THE UNHAPPY CZAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 3383, 31 May 1881, Page 2

THE UNHAPPY CZAR.

PRECAUTIONS FOR HIS SAFETYA PLEASANT WAY TO H?mr\ ONK'S LIFE.

NEW YORK, April 28.

Telegrams from St. Petersburg give a gloomy account of the new Czar's life at the Castle of Gatsoliina, thirty miles from the capital. Before the court removed thither several hundred artisans of the Preobrozinski regiment were sent to make the necessary alterations. At midnight they assembled in the church at Gatsehina and were sworn to silence, death or Siberia being the penalty of violating the oath. Ten roubles was the piice of each man's silence. Alterations were made in forty-eight hours. Vodki soon loosened the tongues of the workmen and the following is a description of the precautions against assassination made in the palace of the Czar, A subterranean passage leads from the Czar's room to the stable, where a number of homes are kept saddled and bridled day and nifcht; Sentinels are pnsted at interirals of twenty yards all around the building; the imperial bedroom has two windows, protected at night by massive iron shuttois, which can only be reached from the outsiile by passing through three spacious ante-chambers, iv which are posted eighty Cossacks, armed to the teeth. They are allowed to speak and move about in two outer rooms, but in the hall adjoiuing the Czar's bedroom perfect silence is maintained all night. The General on duty for the day sits in an easy chair, (his Cossacks hitting on a divan which runs around the whole room. At the General's right is the knob of an electric apparatus which rings a bell in every guardhouse within the palace grounds. When the Emperor is about to retire, before shutting the door he removes the outer handle, so no entrance can be effected until he himself personally opens the door from the inside. Unlike his father, he canuot endure armed soldiers in his bedchamber.

(Several mines have been discovered at St. Petersburg, aud a quantity of dynamite was seized just after it had been introduced into the courtyards of the Palace at tJataohine, concealed in a load of hay.

The Czarina is seriously ill, being subject to severe nervous attacks and strange hallucinations.