DURING My not short life I have met distinguished people in all parts of the world. In our own country the late King Edward took part in a meeting of a Royal Commission before which I was a witness. At the close of my evidence, together with a number of other people, I talked and […]

IN a striking appeal to the Russian people for loyalty and effort on behalf of the nation, Lenin said ; “All Soviet Russia will become a United All. Russian Co-operative Society of Workers.” This is the keynote and explanation of the Soviet Government’s attitude towards the old Russian Co-operative Movement. Socialism, Communism, Bolshevism, mean co-operation, […]

A big discussion and controversy is going on at present as to whether in the future organisation of industry a Government Labour Department will be necessary side by side with Trade Union organisation. No one can yet say what modifications of the Communist system business and trade relationships with the outside world will require. It […]

We set out at nine o’clock to explore the Winter Palace. It forms a quadrangle with several courts, about the size of the palace in Berlin, but the exterior of the latter is much more imposing; it has one story more and the great dome. The Winter Palace, with all its pillars half inserted into […]

Classic architecture, with its grand, cold out-lines, is more wearisomely solemn than ever amid these grotesque, high-colored palaces, and this tumultuous crowd of churches, darting toward heaven a gilded forest of cupolas, domes, pyramidal towers, and bulbous belfries. You might believe yourself, at sight of this Muscovite architecture, in some chimerical Asiatic city—you could easily […]

The Droshky, or drojky, as it is spelled in Russia, is the national vehicle. There is nothing like it in any other country, and it merits particular description. At this very moment, here is one drawn up at the sidewalk, awaiting its master, who is paying a visit within; it seems to be here expressly […]

The celebrated Summer Palace and park of Tzarsko Selo are seven versts beyond Pulkowa. The grounds which are of immense extent—eighteen miles in circumference, it is said—are always open to the public. My newly found relative had been kind enough to procure tickets of admission to the palace and armory, and we made choice of […]

Originally, the Cossacks were divided into the two great branches of Cossacks of the Don and of the Dnieper; the former of these became incorporated with Russia as early as the time of Ivan the Terrible, but the latter were nominally subject to Poland. Both divisions, from their habit of kidnapping Tartar women, had a […]

The large castle of Peterhof, built by Peter I. and enlarged by his daughter Elizabeth, like the palace of St. James, now serves only for representation. Villas and country-houses are scattered over its extensive grounds, and are occupied by the imperial family and their guests. Prince Hohenzollern, Heinz, Katte, and I lodged in one of […]

The great object of interest to all who visit Pultava is the famed field of battle where Charles XII., after years of glory, at last was humbled by his rival Peter the Great. There has been probably but one battle fought within the last 150 years whose consequences can compare in importance with those of […]