296 SIBERIA 



anonymous wreath to the Nelson Monument, 

 Trafalgar Square, every year. Before he left Hong- 

 Kong his Chinese friends had been afraid that some- 

 thing would happen to him and that he would never 

 get back to England by the Siberian route. 



This gentleman has a house in Piccadilly. He 

 said his wife could not staind the sea and would 

 not go to China, but he was so very favourably 

 impressed with the Siberian railway, had received 

 such politeness and a,ttention from the oflScials in 

 charge of ttie train, and had been able to procure 

 such excellent food, that instead of dreading the 

 journey as when he started he had come to look upon 

 it as one of the pleasantest holidays he had ever spent 

 and felt in the best of health. Another of the 

 paissengers was a German who was on the way from 

 Pekin. He said he thought it very silly to attempt to 

 prevent Russia from occupying Manchuria, as that 

 country would keep Russia occupied for the next 

 I DO years on account of its being overrun by robbers, 

 which require quite a: little army to keep them under 

 control. This is no doubt one of the reasons why 

 there were so many soldiers in Manchuria. When 

 Japan began the war the Russian nation was not 

 prepared, and apparently had no idea of war, which 

 goes far to prove that the Czar's desire for universal 

 peace is sincere. 



There were two naval officers on the train, and 

 a General with his daughter. There was a merchant 

 from Odessa, and a stout lady who smoked more 

 Russian cigarettes than many men. The passengers 

 were a very sociable party. The German language 

 will carry you almost anywhere near the Siberian 

 railway. All three naval officers spoke English and 

 German fluently. They were very polite and friendly, 

 and I got on very well with them. Baron von 

 Raden, one of the naval officers, was returning from 



