Year: 1877

Correspondents.


The correspondent of the New York
Herald writes from Russian headquar-
ters: Correspondents of a great news
paper duly presented by guarantor,
who will go security for them, will be
duly authorized to accompany the army,
and will be offered every facility. That
is to say, they viii be permitted to move
about freely everywhere and will be fur
nished with all facilities for transporta-
ton, and an officer will be appointed to
furnish them all the information they
desire. This officer was Immediately
appointed, the choice falling on Col.
Hasenkampf, and permission was at
once granted to two correspondence ,one
French and the other American. Word
was Immediately sent to them, and the
following day they presented themselves
to the Colonel, who was surprised at
seeing them, as the reader can well I'M
derstand. | must say that those two
privileged persons have the reputation
though modesty forbids me to say if
it be merited-of being the greatest re-
porters in the world. Now at this mo-
ment both were suffering from sore feet
One had corns, and the other had been
hurt by fall from his horse, so that
they arrived hobbling along on their
crutches as best they could. Imagine
the surprise of Col. Hasenkampf, who
expected to meet two men full of energy
and activity, when two lame men pre-
sented themselves.


When these two cripples had taken
seats, the Colonel, who is a charming
man, stated that all that was asked of
them was not to speak about the move
ments of the Russian troops while they
were being carried out-which is only
just-and to have sent to the staff copies
of the journals they represent, in order
that their letters might be utilized in the
book which is to be written about the
war, and also, perhaps-though this
was not hinted-to see that they are not
too severe. This being understood, the
Colonel sent the two journalists to the
photographers, because there remained
one formality to be fulfilled-namely,
the issue of the safe conduct-and to
prevent errors as well as to prevent spies
from killing the correspondents in order
| to get possession of their passports, it
has been decided that the safe conduct
shall be written on the back of a photo
graph, which will be stamped with the
| commander-in-chief's seal To this
new kind of passport will be joined
some outward mark or sign which has
not yet been decided upon.
At first uniform was spoken of-for
the Russians have craze for uniforms
but it is almost certain that an armlet,
marked with an imperial eagle and
| which can be seen at a good distance,
will be adopted. In this way all the
precautions have been taken. The sol
diers will be able to recognize by the
armlet those who will have a right to
pass, and officers will be able, by means
| of the photograph, to examine the iden-
! tity of the wearer. The correspondents
will note what they see and Col. Hasen.
| kampf will keep them informed of what
they might guess at. So that after wish.
| ing to have nothing to do with newspa
per correspondents at first Russia has
ended by doing what was never done be-
fore in any war by conferring on cor
respondents what may be regarded a;
| official rank. However, these wise pre-
cautions have produced considerable
discomfort. Those unlocked for advan
tages have had the result of begettine
numberless demands for appointment
which in very few cases have been sue
cessful. At this moment only seven il
all have received the desired authorize
ton, which has already caused a choru
of complaints; but what will it be whel
the staff arrive at Bucharest, where
whole battalion of correspondents awai
its arrivals?