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Show GRAND DUKE ALEXIS HAS RESIGNED 1, JpBfe The Uncle of the Czar is Nc Longer at the Head of the Russian Army and Navy. MANY UGLY RUMORS AFLOAT. Charges of Mismanagement and Tales of Corruption and Even Worse Against the Marine Department. St. Petersburg. The sensational announcement an-nouncement is made that Grand Duke Aloxis, tho high admit al, who is an undo of the emperor, and Admiral Avellan, head of the Russian admiralty admir-alty department, have resigned. TIiIb announcement was followed n ew minutes min-utes later by an imperial rescript re-llovlng re-llovlng tho grand duke of the supremo direction of tho navy, which ho had held sinco the days of tho emperor'b father, Alexander III, when Russia resolved re-solved to enter tho lists as a first-class sea power and to build up a great navy, tho remnants of which were destroyed de-stroyed In the battlo of the sea of .In pun Although from time to time since the war begun there have been rumors ru-mors that the grand duke would retire on account of tho savage criticisms, not to uso harsher terms, directed against tho administration of tho navy, especially in tho construction of ships, tho announcement of his resignation came Hko a bolt from the blue sky. It was not preceded by any of tho rumors which usually give wnrnlng of such an act. Consequently It was assumed as-sumed that some sudden event precip itated it, and ugly fSEfW'wdlaiPh camo to luo surface$Jfjj Among those sojourning Ule In the cafes and hotels, thejjjHurlal In the Nassa Shl-h TurtuByde;iiiwdln an accounting of the pop" ndi sub-scribed sub-scribed for Ihe rebuilding of the na and declaring that "great names are no longer guarantees,;:"! Instantly rccnlled. The words of the rescript give no hint of ImpcrW'anger and the real explanation probably will not leak out for several 'days, hut the lu stent disposition was fo regard the re tlrement of Grand nk" Alis and Admiral Avellan as concession to public opinion, following the mining tragedy of the sea of jjann" Charges of mismanagement and talcs of corruption and een worse against tho marine department have been rife for years. -After the war be gan they Increased tenfold and lately a regular campaign against tho depart mont has been openly, conducted ir tho nowapapors. Some startling revo lalions havo been mado In this cam palgn, and Captain Clado, who was ont, of tho leading critics of the conduct of tho navy, was dismissed "from the service ser-vice for his persistence., Grand Duke Alexis himself did not eBcnpo personal attack's, and Bcandal was so busy with his name that ho was several times tho subject of public pub-lic demonstrations. Tho name of tho grand duke was high on the list of thoso condemned by the terrorists, and after "Red Sunday" (Jan. 22 last), It was reported that he had fled abroad, but It developed .that he was merely keeping closely within his palace. pal-ace. ' |