THE EMPEROR NICHOLAS IL*
Tins book is an apology for a man not for a system. Sir John Hanbury-Willia,ms, who was head of the British Military Mission in Russia during the War, kept a diary, and a very sad diary it is. What lies inherent in it—though naturally daily entries in a private book were not the occasion for connected exposition —is that the Russian organisation was futile from the beginning. There was a terrible shortage of munitions. When this shortage could no longer be hidden the enthusiasm of the Army, which had been intense at first, began to evaporate ; and there was unfortunately no power residing in the nation to buckle to and make good the defect. Our experience in this country was quite different. Sir John Hanbury-Williams advised and pleaded, but the results were small. On the other hand, he is able to say with complete sincerity—jottings made at the time in a private diary are necessarily sincere—that the Emperor was a man of scrupulously right intentions, of simple courage and of strong loyalty.
We are not likely to get a nearer glimpse of the Emperor than is provided here. It is evident, though the author is too modest to say so, that the Emperor took Sir John into his confidence at once and in an increasing degree leaned upon him for advice, sympathy and companionship. Reading between the lines we can see that Sir John was able to say to the Emperor what no one else could have said. The determination of the Emperor to be loyal to his Allies and to see the War through comes out very clearly indeed. We are reminded of the remark- able military sacrifices made in the early days of the War by the Grand Duke Nicholas in order to draw off German attention from the Western Front. We have read Sir John's entries about those days with some remorse, as we fear that now, when we have so many grudges against the present rulers of Russia, we are apt to forget what the Russian soldiers did in 1914 and 1915. Yet the stolid bravery of those multitudes, who went quietly and only half-armed to their death, is no palliation for the corruption and mismanagement among those who ought to have provided munitions. On the contrary it makes their conduct seem much worse. Not once, but several times, the Emperor, who watched the repeated disappointments with gloom, indignation and alarm, promised Sir John that he would personally intervene and see that the orders for munitions were carried out. But the system was too strong for the man.
The present writer is reminded of an episode which was related to him by the late Lord Cromer. Lord Cromer described the experience of an officer who went to Russia to co-operate in the placing of contracts for munitions. The Allies were being played off against one another by neutral Powers and the waste due to unnecessarily high prices was great. The British officer was amazed and incensed when he found himself up against a barrier of Russian lethargy and corruption. He stated the gravity of the situation ; he pleaded for the common cause of the Allies ; he even pleaded with Russians for the lives of Russians. He could not obtain a signature for a particularly urgent contract, because a high official was presumably not satisfied that he would make a personal profit. The British officer remonstrated. The Russian explained that there was no question of corruption—officials expected a commission ; it was the custom of the country. Finally the British officer declared,
• The Emperw Nicholas II. as I Knew Rim. By Major-General 8k John Banbury-Winhnn. London A. L. lluraphreys. Ws. net
in anger, that he would see the Emperor himself. Whereupon the Russian smiled incredulously and explained politely that it would be impossible for the officer, his rank and position being what it was, to gain access to the Emperor. If the present writer remembers rightly the British officer did see the Emperor and was promised that the matter should be instantly attended to on the Emperor's own authority. But how far did that authority carry ? An Imperial order no doubt was issued, for the Emperor was scrupulously a man of his word, but it probably then passed out into the wilderness and little or nothing happened.
Hundreds of times the Emperor told Sir John that there was nothing for it but to fight the War to the finish and that he in- tended to do so. But though resolute when talking to one group of persons, the Emperor was helpless, even if he did not allow his resolution to ooze away and did not suffer from a deterioration of moral fibre, when he was talking to another group. The influences round the Empress, though she too was loyal to the Allies and not at all pro-German as was often reported, were poisonous and incalculable. The Empress was a
prey to superstition and to the advice of charlatans. Rasputin was, of course, the chief of these. But Sir John does not think
that even the removal of Rasputin by assassination improved the situation. On the contrary he believes that it hastened the revolution instead of preventing it. The assassination, in fact, gave a glaring publicity to the faults of the Romanoffs.
Before the death of Raaputin, Sir John, seeing that the crumbling away of Russia's energy and purpose was bound to continue if it were not very deliberately arrested, made up his mind to speak to the Empress. One day when he was on the point of leaving Headquarters to visit the British Ambassador at Petrograd he had what seemed an excellent opportunity of unburdening himself. The Empress was speak- ing to him of his visit to Petrograd and remarked : "Well, promise me if you go that you will not believe all the wicked stories that are being gossiped about there." Such was the opportunity. The fateful words which Sir John had long meant to speak were on his lips when the Emperor came up laughing and said, "What are you two plotting about in the corner ? " The conversation broke off, the Empress said good- night and Sir John never saw her again.
He made a plan, however, to write to the Emperor, who suddenly left Headquarters, to try to smooth away the agitations which were ushering in the revolution. Sir John was convinced that the best policy would be for the Emperor to summon the Duma. We will quote part of the letter, which is a very courageous document :—
"Your Imperial Majesty knows full well that I would not venture to approach your Majesty at this time, nor indeed at any other, in the form of a letter were it not that my devotion both to the Emperor and Empress of Russia makes me do so. I am neither diplomatist nor politician, but a pretty old soldier who has seen much of both sides of the British Empire as well as war. . . . In all the troubles I have seen in different countries it has always been found the best plan to have an outlet. It is like an inflammatory growth in the body which wants piercing so that the poison may escape. Free talk in the Parliament or Duma seems to me the outlet, so that the people can feel that those they send to the councils of the Emperor can express their feelings. . . . I know full well that in thus approaching your Majesty I am liable to be told that it is not my business, and that I should return to my own country, but I have absolute belief and trust that you are devoted to the cause of the Allies, and it is only with that cause at heart, and my determined and sincere devotion to both your Majesties, that I venture to take what may be a most improper action and even at my my own risk of dismissal. But whatever happens no one can say that there is a man in Russia, of the Allies of the Russians, more devoted to the welfare of their country. I have served here to the best of my ability since the beginning of the War, with the same devotion to your Majesty as to my own King, and it is only with that equal devotion to both that I venture to write this letter. I trust your Majesty may forgive me for what may appear to you a most improper way of writing."
The letter was never allowed to reach the Emperor, but Sir John met him again after his abdication and told him about the letter. The Emperor then said that he had intended to carry out the very policy which Sir John had suggested. But matters had advanced too quickly. It was too late.
It is a depressing story. "Too late" is written over it all. What relief there is comes from charming accounts of the devotion of the ill-fated Emperor and Empress to one another and of the pretty irrepressibility of the little Tsarevitch.
Previous page
