CABLE NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT.] REVOLT IN RUSSIA.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 147, 19 December 1905, Page 7

CABLE NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT.] REVOLT IN RUSSIA.

. « INDICTMENT OF THE AUTOCRACY; CHAOTIC CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. A VIOLENT MANIFESTO. {rMSSS ASSOCIATION.! ST. PETERSBURG, 18th Dec.

The Council of Workmen's Delegates, tho Peasants' 'Committees' Congress, the Democratic Workmen's party, and the Social Revolutionaries at St. Petersburg have issued a violent indictment of tho Autocracy. They declare that, owing to chaotic and dishonest financo, Russia is on the verge of bankruptcy. The troops, it is stated, are hungry and revolting, and it is urged that the Government must be overthrown' and deprived of the taxes, and a constituent Assembly summoned. The manifesto adds that the workers have decided that they will not allow payment of debts contracted by tho Government since the date of its openly waging war against the whole nation. The chief newspapers, with the exception of tho Novoe Vremya, published the indictment. All copies of the newsI papers containing the manifesto have been confiscated, and publication of the papers temporarily suspended. Meanwhile copies of the indictment are being sold at a shilling each, under tho eyes of the police. The editors of tho offending newspapers have been arrested, also the whole of the two hundred and fifty members of tho Council of Workmen' 3 Delegates. A COUNTERBLAST. THE QUESTION OF REFORMS. CONCESSIONS TO STATE EMPLOYEES. ST. PETERSBURG, 18th Dec. As a result of the publication of the indictment, an official communique has been issued in which it is stated that I the Government considers it is its duty 1 to execute reforms on the basis ' of the Tsar's recent manifesto. The Government believes the best method of fightI ing the revolutionaries is to rely on the | laws, regulations, and ordinances, but should these fail, the necessity for altogether exceptional measures will become evident. The communique goes on to say that the Government considers the railway men's complaints and demands largely justified, and the Council of State will include sixteen million roubles in the Estimates for 1906 for the improvement of conditions of service. It is also announced that the minimum salary of post or telegraph officials is to be fixed at 468 roubles, instead of 300 roubles, with a quinquennial riso of salary in the case of ofhcials whose conduct is good. Half a million roubles will be distributed among post and telegraph officials who have worked overtime during the railway strike. The Tsar, adds the communique; has" 1 sanctioned a law imposing imprisonment on persons inciting, or beginning, or participating in a strike on the railway and telegraph stations. Membership of associations whose aim is the production 'of strikes entails imprisonment in a fortress for terms ranging from sixteen to forty-eight months. Wages will not be paid during arbitrary stoppage of work. Employees injured in health or incapacitated by the acts of strikers will receive compensation or pensions. If killed, their families will be provided for. POSTAL AND RAILWAY STRIKE. LONDON, 18th December. The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says a postal and railway strike will be proclaimed to-day. Minor demands, including privacy in respect to their letters, increase of rations, and regular payment, have been granted to telegraph officers. Most of tho post offices at Moscow are open. Some telegraphists are replacing sorters and postmen. STATEMENT BY COUNT WITTE. A WARNING. (Received December 19, 8.44 a.m.) ST. PETERSBURG, 18th Dec. Count Witte, replying to the Zemstvoists' memorial, said he was unable to entertain the petitions, as it would be going beyond the Tsar's manifesto. It was, ho added, impossible to forestall the Duma's action. All classeß were warned to remember the consequences of not supporting the Government. The newspaper Buss, commenting on the Premier's statement, says : — " It is evident the nation must organise against Count Witte." MARTIAL LAW. (Received December 19, 8.15 a.m.) ST. PETERSBURG, 18, th Dec. A ukase empowers all Governors of municipal authorities, in the event of interference with the railway, postal, or telegraphic communication, to impose full or modified martial law. Pour thousand soldiers at Irkutsk (in Siberia) resolved to demand the abolition of martial law, and the convocation of a Constituent Assembly. t PRECIPITATING THE STRUGGLE. (Received December 19, 8.16 a.m.) ST. PETERSBURG, 18th Dec. The Government has ordered tho dissolution of the Railway Union. Revolutionaries interpret this as a provocation to precipitate tho struggle before disaffection permeates the army. SERIOUS DISTURBANCES. FIGHTING AND INCENDIARISM. CASUALTIES AT 13AT0UM. ST. PETERSBURG, 18th Dec. The municipality at Riga, after notifying the nobles, cntered'into negotiations with the rebels. The latter demand in' return the surrender of seventeen hostages, the recognition of a Lithuanian republic .by the nobles, and tho # abolitidn of martial law. Serious fighting and incendiarism havetaken place at Mitau. A castle at Lemberg was saturated with' petroleum and set nfiie. Out of 120 dragoons in the Mitau district thirty-four are missing. The tioopa and people in the Suvalki district ur© in revolt. The inhabitants refuse to pay taxes, and have burned the Government office*,

A street at Batoum, on the southeastern shore of the Black Sea, was barricaded, and fierce fighting took place between the troops and tho revolutionaries. The military employed artillery. Many persona were killed, including Ottoman .subjects. The Porte is sending vessels to remove refugees. A similar state of affairs prevails at Poti and Kutais, north of Batoum. A CHANGE OF FEELING. (Received December 19, 8.44 a.m.) ST. PETERSBURG, 18th Doc. Like tho Brest regiment at Sevastopol the mutineers at Moscow, regretting they were misled by revolutionary propaganda, revolted against the ringleaders. They then rushed into the streets, cheered the Tsar, and handed the ringleaders over to the authorities. TO REMOVE GERMAN RESIDENTS. (Received December 19, 8.44 a.m.) LONDON, 18th December. Prince yon Bulow, German Chancellor' of the Exchequer-, is chartering steamers to remove the German residents at Riga, Libau and Reval. FINANCES. (Received December 19, 8.15 a.m.) ST. PETERSBURG, 18EB Dec. The Red Cross funds are being invested in St. Petersburg to sustain the Russian rentes. LONDON, 18th December. The Russian Government has remitted £5,000,000 abroad, presumably as interest i on her debt.