The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-04-21
skydloff His Enemy.

w dI.
Skydloff His Enemy.
The immediate cause of the viceroy's
application is reported to be the APP
pointment of Vice Admiral Skrydloff,
one of Admiral Alexieff's strongest enc
mics and sharpest critics, as successor
to the late Vice Admiral Makaroff in
command Of the Russian navy in thefar
east. Vice Admiral Skrydloff had an in
terview with the emperor Tuesday and
discussed with his majesty the question
of his (Skrydloff's) relations with Alex
Jeff
The cause of the enmity between Alex
Jeff and Skrydloff it is impossible to
learn. 1t is believed to be deeper than
mere difference of opinion as to tie
policy to be pursued in the far east.
Skrydloff has not hesltated in talking
to his friends to charge Alexieff with re-
sponsibiilty for the disasters to the Pa
cific squadron, by his division of the fleet,
which segrated four armored cruisers at
Vladivostoll and stationed the Variag
and KorietZ at Chemulpo 1t is said
that Vice Admiral Skrydloff in his inter-
view Tuesday let his majesty under
stand that he does not care to assume
command Of the fleet until AleXieff has
withdrawn. Therefore the two men will
| not meet at Port Arthur
When Alexieff sewers his connection
with the far eastern question none of the
men responsible for the policy pursued
| before the war will be in power, M. Bez-
| obrazoff having already lost the conf
dence of his majesty and the advisory
| committees duties at present being
purely perfunctory.
Viceroy Alexieff Is expected to
come directly to st. Petersburg
and his friends hope that he
will be elevated to the council
of the empire. BY his withdrawal from
| the far east he will not only lose the
dignified position of direct representa-
tive of the emperor, but the salary of
| $4,000 and an allowance of $25, 900 per
annum.
Emperor's Changed Attitude.
The relieving from command of Vice
roy Alexieff would not surprise intel
ligent observers Of the far eastern
situation who are familiar with the
toward the viceroy.
On the eve of the war AIexieff appar-
emily still had the confidence of the car,
but the lack of preparedness of the
Port Arthur feet, as shown in the cases
of the battleships Retvizan and Care
witch called the attention Of the emperor
to the slackness of the naval admins
tration in the far east. The anti-Alex-
Jeff party in st. Petersburg held that
Vice Admiral Stark, who was the vice.
roy's representative, was responsible
under him for the first reverse at Port
Arthur. Viceroy Alexieff recommended
the appointment of either Vice Admiral
Deubassoff or Vice Admiral Makaroff
to command the feet in succession to
Vice Admiral Stark. The emperor Sc
lected Makaroff and at the same time is
sued special ukase making him abso-
lutely independent.
First Blow at Alexieff.
This was the first blow publicly given
to Alexieff. The second was the ap-
pointment of Gen. Kuropatkin as COM
mander-in-chief of the army in Man
churia. Kuropatkin sided with Count
Lamsdorff, the foreign minister and NJ
White against the policy of Manchurian
annexation, and stated to the Chinese
minister to Russia, Mr.. Hoo Wei Teh,
that the whole trouble originated with
AleXieff. That there might be no doubt
of Kuropatkin's exact jurisdiction, the
emperor issued another ukase defining it
and gave the former minister of war
complete control of military operations
in the far east. Officials in st. Peters
burg say it must have been evident to
Alexieff that his star had waned. He.
had neither the army nor the navy under
his control, being charged merely with
the civil administration, but in time of
war there is no civil administration or
at least little. At first the viceroy re-
ceived the official dispatches from Max
arOff and Kuropatkin, but even this last
shred of his dignity was removed when
the two commanders communicated d.
rectly with the emperor.
Alexief Ignored.
When the Petropaylovsk was sunk
Alexieff started from Mukden for Port
Arthur, telegraphing to the emperor
on his arrival there that he had hoisted
his flag on the battleship Sevastopol
and would direct the operations of the
aeet until new commander was sent
out. It is said that no answer to this
was sent by the emperor. Without con-
sulting Alexieff's wishes and without
considering Vice Admiral Doubassoff,
whom he had originally recommended,
the emperor telegraphed Vice Admiral
Blryloff to proceed to Port Arthur via