The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-02-22


Picture a heavily built man, standing
fully six feet, with broad shoulders
and a thick brown beard and mustache.
now slightly tinged with gray; dress
him in the uniform of a Russian ad-
mlral; his breast covered with medals
and decorations: let there be about
him an impression of accustomed au-
thOrity and of great reserve force;
make him charming companion. ac-
qIainted with the society of all the
world and ready to talk interestingly
about anything but his business, which
is the business of his imperial master,
then you will have an idea of Admiral
Eugene Alexeiff, the vice car Of Rus
STA in further Asia and the direct rep
resentative' of the Russian government
at Port Arthur.
Those who know him declare that
Alexeiff is a strange combination OF
many strong qualities. He was bred a
sailor, and many of his early years
were spent cruising about those gay
winter cities on the Mediterranean,
where the naval officers of many ma
tions are warmly welcomed. Later as
a lieutenant he served for four years
on vessel which spent most OF that
time in exploring the ice locked coasts
of northern Siberia. And il was on
his return from his long voyage that
the young naval officer made his first
great hit with the powers Of st. Pet
eTsbuTg.
Lieutenant AIexeff had secured a
leave of absence and had decided to
go home to Russia by way of the
United States He landed al san Fran
cisco and there he learned that war
was imminent between his country
and Great Britain. Forthwith. with 4
hardihocd which seems almost ike in
science, the comparatively obscure
young naval officer sat down and wrote
a cablegram TO his excellency, the min
lister Of the navy at St. Petersburg
why not authorize me TO buy COM
merCe destrOyers to prey on English
commerce." Is what he wired.
Good suggestion" came back the
answer, but there is not time War is
a matter OF hours" IT was signed by
the minister and would have been
plenty to satisfy most young naval lieu
tenants. But IL was not enough for
Alexein
Permit me most humbly to suggest
that your excelleucy does not know the
United States" he ca0ied immediately
on receipt of the minister's message.
Let me try
Try" wired the minister, and at the
same time put at the disposal Of Alex
eff ample funds for the purchase of 4
number of fast sailing steamers.
On his way across the continent from
san Francisco Lieutenant AieXeiff was
conduction negotiations for purchase
81 no less than eight or tea big steam /
ers. Before re reached the east several /
Of them had been bought and were be |
ing fitted up. Inside of ten days he had /
bought eight big steamers and had six (
of them waiting with steam UP for the 4
first declaration Of war. Three OF them |
rendezvoused in Frenchman's bay on
the coast Of Maine. and three others
off the Delaware bTeakWateT.
But the crisis was averted; war was
not declared and finally Lieutenant +
Alexeif was instructed to sell the ships 4
he had bought, which he did to good I
Then the young Russian i
went over TO Long Branch, then at the !
height of its fame as fashionable !
watering place, where he spent several |
weeks as the guest Of American /
friends. Even today in conversation |
with Americans he is fond II barking !
To those days at Long Branch and the 1
good times he had there.
When AIexeiff finally went home they /
gave him command of q ship with the /
title of captain. Three years later he /
vas an admiral That one exploit Of /
buying the ships which never were used /
had much 70 do with acquainting the /
s2usian government with his quality
He was chosen TO command the war
ship on which the present ear, then
heir to the throne, went out to the far /
east, and on the long voyage the friend /
ship between him and his master was
greatly strengthened. Later he was /
sent out to act as governor general of /
Russia far eastern provinces. and there i
he showed his ability as a diplomat and /
He commanded the Rus /
sian forces which marched to the relief |
of the embassies of Pekiu. and there /
won honors as a land commander La /
ter he served for a time as minister I
of marine in the cabinet of the car /
and last fall he was sent out as the 1
first viceray Of Russia in the east, /
clothed, so the reports have il. with !
authority almost as absolute as that |
welded by the car himself.
AIexeiff has shown ON several oceas- |
ions that he is a man Of peace so long
as peace COMFORTS with honor In the |
spring Of 1895. when the great fleets Of !
Russia and Japan lay opposed to each /
other in the harbor of Chef0o, the /
greatest naval battle of modern times
was only averted By his GOODNESS.
Second in command to Alexeif was
Tyrtoff, a grim old sea fighter,
who burned 10 open an attack on the /
fleet commanded by Admiral Ito, the
victorious japanese commander in the |
Yalu battle. Russia had given Japan /
an ultimatum, the time had expired. !
and the last telegram had come from !
St. Petersburg. Tyrtof strained at the
leash. The men of both fleets were
drunk with the lust Of battle. The great +
gray and black ships had been stripped /
for action.
Wait until noon tomorrow" said !
Alexeif. Perhaps a telegram has been
delayed III the sending.
Within an hour came the message /
saying Japan had yielded and the battle !
averted.
But when occasion arises, Alexein
has shown that he can be most de- I
termined fighter. At the siege Of Tien /
Tsin, the railway station, the key 10 the 7
city. was held by 100 men Of the SHEER |
ian riiiemem ia their green uniforms /
They were cut off from the rest of the 4
garrison for days. They were hard /
pressed and beat off attack after at
tack at great loss. Their commander /
wired to Alexeiff that if they stayed in /
the railroad station two hours longer I
they would be annihiiated.
Not man must be withdrawn was J