The Grand Duke Constantine.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7202, 10 February 1892, Page 2

The Grand Duke Constantine.

The death notice recalls the days of the Crimean War, aa we used to read the history of that great fight in the picturesque pages of Russell, crisp and freah in the columns of the Times. Juat before Inkermann the Grand Duke Constantino had arrived in the be* leaguered fortress, Ens3ell wrote, and the troops had turned out to receive with acclamation the eon of the Czar Nicholas. A grand attack was to be delivered under his eyes. Every good soldier of Eussia would have an opportunity for distinction and a bottle of bodki. All things pointed to a desperate attack. At that point this narrative, fascinating as a novel, left off like a novel, at the chief point of interest. No cables in those days; we had to wait for the denouement in due course of post. It came. The soldiers' battle! Inkermann for ever inscribed on the Koyal Standard of England's glory ! How marvellously ouv men fought. How the French commander sighed at the end of the day, as in obedience to the order of the first charlatan in Europe he deliberately lost the opportunity of taking Sebaßtopol with bis freah troops —threw away the fruit of the mightiest tight that human army ever won! Such was the day of Inkermann under the eyes of the Grand Duke Constantine.the son Of the Czar Nicholas. Kinglake'e spirited narrative revived our glorious memories of the day. But he only served to corroborate by details the tremendous effective picture of the eye-witness Russell. "When will tboir glory fade?" A. far greater deed the infantry of Britain did that day than their comrades of the Light Cavalry at fialaklava on that other memorable occasion. I 3 their honour as great P We fear it is not. But the Gtand Duke Constantino saw the whole business, and no doubt made his mind quite certain upon it. Now he has gone to the land of peace and goodwill, tfobody but a hypnotist dead aB most hypnotists are to all decenoy, and propriety, and delicacy of feeling would think of asking for his teß* timony. But nobody wants it. Have we not Russell and Kinglake, and the traditions of the British infantry, and Lady Butler's picture ?