SAILING OF S. S. CONEMAUGH 13 



(they call them wagons in Russia) were at hand to 

 move the entire cargo. By order of the head of 

 the department of the railways these trains were 

 given right of way before all others, not excepting 

 passenger trains. 



The Imperial Government carefully observed 

 official independence in all matters connected with 

 the gifts of private charity, whether from their 

 own people or from abroad, and it is well known 

 that all such gifts met with the most kindly ap- 

 proval and grateful sympathy of the Emperor and 

 Empress and with the hearty sanction of their 

 Court and Cabinet. 



I heard of well-authenticated cases of inter- 

 ference with the relief organization by local 

 tchinovniks (officials), but this happened at the 

 beginning of their work, and may be accounted for 

 on the ground that these lazy and inefficient office- 

 holders were piqued because they were not 

 allowed to have a hand in it. They soon found, 

 however, that the authorities at St. Petersburg 

 would give them their just deserts if they did not 

 mind their own business and let the voluntary 

 workers take their own course, so there was no 

 interference nor trouble of any kind afterwards. 



