TO THE SEAT OF WAR. 153 



by telegraph with all the Russian stations and had 

 summoned to the station captain Beelitz, who luckily 

 was just then in Nikolaiev, to settle the possibility 

 of obtaining telegraph posts. Beelitz answered that 

 he must first consult the Jewish timber - merchants, 

 and had sent out messengers to summon them imme- 

 diately to the station. Then arose a peculiar telegraphic 

 negotiation. Beelitz announces a Jew would undertake 

 the delivery of the poles, but must have fifteen roubles 

 per pole. Answer: "Out with him!*' Reply: "Done!'' 

 Another offers to do it for ten roubles. Answer: 

 "Out with him too!" Reply: "Done!'' A set of 

 others ask six roubles; with these, negotiations are 

 carried on and finally an acceptable offer is obtained, 

 securing timely delivery of the poles. 



Further it turned out that there was a reserve 

 of materials in almost sufficient quantity for the line 

 as far as Perekop, and that there was a prospect of 

 obtaining in Odessa thin iron wires for a provisional 

 line. There seemed therefore a possibility of satisfying 

 the imperial will at any rate in essential points. With 

 the request, to lower the price fi in consideration of 

 the present distressed state of Russia", we so far 

 complied, that we offered to execute the necessary 

 circuit by way of Bereslaw at our own expense. In 

 short the omnipotence of the imperial command again 

 prevailed. The line to Perekop was finished by the 

 required time, and the line to Sebastopol was at least 

 completed early enough for a message to St. Peters- 

 burg announcing the probable fall of the fortress. 



