1917-03-17 — Page 7

·THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1917.

TELEGRAMS.

(Deuter's Service to The "Telegraph.”] ·

RUSSIA'S UPHEAVAL.

STREET FIGHTS AND RIOTING.

ABDICATION OF THF TSAR.

London, March 15.

After an ominous silence, aowa is at last arriving from Kassis, describing the stirring events in the capital.

Healer's correspondent at Petrograd, writing on March 13, say that he has been day and night.in the streets during the last three daye, and has seen long quenes of hungry men, women and children outside the bakers' ehopu... He has seen the wanton firing of riflen and machine guns, has seen civil war in the main thoroughfares, yet has not heard a single word against the war,

The shortage of food, the lack of organisation, and the neglect to take the most izmentary precautions, in popularly ascribed to German influences. There is patriotic determination to Er terminate these influences, fired by the recent killing of the Court Monk, Raspatin The conflagration burat on March 12, and Router hears that the purpose in achieved.

The regiments declared for the Duma and the people, and the naval barracks were opened to enable ssilors to participate..

Describing the scenes in the streets, the correspondent says the hoops were ordered to use their rifles and machine guns. There were only a few cartridges in their belts and maobine guns, but the crowds were to dense that many fell. The riflemen wither, had a large number of blank cartridges or they were shooting intentionally badly. The garden in front of the Cathedral ass packed with the populace, when a large force of Cosmoke came up. All the people thereapon knelt and the Cossacks did not fire,

TELEGRAMS.

(Beatar'a Servios to the " Telegraph."} ̈ ̈

RUSSIA'S UPHEAVAL.

Telegraphing on the evening of March 18 Reuter's correspoa- dent at Petrogard says that all the military and naval foros in Petrograd have now declared themselves to be on the side of the people. Troops from Cronstadt, with a few officers arrived, and joined in the movement. The streets are now perfectly safe, though there was occssional exuberant firing.

There has been wholesale demolition sad berning of Police, Stations in revenge for the Polios, in soldiers paiforms, maoning machine guns and dropping grenades from buildings sad bog488. The naval brigade, thus fired on by machine gane, retaliated with a sharp fusilade, broke into a hotel which was used as a hospital, and arrested two-hundred Russian officers. They took them before the Dama.

Foreign officers were among those wounded, including British officers, who were treated with the greatest coartany and transferred

elsewhere.

It is estimated that the civilian os.ualties numbar a few hund- red, of which most were wounded. The strasta i resent an animated appearance with troops and hospital vans. There is oraseless cheering and a feeling of deep thanksgiving for what was accom- plished with wo little bloodshed.

When the disturbanos culminated, the Ministers were eilting in the Admiralty which was defended by troops, but the guard finally went over to the revolutionaries, The Minister of Justice took refuge in the Italian Embassy from which he telephoned to. Rodzianko, President of the Dams, to send a motor ear to take him to the Dama Committee.

Dabrovia, the Black Hundred leader, was arrested" and taken towards the Dams.

Late last night the ex-Minister M. Protopoff, voluntarily sur. rendered.

The Commissioners of the Executive Committee of the Dama have taken over the Ministries, and other important appointments have been made. There is little doubt that the-army is now 80-

The people were particularly resentful against the Palies, because several of them were employed on March 11 to fire into the crowd, in consequence of a reluesi of many of the soldiers to do eo.saimous, including a number of officers of crack regimente, Several police, including a tigh official, were shot later.

Several Gaside regiments, numbering twenty-five thousand, 8me of their officere were shot, mes, joined the people wits arms. Azodier Guarde regiment refused to fire on the arsenal and artillery headquartere, from which the commandont was taken and killed.

The British military attecas who was there at the time was escorted towarde his embassy by a guard from the fortress of Peter and Pool, and sizo entered the beadquarters of the revolutionary | forosa.

Hembers of the Dama, assembling on March 5, found an Imperial rescript suspending the session till April. Thereupon a party of leaders decided not to disperse. A bialoric sitting was held, at the conclusion of which the President selegraphed to the T-ar do- Roribing the prevailing conditions. He mentioned that the troops were firing against one another. Tas President requested that a person enjoying the confidence of the country auould be charged with the formation of a new Government.

He proceeded: Dolay in impossible. Any delay means death, Pray God, this our responsibility will not fill on a Crowned Head." The President of the Dams similarly wared the Chief of Staff, General Alexieff, and the commanding generals, asking them to ase their influence with the Emperor.

General Branioff replied: "I kuiva fulfilled my duty to the Tear and my country.'

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General Rassky replied that he had carried out the request of the President, and sent antuer telegram to the Toer saying that the sita stion was getting worse, and urging that immediate measures should be taken, fur to-morrow may be too late. The last hour has arrived when the fate of the country and dynasty is being decided." Replying to a depatation of revolting troops, who had enquired se to the Duma'a atitude, the President communicated the resolution tast the hour had strack for the change of sathority, in which the Dams should take the most active part. The President dwelt on the argency of preserving order. Tas Daua hid appointed a party committee with that object.

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Later more troops and arme citizens arrived at the Dams where the guard was replaced by troops în revolt, why took over the charge of the building.

At five-shirty a revolutionary sport-brought in the President of the Council of the Empire under arrest. He is an ex- Minister of || Justice, and one of the most prominent reactionaries, He was lodged in the Ministériul zoom at the Dams. It was intimated that steps were being taken to remove the so-oslled Garman gang once and for all.

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On March 14 the French and British Ambassadors entered into

bariaess relations with the Executive Committee of the Dam3,

The Grand Dake-Cyril informed the Committee that he had placed the Marines under his orders at its disposal. The Grand Dake visited the President and also placed himself at the disposal of the Dums. Revolutionary troops have occupied the winter palace. The Dama Committee has arrested" M. Goramy, kin, the ex Premier. Moscow adhered to

the-moto menti within an hour and a half, without a drop of blood being shed. M. Rudzianko has issued a manifesto to the army sad the RoG suring them that the struggle against the focerga -enemy is not suspended for one moment. Telegraphing March 16 Cronstedt, - Barkoff, and Nijai-Novgorod bare declared for the new Government. Political prisoners are everywhere being released. The Dams has Arrested Dr. Bark the Finance Minister.

A Resume.

The three day's silence from Russia has been broken by Beuter's correspondent a Petrograd, who, wiring on March 13, describing the revolution which has resulted in the Dama, aided by the army, assuming Government, and in the arrest of reactionary Ministers and sz-Ministers whom the people had long suspected of pro-German sympathies which, were responsible for a shortage of food and lack of enthusiam in cordasting the war," Popular discontent has been smodidering since Maror 10 sad is funed apon on March 11.. It become a conflagration on March 12 when there was fighting in the nicosia, in which sul liece fought against soldiers and the people. Is eaded by the troops, including the Guards and the navy, joining the revoltionists.

With the Premier a momentity, it was not surpising that the food situation produced dienly."'Although 'thousands of Omanoks and mounted infantry patrolled. Neviky, the people, andeterred.. demonstrated on March 10, and it is worthy of remark that they were mostly of the middle class. Tasy cheered the troops and some of the latter dofind their cäps and cheered back; but to this eloquent sign of the times the authorities remained blind.

Not a Peace Mave.

London, March 16,

The news spread that the revolutionaries had seized the bated Kreaty Prison. After a short resistance, all the political prisoners In the House of Comm101 Mr. Bonar Lew mid that telegrams » were liberated and the same followed other prisoners to the detre-showed that Petrograd was becoming more or less, ander ordered tive headquarters," where they demolished the archives relating to political personages and organisations, and burned them,

Early in the alternoon the Premier, M. Golitxin, telephoned to the President of the Dame, that he had resigned.

The revolutionaries searched the houses of several Ministers in Council.

The workmen'a delegates issued a manifesto to the

10 attend. revolting troops, inviting them

❤ massting at the "Dame, on the basis of one representative per battalion and per thousand, or low. The workmen also respectively appealed to the people to saaist in provisioning the troops, pending the organisation of supplies. Civilians.continued to arrive at the Dams, in motor esra and lorries, bringing with them large reserves of ourtridges, which were promptly distributed.

Oratore from the Dums steps dwelt on the necessity for the preservation of order and the need for an immediate resumption of work in all the factorios, lest the armies at the front should be handicapped when on the verge of victory,

The correspondens, after listening to the spesohen, returned to the centre of the town where he found that the Law Courts were in Alamos, - A little distance off he saw signs of the recent fight between the factions of the guard and machine guns and rifles, but there were faw casualties. But generally the Government troops showed little reluctance in accepting the inevitable.

cule. That rule was rule over which the President of the Dams was t exercising control: (Loui Cheere.) "We have every repson to care believe that the movement is in nowite devoted towards an effort.... ..... to secure peace, but against the Government for act oarrying on tha war with the efficiency and energy exposted of it.

Sympathy From the Front.

London, March 16, Reuter's correspondent" at "Petrograd says that on Thursday evening the Grand-Dake Nicholas telegraphed to M. Bodianko that, in agreement with Graoral Alexied, he had requested the Tsar to take the only possibly decision which would save Rassis, and secure victory. Calm is rapidly being restored in Ppirograd, Troope are still clearing roofs sad garrots. The partisans under the old regime, The garrison at Tearkoe Salo bere adhered to the new Government, volcɔming the latter's delegates most enthusiastically.

The motion of the polios in firing on the crowde, which most of the troops refused to do, was resented by the soldiery: there were fierce battles at various palata between the police and the troops, and many police aistiona and detective headquarters wars burnos, with all the archives relating to political personages and orguninn- |sions.