Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-20

General Count Tcheret Stiridovitch.
photo by Clinedinst) ...:.. p.
| though he has only seen New York and
Washington, he is already most profoundly
| impressed with our country and it's insti-
| tutions and before returning home he pro-
poses to visit Chicago. St. Louis, Denver
and San Francisco. The count is a man
| of about forty years of age. He was born
| at his ancestral home at Vitebsk. Russia.
After having left the naval school
at ST. Petersburg. with the second
highest number, he navigated for five years
| on the ships of the Russian navy, utilizing
| his spare time in frequent journeys among
the Slavic peoples, whose oppression and
slow determination aroused in him the
sacred tradition of the battle of Tannen-
berg.
Rapid Rise for Brilliant Service.
He was intrusted by the minister
Of marine with an important mission
in the year 1890, which consisted In
the inspection of factories and yards be-
longing to the government in the Oural.
The mission was completed in such a man.
ner that he was appointed to the post of
inspector general of navigation in the
fluval region of the Okla, position con-
ferred as the result of long and brilliant
services; he retired from this post at the
end of three years, in order to devote him.
self to the Society of Navigation of the
Volga and Okla, over which he presides at
the present time.
In another direction his energy and con-
nections in Slavic lands pointed him out
to the suffrages of that influential Slavic
Society of Moscow, of which he has been
unanimously reelected president for fur
Their term of three years Since 1899 he
has assumed the functions of Servian con-
sui at Moscow. AS intimate friend of
the deceased King Alexander he severely
a haf thn
Slavic Society, the OdiOus murder of this
prince, in whose memory be caused several
masses to be celebrated. All this drew
down upon him the enmity of the 'entou-
rage" of the new King Of Servia, rendering
impossible his further official connection as
consul general
Descended From Brave Ancestry.
representative of The Star was fortu-
nate in securing an interview with the
count at the New Willard. He is most
entertaining talker, and, despite the fact
that he speaks English with some embar-
rassment to himself. recounts in a most
graphic and interesting manner incidents
in his active and heroic life. Though yet
comparatively young man, he talks like a
man of ripened years and his brilliant
achievements in the naval and diplomatic
life of his country read like page from
the life of the knights of old.
Gen. Tcherep-Spiridovit is descended
from the former Dukes of Lithuania who
took part on July Is, 141O, In the famous
battle of Grunwald-Tannenberg, where
10000 men met with their death and which
arrested for SEQ years the Germanic inva-
sion of the Slavic countries In memory Of
the bravery displayed by the brothers de
Spiridovitch. of whom two were killed on
that day, the survivor received the name of
Tcherep Crhe Daring, which his descendants
have preserved. The battle of Tannenberg
presents this interesting popularity. that It
was a first attempt at a Slavic alliance, be-
cause to meet the Germans the united
Slav forces comprised the Lithuanians I'M
der the Grand Duke Vitolt, the Poles with
the King Ladislaus Jageilo and the Rus
Novgorod. reinforced by the contingents Of
Tees, Moravians and Slovacs.
His Services for Freedom.
Gen. Spiridovitch is the successor of
Count Ignatieff as head of the Slav move
ment in Europe. During the war of the
Anglo-Japanese alliance against Russia he
doubtless defended the latter power with
energy and skill. which he rightly con-
sidered as the shield of the Slavs and
sometimes his penetrating thrusts did not
spare England.
But today the worlds position has be-
come modified" he declared to The Star
representative. N -sunderstandings have
disappeared" With an energy amounting
almost to fanaticisni, devoted to the point
of self-saerifice In the cause of the eman-
of the 'rapprochment" between the Slavic
societies OF Moscow and Paris Uatin-Slav
League) and the Slavic Society of London
the Balkan committed
As president of the great Slavic Society
In Moscow, which represents very many
peoples of Europe, he has already done
yeoman service for the Siavs In Bulgaria
and Seryia 1t u an orRanization which