportion. While his influ-
ence has always been for peace, the in
cident of the purchase of the commerce
destroyers has not been the only evil
dence that when warlike occasions arise
they find him the trained and aggressive
soldier. During the siege of Picking
by the Boxers, already referred to, the
Russian General Wogack held the rail
road station, which was the key to the
city. The Russians had suffered heavy
losses. and General Wogack telegraphed
to his chief that in two hours more his
force would be annihilated. Alexieff re-
piled, They must hold the station or be
annihilated.' Only eighteen men came
out of the conflict uninjured
WILLIAM R. STEWART.