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Ambassador Meyer to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

AMERICAN EMBASSY,

St. Petersburg, August 8, 1906.

General committee which ordered a general strike has now declared it off; main cause of failure, nonparticipation of the railroads and universal reluctance of workmen.

MEYER.

Chargé Eddy to the Secretary of State.

No. 634.]

AMERICAN EMBASSY,

St. Petersburg, August 23, 1906.

SIR: I beg leave to confirm herewith my cablegram of to-day sent en clair, as follows:

All strikes concluded, Reval; factories have resumed work.

I have, etc..

SPENCER EDDY.

Chargé Eddy to the Secretary of State.

[Telegram.]

ST. PETERSBURG, August 26, 1906. Three men dressed as officers entered the house of Prime Minister and attempted his life by throwing a bomb into the room where he usually works. He was not there and escaped harm; his son and daughter hurt; 15 killed and 15 injured; also 1 of the murderers dead. The embassy called on the minister and I wrote the usual letter to minister for foreign affairs. City quiet.

No. 665.]

Ambassador Meyer to the Secretary of State.

EDDY.

AMERICAN EMBASSY,

St. Petersburg, October 13, 1906.

SIR: In confirming my cablegram of the 10th instant, sent en clair, as noted below, I beg to inclose copy of a letter dated October 11, from the American vice-consul in charge at Warsaw, relating to the general strike in Lodz.

Consul Warsaw telegraphs (quote) Lodz general strike owing execution five terrorists (quote).

I have, etc.,

[Inclosure.]

G. v. L. MEYER.

The American Vice-Consul to Ambassador Meyer.

WARSAW, October 11, 1906.

SIR: I have the honor to confirm my yesterday's wire, running thus: “Lodz general strike owing (to the) execution (of) five terrorists." The strike, which was extended to Zgierz and Pabjanice, in vicinity of Lodz, was of demonstrative character and is not likely to hold on.

I have, etc.,

WITOLD FUCHS.

No. 677.]

Ambassador Meyer to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN EMBASSY. St. Petersburg, October 31, 1906. SIR: I beg leave to report that while about 600,000 rubles were being conveyed in a close carriage escorted by six mounted gendarmesfrom the maritime custom-house to the provincial treasury, a bomb was thrown under the horses, killing one outright and wounding the other. The gendarmes' horses bolted and the coachman fled. The occupants of the carriage were uninjured, but dazed. Meanwhile the carriage was surrounded by the robbers, the money bags seized and passed on to a woman in a droshky, who drove off at great speed, leaving the men to carry on the fight. More bombs were then thrown, and the gendarmes by this time began using their rifles, aided by the police and private watchmen.

It is a wonder that a number of people were not killed by the fusillade. The casualties were three gendarmes, an accountant, three watchmen, one woman, and one boy, all wounded; one watchman killed and one robber killed, five afterwards arrested. I examined the place the next day, which was in the center of the city on one of the most frequented thoroughfares, and found that the windows in a house on one side of the street were shattered, which was the extent of the damage.

It appears now that the bombs had been manufactured for the purpose of making a noise and alarming the people, rather than for destruction. The amount of money carried off amounted to 366,000 rubles. V. L. MEYER.

I have, etc.,

No. 680.]

G.

Ambassador Meyer to the Secretary of State.

[Extracts.]

AMERICAN EMBASSY,

St. Petersburg, November 1, 1906. SIR: I beg leave to report that during part of the month of October I made a trip to Odessa via Vilna, stopping first in Russian Poland. From Odessa I traveled by steamer to Sebastopol, from there across country by stages through the Crimea, then by the military road over the mountains to Bakchisarai, an ancient Tartar capital, and then by rail to St. Petersburg via Moscow.

Throughout Volhynia and as far as Odessa crops had been harvested and winter wheat sown, and the peasants were busily engaged hauling the beet root to the sugar factories or way stations.

Odessa is a city of about half a million inhabitants, one-third of which are Jews. They are not confined to any special district, but are at liberty to make their abode in any part they see fit.

I found the streets of the city rather deserted at night, with many special watchmen and gendarmes at nearly every corner, with loaded rifles and fixed bayonets.

General Baron Kaulbars impressed me most favorably as a straightforward and honorable man. He informed me that he should punish all those who committed crimes or endeavored to disturb the peace, irrespective as to whether they were Russians or Jews. His

brother assured me that there would be no pogrom in Odessa while the General was in command.

Sebastopol is a closed port. There appears to be a change for the better in the discipline and conduct of the sailors since Admiral Skrydloff has been in command. Although a short time ago the scene of mutiny and disorder, now, as far as appearances went, it was perfectly quiet, and it was the opinion of the Admiral that future outbreaks, if they occurred, would never be successful as long as the men were unable to get the support of their officers.

Throughout the Crimea I saw no sign of disturbances. Much attention is being paid, with considerable success, to the cultivation of the grape, the royal family also having a very large interest.

Traveling north from Simferopol to Moscow, at two of the stations a few troops were in evidence, but nowhere did I see or hear of disturbances of any kind among the peasants.

In Moscow all the gendarmes, as in Odessa, were carrying the loaded rifle with fixed bayonet, and at the entrance to the bank a soldier was invariably stationed, but here again, as in Odessa, business was most active, with much traffic in the street, carried on without interruption.

In some of the mill districts in different parts of the country agents have been shot when they were unpopular with the men. This occurred last Saturday in an English manufactory outside of Petersburg, but, strange to say, the greatest trouble has been with the Belgian companies.

On the whole, the revolutionary movement, for the time being, has lost its momentum. A year ago it was on the crest of the wave. Then a strike could be ordered and put in force without any difficulty, but now the workmen refuse to be used for political purposes or respond to the whims of the agitator.

The present conditions are liable to continue until the next Douma. March 5. Yesterday, which was the first anniversary of October 17 (Russian style), it had to be given out by some of the revolutionists that there would be strikes, uprisings, and agitations throughout the country. But the day passed off quietly.

Mr. Stolypin is facing with much courage and resolution the stupendous task which confronts him. He is endeavoring to deal fairly, while at the same time it is necessary to reestablish law and order. He has issued instructions to governor-generals and prefects of cities restricting the jurisdiction of the field courts-martial to cases of serious crimes and criminals taken red-handed. This should tend to confine the operations of the courts-martial to the repression of real crime and prevent their abuse for political vengeance.

He has also rebuked the reactionists, who were prone to adopt the methods of the Black Hundred. This has aroused some indignation among them.

Stolypin informed one of my colleagues that he was reporting everything to the Czar and keeping him thoroughly informed and the reports that he was about to resign were without foundation of any kind.

Conscription began last week in several provinces. Conscripts are reporting themselves without noticeable abstentions. The conscription in St. Petersburg has also started.

I have, etc.,

G. v. L. MEYER.

No. 718.]

Ambassador Meyer to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN EMBASSY,

St. Petersburg, December 15, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to confirm the following cable sent you this afternoon en clair:

Attempt made here to-day to assassinate Dubassoff, former governor Moscow during strike 1905; three bombs thrown, one took effect; wounds not thought fatal; two assassins captured, third escaped.

Admiral Dubassoff was walking in the Tauride Gardens early this afternoon when the attack was made upon him. He was wounded, it seems, in the foot.

I have, etc.,

No. 729.]

G. v. MEYER.

Ambassador Meyer to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN EMBASSY,

St. Petersburg, December 28, 1906.

SIR: I beg leave to report that Count Alexei Ignatieff was assassinated December 21 at Tver while attending a meeting of the provincial zemstvo, to which he had been elected.

During a recess in the debates, when about to enter the refreshment room, he was shot by a young man. The assassin said he had acted under orders of the Socialist revolutionary committee.

Count Ignatieff was the brother of the well-known diplomat. He had been governor-general of Eastern Siberia in 1885, in 1889 assistant minister of the interior, and in 1890 governor-general of Kieff until 1897. Since then he has been a member of the Council of the Empire. He has been strongly opposed to the ukase of October 30 and was regarded as the leader of the reactionary party at the court, at one time being mentioned as a possible prime minister.

I have, etc.,

G. v. L. MEYER.

PROTECTION OF THE NESTORIAN CHURCH IN PERSIA.

No. 116.]

The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Meyer.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington. February 17, 1906.

SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 426,“ of the 27th ultimo, transmitting a letter of L. O. Fassum, dated at Urmia, Persia, in which he asks for protection of the Nestorian Church against aggressions, and requesting instructions in the premises.

In reply I have to advise you that it does not appear that the American boards are in any way parties in interest in the matter.

If the conduct of the Russian monks is as alleged, it would follow that the Persian authorities are at fault in not protecting the Syrian.

a Not printed.

Church at Urmia from Russian aggression. It is therefore a matter between Persia as the protector of the church on the one hand and Russia on the other as responsible for the various trespasses committed by Russians in the territory of Persia.

Mr. Fassum seems to be in no way concerned unless it be as a voluntary agent, and his interference in the premises can not give him any claim for support or assistance from the American Government. If the American boards were concerned it might be different, but there is no foundation laid for the suggestion of a claim on their part.

Mr. Fassum's object seems to be to persuade this Government to aid Persia in a controversy against Russia in which American interests are in no way involved. The mere mention of the claim carries with it a negative answer.

I am, etc.,

ROBERT BACON.

No. 108.]

AMERICAN CITIZENS RESIDENT IN RUSSIA.

The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Meyer.

DEPARTMENT Of State, Washington, January 17, 1906.

SIR: The department has received your No. 377, of December 28 last, relative to the case of Mordiros Sevoian's application for a passport. His certificate of naturalization, issued by the common pleas division of the supreme court of Rhode Island, at Providence, June 13, 1896, which you transmit, has been filed with your dispatch.

It may be added, however, that even an attempt to procure a passport under false pretenses is not by itself sufficient reason for sequestrating a certificate of naturalization. This paper should not be taken up by an officer of the United States unless there is good reason to believe that it was improperly issued, fraudulently obtained, or is in the unlawful possession of a person to whom it was not issued.

I am, etc.,

ROBERT BACON.

No. 445.]

Ambassador Meyer to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN EMBASSY,
St. Petersburg, February 15, 1906.

SIR: I have the honor to refer to the department, for its decision in the case, the passport application of one Johan George Joseph Albert von Mertzenfeld, a naturalized citizen of the United States residing in St. Petersburg.

The applicant was born in Aachen, Germany, May 26, 1835; he was naturalized before the superior court of the city of New York as Albert Mertzenfeld, September 16, 1856; he received the passport No. 14602, issued by the Department of State, September 17, 1856, signed by the Hon. William L. Marcy, the then Secretary of State, which he subsequently exchanged for the passport No. 170, issued to himself and his wife, Amanda Olivia, born Jernstedt, by this embassy, then a legation, under the date of July 30, 1874, and signed by Eugene

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