Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-12
AFTER ENVOY MURAVIEFF
His Enemies Working on Gear for His
Displacement.

ST. PETERSBURG, July 12-Strone in
fiuences have been brought to bear on EN-
peror Nicholas to induce him to replace M
Muravief peace plenipotentiary. al
though the ambassador has taken massage
on the steamer Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse.
sailing from Cherbourg July 26 Accord
Ing TO reports, the emperor is wavering II
he has not already become convinced of the
fact that his choice was unwse. The Rus
sian newspapers, whose criticisms COM
PEELED NJ. Muravieff to relinquish the port
folio of justice, have attacked him with
great savageness as being utterly unuuali-
fed to conduct such important negotiations,
and the foreign office has all along been
supposed to share similar view
The peace party at court has done its ut
most to secure the suppression of NJ Mura-
vieff under the belief that his conduct of
the negotiations would be sure to lead to
unfortunate complications If not to the
complete wreck of the hopes of peace. The
members of this party profess to believe
today that they have won victory and
that, while NJ. Witte will not head the
Washington mission, NJ Pokotiloff, Russian
minister to China, NJ. Whites right-hand
man, will head the mission.
They say the emperor's attitude was ap-
parent on Monday, when he received NJ
Muravief coldly and remarked that he did
not believe his health would stand the
strain of going TO Washington, and the i'm
perial intimation was of a character not to
be disregarded.
Moreover, according to a usually reliable
authority. the emperor when he met For
eign Minister Lamsdorff in audience yester-
day declined TO approve the instructions
prepared for NJ. Muravieffs guidance and
during the evening it was equally signif-
cant that the foreign minister made 1t a
point to tell "A foreign ambassador who
called that NJ Muravieffs health was not
good
The newspaper criticism of NJ Muravleff g
fitness for the post may result in a duel be-
tween NJ. Skaalkovsky of the Novoe Vrem-
va and Prince Oukhtomsky, editor of the
ST. Petersburg Viedomosti. The former has
not been sparing in his attacks on NJ. Mu-
ravieff, and yesterday Prince Oukhtomsky
took NJ Skaalkovsky personally to task in
the Viedmosti whereupon NJ. Skaalkovsky
assailed Prince Oukhtomsky In a fashion
the prince can hardly overlook. He says
in so many words that Prince Oukhtomsky
is fool, but recalls Victor Hugo's obser-
walton: While every man has the right
10 be fool, he should not abuse the right"
M; skaaikovsky asaIl ,., proceeds to personally
subsidies which he receives from the gov
ernment, saying:
II am not Prince Oukhtomsky. Nobody
grieves for me. have no sinecures, sub
sides or interests in railroads and fantastic
Mongolian gold mines, which compel me
out of gratitude to compose servle pane
gyrics."
His Passage Cancelled.
PARIS, July 12.-The North German
Lloyd Steamship Company has been ad-
vised that NJ. Muravieff will probably not
go to the United States: therefore his
reservation of passage to New York on
the Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse, sailing
from Cherbourg July %, Is no longer
held. Gen. Yermoloff's reservation is re-
tanned and the company awaits the list of
the other Russian officials making UP the
party. This tends to confirm the ST.
Petersburg reports received here to the
effect that the emperor probably will
| name NJ. Pokotiloff in place Of N. Murav-
len.