The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-06-02
RUSSIAN FLAGS HE[I.
Seized by Japan Before
Consul Could Buy Them
DISPLAYED IN TOXIC
They Are the Standards of their Ma
jesties the Gar and the Czarina,
the sum of $50, OOO.-Now Held
by Japan As Trophies of Victories.

!
or the innumerabl trophies ac-
CURED by Japan in the course of the
war with Russia, the most jealousy
priced has but recently come 10 light.
These mementoes of the nations vic
tories over the great northern
Power are so common and SO sought
after by the public that almost ey-
cry village of the empire, however in
significant, has been duly honored
with Its quota of relics, with a plenti-
full supply left over and now offered
for sale on the public market. Need
less to say, this has caused an excit-
Ing rush among the more ambitious
curio-hunters, and some interesting
specimens have been secured These
relics OF the war are often disposed
OF after the grab-bag method. the
buyer not knowing the exact cou-
tents OF his purchase until after the
sale
1t so happened that the more deli
cate of the spoils taken during the
siege OF Port Arthur, and at the bat
tie OF the Japan Sea, were tied up in
small packages and sent to the Sase-
DO Naval Station, as the nearest place
OF security adjacent 70 the zone Of
conflict Not long ago one OF these
packages was bought by man nam
ed lsozaki, who found himself in
luck, as IL proved to be a verltable
mine or wealth and wonder Upon
opening the bundle, IT was found 10
contain a remarkable variety of gar
ments and fabrics, including what
appeared to be a few old flags in
rather tattered condition. Among
the latter were three specimens
that struck the owner as being made
of particularly rich material; and
they were covered with a heavily
embroidered design in gold thread
Their very brilliant appearance at
once caught the eye OF Isozaki, and
he set them aside, with the hope that
they might prove to be OF more than
ordinary Importance.
1t was suggested to him that II he
would take these flags to the Rus
sian consul at Nagasaki, he might
realize considerable money on them.
patched an agent to Nagasaki TO APP
proach the Russian official on the
subject In the meantime, the mill
tary authorities had got word of the
excitement caused by Isozaki's find.
and there was CONSERVATION in the
official camp lest valuable prize of
the nation had been overlooked and
carelessly lost. But when Isozaki
received the mandate to restore the
purchase. the precious relics were al
rady on the way TO Nagasaki.
The Russian consul, being appris-
ed of the object of the agents visit,
received him with open arms, and
breathless to behold the treasure OF
which he had been informed. When
the flags were unrolled and solemn
ly held up to his gaze, he Immediately
made a profound and reyerential OBJ
eisance to them, to the establishment
of the Japanese, who was not yet
aware of the real nature OF the relics.
For the flags proved 10 be nothing
less than the Imperial standards OF
their Majesties, the Car and Czarlna
of all the Russias. The consul has
tened to agree upon a sum for the
purchase Of the Imperial standards,
witch was finally set at no less a
figure than $4,000; but, just as the
bargain was closed and the flags
were about to be handed over, the
Japanese police appeared upon the
scene and seized the trophies as the
property Of the japanese Govern
ment.
Isozaki has been Obliged to yield
possession Of the captured standards
to the nation, in which, to save his
face as q patriot, he could do no
more than amicably acquiesce; and
Russia. by the merest chance, has
lost the opportunity of regaining
what she would certainly regard as
one Of her most valued national en-
signs.
The Japanese Government, through
Admiral Uryu, has taken these tro-
phies of the nations valor tof its
possession OF which until now 1t was
In entire ignorance), and has carried
them to the capitol. where they have
been set up as the crown of all the
prizes won In the war, and the per
| petual memorial Of the nations VIC
tories over a great antagonist.-The
| Evening Post.