RUSSIA AND THE WAR.

Evening Post, Volume LXIX, Issue 48, 27 February 1905, Page 4

RUSSIA AND THE WAR.

Tho Tsar, like Iho French Bourbons, in a time of crisis lags behind tho timo. Ilncl ho boforo "Red Sunday" commanded M. do Witto to speak plainly, as he is now roportod to havo dono, and beon guided by the ndvico of that trusty adviser, the situation might havo beon saved, nnd Duko Sergius yot alivo. Wittc, ordored to dcclnro himself at n Council of Ministers, roundly declared that Uio reforms promised in Decembor would no longer satisfy the people, nnd that thoro was nothing to pro vent tlio Tsar from inviting tho peoplo to cooperate in tho government of the country. Such n proposition would be received with dismay nnd resentment by the react ionnrirs, and it is not matter of surpriso that "tho Council was ndjourncd." Thero will follow tho usual struggle for ))ossession of the Tsar, nnd judging by his weakness in the past ho will bo again persuaded that both tlirouo and nation can only bo saved from destruction by salutary repression, otherwiso by tho ritlo and the knout, to bo followed on to tho survivors by deportation to Iho wilds of Siberia. Now, adoption of Witto's '.viso counsel might arrest development of tho revolution, whilo a month lienco it may bo of as little uso to arrest revolt ns is tho December ukase to • day. Tho daily j talo of strikes and violence continues, and beyond tho commnndod testimony of Wilte thoro is nothing to lighten tho gloom. In Manchuria there lias been heavy fighting, which may develop into n general engagement all along the line. Kuroki, on tho right wing, where ho has boon reinforced with half of NogVs army from boforo i J ort Arthur, is closing in on the left flank of his enemy, and nfter a first rcpul.se captured a position that, looking at tho cost of capture, should bo of first importance. Kurapntkin has found it necetsiiry to heavily reinforco Linovitch, who confronts Kn-,| roki, and this movement will probably bo tho signal for attack on tho, Russian right. A report has roached tho Russian Admiralty that Togo is on tho move from tho Malay Archipelago, his fleet boing accompanied by Ins own and twenty-fivo captured colliers. This looks i liko confirmation of his previously cxprosscd intention to cross tho Indian Ocean to moot tho Baltic Fleet. At most tho steaming distnnco to the orescut wuorenbouts of tho Russian ships could bo covorcd in about fifteen days, so that if business is meant thero must soon bo developments.