The Irish standard., 1913-10-11
SAN sTEFANo TREATY
'slaNlNo OF Russo.rURKlsn PACT
VERY IMPRESSIVE. y
Witness Tells Of Famous Historical
Event That Occurred on Sunday,
March s, 1s7e-Psaoe or War
Hung In the Balance.

day on which the signatures were at.
Tackled to the treaty Of peace between
Russia and Turkey at San stefano.
In order to arrange terms OF peace
an armistice had been declared Janu-
airy 81, and slowly the sumor spread
that when, Sunday, March 3, = review
was to take place In honor Of the
czars acceptance Of the throne. there
was more than q possibility that peace
might also be concluded that day. In
consequence, q large number Of ex.
cursionfsts from Constantinople ar.
rived at San stefano by steamboat
shortly after dawn, ana when, as early
rs six in the morning, the whole Of
the Imper1Sl guard magnificent
body Of some 5000 Incorporated be.
fore tho quarters 0f the Grand Duke
Nicholas. even at that early hour a
crowd Of over twenty thousand spec.
tetors had assembled
Slowly the hours passed, and two
O'Clock Ia the afternoon came and
went without any movement from the
house. 80 that at last the dread fear
began to pervade the expectant watch
ers that even now some difficulty
might have arisen which would pre.
vent the signing Of the articles OF
peace. ~.
Happily, however, this fear proved
unfounded. War, nfter Ill, was not to
break out. The review was delayed
owing to the fact that the grand duke
was waiting for the signatures to be
attached to the treaty, which could
not be done until the Russian and
Turkish copies OF that document were
complete.
Whether the delay was caused by
the well known dilatory tactics Of the
Turk I know not. The fact remains,
however, that It was not till close on
i've IN the afternoon that the grand
duke rode UP to the diplomatic
chancery and asked at the door II the
treaty WIS ready. As he waited for q
reply the agitation Of the crowd grew
~ intense as TO almost reach break.
ing point. Groups. of anxious watchers
whispered nervously: 'Is it to be
peace or war? Was the PROSTATE and
gasping Turk to be called upon to
once more put up the best defense he
could to the relentless and ever.ad-
vancing Russian forces?"
The grand duke, wheeling sharply
round. galloped OF to the hill on which
the army was drawn up. and few
minutes afterward a :. carriage - was
seen rapidly driving toward the spot
Az he approached the commander
in.chief, General 1gnatieff. rose and
speaking very slowly and distinctly,
said, II have the honor to congratulate
your highness On the signature Of
peace"
A roar Of Subtraction rose from the
soldiers in the ranks. The grand duke
rode between the lines and, hating on
a small hill, exclaimed: II have the
honor. tpsipfOrm the army that, with
tile help w Aod, We have concluded q
treaty Of peace" Again the cheering
rose and sMelleds for ,thsre was not q
man present sWhp.. dld not experiences
q feelingsof intense relief that all pos.
sibility of renewal Of war was now
Ut amend: ysS
All Tie oficers| then dismounted. the
soldiers knelt and. ofs..a sudden. a
great hush spread over the crowd
which ha1 only a;teM, seconds before
been npisily elated with excitement.
The sight was one shall never for
Hnf,