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Show THE IMPRISONED CZAR. "The Emperor still broods in sullen retirement in the castle of Gatchica. His majesty has paid only two or three fugitive visits to the capital during the last month. On the last occasion he was to attend the funeral cortege of the late Prince Oldenburg to the railway station. His majesty's place was duly marked out in the official programm, but no two people who saw the procession agree as to whether he was behind the bier or not, and the newspapers all contradicted each other as to the Czar's presence. The most probably version seems to be that he awaited the late prince's remains at the railway station. There is no relaxation in the vigilance exercise at Gatchina. General Count Vorontzoff-Dachkoft is reported to have been unable to get on with his imperial master, and to have been obliged to leave him for a time, while, on the other hand, it is stated that the Count has injured his leg and is obliged to keep himself quiet. It has not yet transpired which story is the true one. The contradiction of the first reports as to the way in which the village of Gatchina was protected, a contradiction drawn up by Count Vorontzoff-Dachkoft himself, does not apply to the vicinity of the palace, which is strictly guarded and watched. A short time ago two of the young grand dukes, cousins of the Emperor, were stopped in the grounds by a Cossack, who threatened to spear them if they advanced. A friend, who had occasion to visit the castle to see an official, tells me that as soon as he left the railway station and took the direction towards the palace he felt conscious that the eyes of the police were following him, but it was only when he was about to cross the bridge over the castle moat that he was actually stopped. Here the police officials were all officers. They ascertained his business and escorted him to the service gate of the palace, the only one which is allowed to be approached. He at once found himself in the police office, surrounded by officers. His passport was taken and his description, the time of day and business were all duly noted in a book, which the chief of police is supposed to examine every day. An officer was then sent to inform the official inquired for, while my friend was kept by the police. On the officer returning with a message that the official could be seen, my friend was escorted by a police officer down the long corridors to the rooms of the person he wished to see. All the way Cossack sentinels, with drawn swords, were tramping up and down. It can readily be imagined that no official of the place, however high he may be placed, is particularly overjoyed at present by the visits of his friends. My acquaintance was, therefore, exhorted, for the love of heaven, to continue his conversation to the merest commonplaces, and not to stay too long. When he got to the train on his return journey he felt heartily glad and fortunate, though he could not shake off the sensation that the police were still at his back. Looking out of the windows of the corridor into the court-yard, of which there are four within the castle walls, he saw innumerable stacks of piled muskets, denoting the presence of a large force of infantry, and on the open place in front of the palace were picketed the horses of about a squadron of cavalry. Persons whose business calls them daily to the palace, and who are well known, are rigorously searched. For example, a priest, employed in the service of the imperial chapel, was lately subjected to such a close inspection that even his cigarettes were not overlooked. A Cossack officer is stationed at each of the doors of the sleeping apartments of the Emperor, the Empress and the heir apparent during the night. The last named complains continually of the restraint put upon his movements since his father's accession to the throne. He is not allowed to go out riding in the park, which particularly annoys him. None of the officers or court officials are allowed to be away from the palace more than two or three hours at a time, and all are obliged to be in before nine in the evening.-Letter to London Times. |