The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-05-18
CHARACTERISTICS
OF VLADIV0ST0X
Russian Stronghold, Japanese
Believe, Can Be Captured.
THE HARB0R ADMIRABLY LOCATED

All Channels From the Sea Said to
Be SupeFbly Commanded By Many
Batteries OF Modern Ordnance.
Other Defen.es OF the Csar's Gi-
braItar OF the North-The Town q
Dumping Ground For Outcasts.
Vladivostok, the not impregnabh!
That b what the japanese say. What
IS said BIZ the Russians who still hold
this far east port their last touch with
the Pacific in the orient Is another
matter.
That the Japanese hope to capture
the port and town before final peace
is declared Is believed, says the Chtca-
20 Post With Vladivostok IN their
control they viii have taken from Rus
sit every exit to the ocean she pos
sesses in the east. The Transsibertan
railway viii then terminate far In tho
suburbs' of Manchurta, and If its op-
GRAFTON to the water line B permitted
after the war ends It will be under
other than Russian domination
1T was characteristic Of the Russian
nation when it chose the name Of Vlad-
ivostok, which means Lord OF tne
East" says Fannie Caldwell Mac
Caulay. "But, like 80 many golden
promises which originate on Russian
soil, it has failed to fulfill the prophecy
Of its name. Perhaps 1t is the intensi-
ty Of the winters which stunts the
growth Of these promises. Be that as
it may, vladivostok remains after q
trial Of more than forty years neither
lord of the east nor Of Itself"
Situated in eastern Siberia, on an
arm Of the Japan sea called bay Of Pc
ter the Great, it is beautifully located,
but by no stretch Of the imagination
could it be called attractive. The long,
narrow harbor is so encompassed by
yelvety green hills as to give the ap-
pearance Of a quiet inland lake. In
the winter the bay is frozen to the
depth Of many feet and gives a fine
opportunity for skating and sleighing
and horse racing. In the summer 1t IS
the scene Of much gayety, especially so
when the squadron is stationed there
on its summer rounds.
On a summer night the harbor looks
like fairyland, with It's thousands OF
lights from sampans, yachts, men-of-
war and merchant steamers. Concerts
on the different fagships draw CROWDS
from the shore, who come In every con-
celvable craft. 1t is a merry, music
loving crowd, enjoying the pleasure OF
the present moment without thought
Or care Of the future. The town Itself
has a crude, unfinished look. The streets
are wide and unpaved, and the d1sn-
button Of mud on rainy days over
horses, carriages and pedestrians Is
generous and impartial.
People seldom walk in Vladivostok II
they have the price Of drosky ride.
These droskies are very low four
wheeled vehicles. The driver, usually
a discharged convict, sits high above
the occupants and Is a queer figure IN
his dark blue velveteen blouse, which
extends far below his knees and Is 9TH
erwise cut by generous measurement.
The ornamentation Of this dress Is the
touch Of color given by the bright red
sleeves Of the blouse and the fancy
leather belt. A low stovepipe hat COM
pletes this altogether unique figure.
Discharged convicts are not allowed to
return to European Russia, and drosky
driving in vladvostok is about the only
means Of a livelihood.
If the emblem Of each country rep
resented By Vladivostok was displayed
along the line an international flag of
vast dimensions would autter in the
breeze. Vladivostok is the dumping
ground for the outcasts Of Korea, Chi
ma and Russia's own forgotten exiles.
And this recalls a story Of a woman
who was released this last GUNNER
from a long servitude.
Twenty-three years ago young Rus
sian married young girl Of high so
cial standing in st. Petersburg. After
few months Of happiness the wife
disappeared, and all search failed to
bring to light her fate. Years passed,
and the man. believing his wife dead,
married again. In the spring Of 1903
in some unexplained way the man was
given a clew that his wife was a po-
litcal prisoner at Sakhalin- Quickly
he made his way to the convict island
and found in the gray headed old wom-
an who was indicated by a number the
wife he had lost SO many years ago.
For twenty-three years she had suf-
fered prison life, and for what she nev-
er knew. Upon hearing all the circum-
stances the wife left In ST. Petersburg
released the man, and the last summer
it was not an unusual sight to see the
three out for stroll, the lady In
st. Petersburg having been generous
enough to visit the reunited husband
and wife.
For further amusement there Is thea
ter, In which a stock company gives
creditable presentations. Then, as the
Russians are most hospitable, there are
dinners, teas and dances Of a charac-