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Show m IS LIKELY TO FACE HrJ RUSSIA Czar Will Xo( Be Caught Napping Nap-ping When Xcxi Struggle Is Begun. BY GEORGE FRASER. Special Cable to The Tribune. PT. PETERSIiCKG. Feb. - 5. Russia will deal only 'with "Japan on all matters affecting her interests In Manchuria, and it may bo said that the government of Ihe Czar no more gave up Its designs in 1 lie Far East because of the check Incident Inci-dent to the TJusso-.Iapanese war than it gave up its ambition to ultimately possess ('onstan I inopb' and a big slice of European Turkey because of the Crimean war. 01 after she hail been deprived of tills prize liy the treaty of San Sle-phano. Sle-phano. Tin- reas-op why RtltfKln declined to seriously consider the proposition from the United Stales state department to neutralize the Mamhurfan railway i because Russia is firmly convinced that some lime, it may be years hence, she and Japan will have another trial of strength, with Tilaiichurla. Korea nnd mavbe a good slice of China as the prize. Quletlv Russia is preparing for this struggle, nnd I In- next time she will not be e aught napping. Reorganizing Russian Army. Surprising1 progress has been made in the reorganization of the army, aad xvhlle it lias not perhaps reached the stage of perfection attained in the -Herman army. It is doubtful IT IIWc Is any other European Eu-ropean arniv which is superior in effectiveness effec-tiveness to that of Russia. T.eis progress Is being made In 'the rehabilitation ol the navv. but a naval 'programme ban boon prepared' and will ultimately be carried out which will give the czar In time a formidable sea lighting force.- The most radical reform will be In the personnel. The Japam-se war taught the lesson that sailors an- needed to flsht ships, and officers of-ficers and men as jiearly as possible are? to be recruited from Russia? sea-faring population. Unless Japan forces her hand too s-oon. and fear Of this Is felt here, in the next war she will taco a very different Russia. Amusing Incident at Five. There was a curious and. rather amusing amus-ing Incident at the fire whir-lr destroyed Ihe palace of tit" grand duke. Mcholas Nicola levitcb. which contains great art treasures and much valuable plate. Some fifteen persons endeavored to escape li fleelnr: across the iron roof of the burning burn-ing palace, who. after the cutting of tbe electric cables, suddenly became electrified. elec-trified. The refugees appeared to be .sut-rerlng .sut-rerlng rvnrfully from the electric shocks, anil were seen to dance grolcsepiely am d the rising flames. They wen? eventuailj saved by the fire brigade, the rnembf of which had donned India rubbci hliots. |