New-York tribune., 1905-02-26
TOPICS IN Paris.
ToLstoy's Vie5cs of Russian II airs
Dust Of John Paul Jones.


Copyright 1905. b The Tribune Association
Paris. Feb 25.-The declarations Of Count Leo
Tolstoy denouncing Russian autocracy and Rus
sian nihilism as two equally detestabe principles
and proposing Russian socialist collectivism as
the sole remedy for the nation. published IN all
the French papers, elicit widespread comment.
The trend Of opinion is that the Car will be
compelled TO make concessions toward represent
ative government more serious than are indicated
by his reported intention to consult the Zernski
Sober. which roughly correspond to the States
General Of the old French regime, but which.
according 10 Count Tolstoy. can have no prac-
tical effect, being in tis opinion. mere sham
and d@lusion. not changing any OF the wheels
Of dutocratic machinery in Czardou. There is
not an iota OF evidence that the reported peace
proposals Oh the part Of Russia rest upon any
thing more than pure conjecture AS French
military men consider The situation. General Ku-
ropatkin Will become almost desperate in the
early spring owing to the difficulty Of supplies
OF food Russian bonds and industrial securi-
ties still retain high quotations, principally due
to the courageous support Of French banking
establishments, Russian + per cent consolidateds
being s. francs 80 centimes on to-day's Bourse
as against 90 francs 20 centir1es on Wednesday.
The !eaden coffin supposed 10 contain the bones
If John Paul Jones. Gnearthed at the depth of
six metres during the preliminary excavations
made by Ambassador Porter's directions on
the site Of the abandoned Protestant cemetery
at the Rue Grange aux Bellies and Rue Ecluses
Saint Martin IS much the worse for wear. resem-
bling crushed sardine box. For years the
drainage from stables and the Ioam have cor
rodcd i. The brass plate that once bore the
inscription, but is only fragments. has been
removed for minute examination by experts
Tho viii report next week when the bent and
fragile coffin VIII be carefully raised TO the
ground and opened. Until this is done the
identity Of the contents is purely q matter Of
conjecture. The, narrow passage dug near the
entrance 10 the old cemetery. enabling the pass
age Of one man at. a time on hands and knees
abounds in sinister creeping insects and disa-
greeable smells. Whether the present coffin
proves 70 be that Of John Paul Jones or not it
now seems certain General Porter is on the
right track, and if sufficient funds are provided
sooner or later. perhaps nor until after four
months of excavation the remains of the hero
Of the Bonhonme Richard. which were buried
by the personal charity of Rene Simonneau.
comrnissary Of police Of the quarter, at cost Of
462 francs on July 20 1892. will be recovered.
The conclusion Of the debate in the Chamber
Of Deputies on naval estimates and the vote
70 increase the navy. decided by $50 against
los shows France to be in earnest to make UP
for the ground lost in the thtrty-two months
administration Of ex-81inster Of Marine Camille
PelIetan. Parliamentary Investigations show that
the recently built battleship Henri Quatre, is an
experimental failure and that twelve of the latest
type Of battleships and cruisers are stated TO be
unsatisfactory. The naval debate also indicates
that further additions TO the fleet are necessary
owing TO the lessons Of the Russo panese war.
The French military and naval authorities have
arrived at the conviction that the defence of
pend solely upon the navy, and large sums are
consequently needed TO make the naval station
at Saigon capable Of the new requirements for
national defence. The total sum voted for the
present year by the chamber is S605 100000
The arrival OF Nine. Rejane in Paris coincides
with the judgment of the Paris Police Court.
rendered yesterday, which is highly important
10 automcbilists touring in France. It appears
that last April Nine. Rejane while spinning
through the streets Of Paris in her automobile,
ran over and injured a bcyclist who sued her
for damages. Nine. Rejane's lawyer urged that
the actress was not responsible because the
chauffeur she employed was not exclusively In
her service. pur had been hired from a we'll
known automobile firm. The tribunal. adopting
this view. exonerated Nine Rejane and declared
the automobile firm ctvilly responsible, requiring
them to pay $500 compensation to the injured
cyclist and sentencing the chauffeur TO three
days' imprisonment and SO fine. Americans in
tending to make motor trips in France the COM
ing spring feel grathed at this decision Of the
French tribunal which thus shifts q large
amount Of responsibility TO the firm providing
the chauffeur
Among the orders for automobiles this week
in Paris are those of the Dowager Queen of
Spain who has purchased 4 twenty horsepower
oF(
a tventy-four horsepower Panhard, 10 make the
trip through italy; c. L. Blair, Of New-York, a
forty horsepower Bollee 10 be ready to tour
France on April Is; F. L. Loeb, Of New York, a
1872 horsepower Hotchkiss. and Lord North
cote, Ex-Governor General of Australia, who has
ordered a Clement -Bayard automobile for use
in that country
At the Theatre Cluny a clever and exceedingly
funny three-act farce, called LA Femme
Masoue." by Daniel Richie and Leo Marches
has been successfully produced, based upon the
fscts Of a well known portrait by Gervex OF
an alleged society lady in similar attire which
cs,sed a sensational lawsuit in Paris six years
ago
Among the Americans who recently left Paris
for Monte Carlo are James Gordon Bennett, now
f,l,- recovered from a recent severe attack Of
,,re,,n,onia: Miss Ware, Miss Lee daughter Of
The celebrated Confederate general; Mrs. Hum
,brev Moore. Mrs Payne Whitney and her sis
Ter Miss Alice Blight; Mr.. and Mrs Cnnch
Graz Miss RIackinEtOQ