New-York tribune., 1905-06-16
GRAND DUKE ALEXIS OUT.
RUSSIAN NAVY SCANDAL ?
AUelIan also Resigns = Mana
CHARGES of Corruption.

St Petersburg June 16--The sensational an
nouncement was made shortly before midnight
| that Grand Duke Alexis the High Admiral who
| is an uncle of the Emperor and Admiral Ave-
Ian, head of the Russian Admiralty Department
had resigned. This announcement was followed
a few minutes later by imperial rescript re-
lieving the grand duke of the supreme direction
OF the navy, which he had held since the days
| of the Emperor's father Alexander ILL., when
Russia resolved to enter the lists first class
| sea power and to build up a great navy, the
remnants of which destroyed in the battle
of the Sea of Japan.
/ Although from time to time since the war
| began there have been rumors that the grand
duke would retire account of savage crit-
cism, not to use harsher terms directed against
the administration of the navy, especially in the
construction OF ships, the announcement of his
resignation came like & bolt out of the blue. 1t
was not preceded by any Of the rurnors which
| usually give warning of such an act. Conse-
quently it assumed that some sudden hap
pening precipitated it, and ugly stories inne-
diately came to the surface.
Among those who remained late at the cafes
and hotels the editorial in the ''Nasha Shisn'
yesterday morning. demanding an accounting
of the popular fund subscribed for the rebuild
ing of the navy, and saying that great names
are no longer guarantees" instantly
called
The text of the imperial rescript accepting
the grand dukes resignation is as follows:
His imperial majesty, my father highly es-
teeming your experience in naval service and
your personal and moral qualities, selected you
in 1881 as his immediate collaborator in the
work of renovating and strengthening our fleet.
Since then for twenty-four years. your imperial
highness has devoted your labors to the de-
velopment of our naval armed forces and TO the
training of the personnel of the fleet in proper
lion fn he
you for that purpose.
Now, yielding to your reiterated request,
have consented to relieve you of the adr1inistra-
ton of the Fleet and Marine Department.
In accepting the resignation of your imperial
highness, 1 direct you to retain the rank OF
grand admiral as an expression OF my gratitude
for all your work
I remain, as ever your constant well wsher.
with every expression of my love-
NICHOLAS.
The words of the rescript give no hint of i'm
perial anger and the real explanation probably
will not leak out for several days. but the in
stant disposition was to regard the retirement
of Grand Duke Alexis and Admiral Avellan as
a concession to public opinion following the
crowning tragedy of the Sea of Japan Charges
of msmanagement and ineffciency and tales Of
corruption and even worse against the Marine
Department have been rife for years. After the
began they increased tenfold, and lately
regular campaign against the department has
been openly conducted in the newspapers. Some
startling revelations have been made in this
campaign. and Captain Clado, who Of
the leading CRITICS of the conduct of the navy,
was dismissed from the service for his persist
ence
1t was felt even in quarters where charges OF
corruption were not entertained that il would
be unwise to intrust the rebuilding of the navy
to the hands which were responsible for the hap
less fleets of the past.
Grand Duke Alexis himself did not escape
personal attacks. and scandal was so busy with
his name that he was several times the subject
of public demonstrations.
The name of the grand duke was high on the
list of those condemned by the Terrorists, and
after Red Sunday (January % lasD it re-
ported that he had fed abroad but it was
learned later that he was merely remaining at
his palace. Recently he has shown himself
more frequently usually in a closed carriage.
On Wednesday last he driving down
the Neva Quay in low one seated droschky,
drawn by fast trottng Orloff stallion
The driver, it was noted, did not the
imperial livery The grand duke, who
vously glancng 10 right and left, kept his right
hand deep in the pocket of his military over
coat, and was evidently grasping revolver.
The retirement of Admiral Avelan has not
yet been published The names of vice-Admiral
Bireff who is returning from Vladivostok, and
of vice-Admiral Chouknin. commander of the
Black Sea fleet. mentioned among those
likely to succeed Admiral Avellan.