28 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-IX 



The Hague to carry out the Czar s supposed purpose, it 

 was found that all was haphazard ; that no adequate stud 

 ies had been made, no project prepared ; in fact, that the 

 Emperor s government had virtually done nothing show 

 ing any real intention to set a proper example. Nothing 

 but the high character and abilities of M. de Martens and 

 one or two of his associates saved the prestige of the Rus- 

 sian Foreign Office at that time. Had there been a man 

 of real power in the chancellorship or in the ministry of 

 foreign affairs, he would certainly have advised the Em 

 peror to dismiss to useful employments, say, two hundred 

 to two hundred and fifty thousand troops, which he could 

 have done without the slightest danger thus showing that 

 he was in earnest, crippling the war clique, and making 

 the beginning of a great reform, which all Europe would 

 certainly have been glad to follow. But there was neither 

 the wisdom nor the strength required to advise and carry 

 through such a measure. Deference to the &quot;military 

 party &quot; and petty fear of a loss of military prestige were 

 all-controlling. 



Take the army and the navy departments. In these, if 

 anywhere, Eussia has been thought strong. The main 

 occupation of leading Russians for a hundred years has 

 been, not the steady uplifting of the people in intellect 

 and morals, not the vigorous development of natural 

 resources, but preparations for war on land and sea. 

 This has been virtually the one business of the main men 

 of light and leading from the emperors and grand dukes 

 down. Drill and parade have been apparently every 

 thing: the strengthening of the empire by the education 

 of the people, and the building of industrial prosperity as 

 a basis for a great army and navy, seem to have been vir 

 tually nothing. The results are now before the world for 

 the third time since 1815. 



An objector may remind me of the emancipation of the 

 serfs. I do not deny the greatness and nobleness of Alex 

 ander II and the services of the men he then called to his 

 aid ; but I lived in Russia both before and since that re- 



