The Irish standard., 1904-03-05

cision, that he declined to hear them
read or to receive any official notice OF
them.
I'm his dispatches day or two later
to Mr.. Dayton at Paris and Mr.. Adams
at London, Secretary Seward narrated
the foregoing circumstances
Continuing, Mr.. +. w. Seward told
of the proposition, in 1862, to connect
Russia and the United States by an
overland telegraph circuit. THE pro-
ject was," he said, ito extend the line
across the border of the United States
and through British Columbia and
Russian-America now Alaska), thence
across Behring Strait, and thence to
Irkutsk in Siberia. The Atlantic cable
at that time had not been successfully
laid
lin the same year Mr. Simon Cam
erOn, who preceded Mr.. Stanton as
secretary of war, retired from the war
department and accepted the mission
to st. Petersburg. On his arrival early
in the summer he found many eviden-
ces of the friendly feeling there enter
tanned toward the United States.
GA long conversation with the en-
peror, Alexander H., he wrote, showed
not only his profound interest in ev-
erything relating to our country, but
his accurate knowledge of the present
situation. He declared frankly that
his sympathies had always been cor
dial with us; that he was very anxious
that the United States as nation
should suffer no ,diminution of power
or influence; that our interests and
those of Russia Were in many respects
identical, and that he was DESTROYS to
hasten by all means in his power the
progress of that telegraph enterprise
which would enable the two powers to
communicate directly with each other.
He referred to his efforts in regard to
the emancipation of the serfs, and
manifested great interest concerning
the solution of the question of slavery
in the United States.
1.-the emperor was exceedingly
plain, frank, and transformations in his
demeanor. The unaffected earnestness
and sincerity Of his expression gave
evidence that he desired to make Il
special manifestation of his friend
ship for our country and government
The poles for the telegraph line
were cut and the line was marked, but
before the wires were strung the At
lantic cable proved success, so the
Russo-American telegraph project was
abandoned.
Russia had been staunch friend
of the United States throughout the
war. The kindly greetings exchanged
in 1861 illustrated the sentiment which
prevailed between Russia and our
country during all of the diplomatic
intercourse.
I'm the huge columns of official cor
respondence the brevity Of the pages
under the head of Russia is insignif-
cant. There were few Russian sub
jects OF ships over whom any contro-
versy could arise, but all the same 9TH
er powers with even fewer contrived
to find Il way to pick quarrel with
what they believed to be dying re-
public. If Russia had any claims for
damages she never presented them.
She never mentioned any grounds for
Il grievance.
when Russia was asked by France
and England to join in proposals for
mediation or intervention, she stead
lastly declined to do so, unless the Uni
ted States should ask her help. When,
nevertheless, Intervention seemed to
be impending, Russia sent fleet into
American waters, and that fleet
passed the summer and winter there
"What was the purpose of that
fleet? 1t was thought best that no Of
fetal announcement of it's purpose
should be made. Prince Gortschakoff
was a sagacious diplomat, and he did
not care to embarrass the Washington
government by prefers of aid which
might offend other powers.
"He merely instructed the Russian
minister to say he was sending the
fleet over and that it was there for
no unfrendly purpose The public
and the government felt morally GER
tain that while it's help would prob
ably not be needed, it would be given
if it were needed.
at was rumored and believed gen.
orally that the commanders Of the
fleet had sealed orders which were not
to be broken until they We're notified
by the Russian minister at Washing
ton.
Mr.. Seward told of the unusual cour-
tesy and hospitality shown the officers
and men Of the Russian fleet on the
Atlantic coast. They received a great
many invitations to dinners and re-
ceptions, and the hospitality ended in
grand ball at the Academy of Music.
Mr.. Seward referred knowingly to
the fact that the Russian squadron
moved southwark from New York and
went up the Potomac river at Il time
when that river was patrolled by
guard boats of the Union fleet.