The sun., 1904-11-13

expressing to him my regret at having been
forced to begin the dispute about the Lop-
nor with the Russian geographers. he an
swered quite calmly, 1T will do them good
to have O lesson"
In April. 1899, l met Kuropatkin several
times. On one OF these occasions We were
sitting at his writing table discussing my
contemplated journey when a Cossack
entered En- ,, bringing huge n, bundle t OF papers
was turning them over took the liberty
OF asking him what was the meaning Of
the peculiar marks in blue pencil which
i saw on the margins. huropatkin told
me that they were the military reports of
the week which the Gar had just N ad. and
that the blue pencil marks were made by
his Imperial Maiestys own hand One
particular mark meant approve, an,
other expressed the opposite. while third
signifed Il want further details and so
on. gave utterance to my astonishment
that the Gar found time to read through
all those reports, whereupon Kuropatkin
answered Yes, and it Is even more as
tonishing how he finds the time for reading
through all the reports OF all the other
Once when I was dining with Gen. kuro-
patkin he had as a guest Colonel who had
recently returned from Fashoda. After
dinner the latter was 10 present to the
Minister OF War two Cossachs who had eX-
hibited unusual proofs of courage and prs
ence OF mind by swimming across the Nile
on some important errand. kuropatkin
invited me to accompany him TO witness
the ceremony, which was then about TO
take place, The ,Cossacks were waiting in
the vestibule, each wearing the gold medal
which he had that day received from the
Gar. The General at once addressed the
two men in a short speech, thanking them
for the example they had set to their conf
rades in the army, and then ga"c to each
man as a memento gold watch in case
and n roll of GOLD r1ibles
Everybody who has been brought into
personal contact with Gen. kuropatkin
must acknowledge that II would be difficult
to meet with more amiable and attractive
about the powerful yet harmonious nature
OF the man is the air Of unrufiied calm and
serenity which sits upon his features. His
face bears the unmistakable stamp OF good
ness, consideration and self-control. At
this moment he knows that all his tactical
history and will afford a subject of study
and OF criticism to numberlces eager stu
dents. But | am convinced that even
amid the thunder Of the cannon at Lao
lutely mistaken calm with which he reviewed
the Itircoman militia on the plains outside
OF Askabad. Never has deprecatory
word been uttered about him behind his
back, and never has Russian General been
by all, from the Car himself, down to the
meanest soldier In the ranks. He will
have nothing to do with favoritism or ne
potism;- he Is known for his incorruptibe
sense Of justice, and In making his promo
other considerations except those Of merit
and capacity. IL he has any favorites
at all in the army they are the simple Cos
sacks. He has never abused his power.
His own brother, whom i met at Osh In
1907, was then filing a very subordinate
N nj n m l lint riO
chief Of that small and Insignificant town.
which might, indeed, almost be regarded as
q place Of deportation in the heart OF Asia.
have heard people express aston ishmen
or sacred ina ges with him to the seat Of
war 10 the Far East. But y must not be for
gotten that Gen. kurops kin Is genuine
orthodox Russian Of the old stamp, end
outstanding his intimacy with Western
h,Hropeans, bur, especially FTenohmen; ~, ne has has
time believe he is much too practical a
man 10 put his trust In "a cred images alone;
his position renders II necessary that he
should at al events outwardly, show them
all reverence, for nothing less than that is
soldiers, who are often superstitious and
generally have been brought up under the
influence Of Ignorant priests. Neverthe-
Jess, Kuropa tkin Is himself truly religious
man In the best sense OF the word but In
war he places his reliance principally upon
his men and his own counterstrokes Of
Ia ctics and strategy.
Nobody will, / suppose, dispute the fret
that he Is the ablest of lisirg Russian str te
Rists and commanders. But on the field Of
bo tile even the o 6blest q " err mry FIR d Elm
self IN situntiors tfst rre too stubborn for
his plnrs end calculs TORS. II il ir cred
f6rd for nan who, With s,;ch an hor or5 he
and brillisr ca reer behir d him, should fsvc
such a IifIlcnt problem to ooTo with HrG
Cttah rnctN ,tl
upon lin just ~ the time wien he. fright
rcr sorrblv look forvsrd 20 tie c"joymc-
Of well eerpod rerosc.