The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-17
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.'e"' and each had the opportunity to lay
'nese arguments before Nicholas II. The Elm
pefor at first was quite of opinion that General
Nouropatkine should have the Siberian line
uhoer his control. and accordingly granted his
request. When Count Witte came to him the
next day his report proved to the perpexed
sovereign that the Ministry of Finance was
the proper department to which the admins.
ratlon or the railway should be confded and
30 MS arguments prevailed. with the conse
quence that the decision of the day previous
was changed. But the following morning
kouropatkine returned, and again the scales
were turned in his favor, until Witte with new
reasons once more secured decision In favor
OF his own department This sort of thing, so
1t Is said, went on seventeen times, until at
last Count Witte obtained control of the rail.
way by threatening to resign unless the ad.
mlnistratfon was entrusted to the Treasury
Department."
The Gar. we learn, began the terrible Rus.
slan-Japanese war with feeble Jest:
one man alone Count Witte, had done all
that was In his power to prevent the outbreak
or hostil1ties with Japan. That shrewd Minister
kne" well that In the condition In which Russia
iouhd itself at the moment, war, even a vic
torious one. would have consequences which
IL Is difficult to foresee. He, therefore, tried to
persuade General kouropatkine to give I'D his
"ar1lke plans. But the latter. with the war
party at his back, overruled the Count They
told the Emperor that the country's honor was
nj stake, and that 1t was impossible to 20 back.
tnat; besides, the victory was certain as
anything could be certain in this world that the
army was prepared, and that at the first sight
OF Russian regiments the Japanese troops would
fly In disorder; that the whole campaign would
De military promenade and nothing else. And
at last, when Witte applied to the good sense
OF NICHOLAS ii. and asked him point blank
what advantages he hoped to gain by war
which might still be avoided. and which ought
to be avoided. even at some sacrifice of pride.
and amour propre. the Emperor is credited
with the reply, Why avoid it? 1t Is time to
give some amusement to the nation (Il est
temps donner des distractions au pays).'"
The author gives us some strange gimpses
of the horrors of this war:
During the retreat from Mukden." he says
IAN officer relates that whilst trying to rallv
some of his men. he was startled by the moans
OF some creature In agony, and trudging
through the darkness to the spot whence these
means proceeded, he found a soldier weakly
struggling with huge vulture, who had begun
to snap at his and was tearing the flesh
Of In pieces AS for horses, no sooner had
they fallen than eagles and other birds Of
prey threw themselves upon their bodies and
very quickly tore every piece of flesh from
their bones.
These birds were SO bold and so sure OF the
quarry that was awaiting them that they re.
fused to be driven away, lowering over the
heads OF the miserable beings who were run.
ming for their lives. This sinister escort only
added 10 the horror that had already seized
these poor wretches. It was worse than fight
ing, worse than hearing the bullets whistlinr
IN one ears; far worse even than the scream
ing or Shell fire. 1t CHASTITY reminder
OF the inevitable end. To listen to the noise of
the great wings Tapping in every direction
seemed as II the angel Of death was mockinelv
ana mercilessly journeying with them. ready
any moment to snatch up the souls of men
One person alone kept cool and calm. u wa.
the Emperor. who. when he was told Of tho
misfortune. read quietly the dispatch descrth.
ing IT, and after having done so, went on with
the game OF tennis that he had interu,pted n
peruse II. So ran the story Here was tho
whole OF Russia mourning her children. vet
the inference is inevitabe-the event was M,
d snihcient Importance to make Nicholas II
ABANDON the healthy exercise he liked 70 In
auISe III on bright Summer afternoons!"
Inc world should realize tho crimina, cb.,.
Copyri