The consequence of these horrors has, of course, been a
total destruction of confidence in the Government, and a recru- descence of the fiercest revolutionary spirit. The people doubt whether, the Duma will meet, or when met will have any power, and they are getting ready for another demonstration of their strength. The central Revolutionary Committee declare that within a month the entire people will rise in arms, and have actually threatened to murder Count Witte. There is no proof as yet that they can fulfil their threats ; but Russia is the country of surprises, and the revolutionaries may know of regiments which will support them, or of arms now in the possession of Reservists which they can use. The Czar, who is harassed by fears for Poland,
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and the Caucasus, and the Baltic provinces, and all that is included in the " integrity of Russia," will probably be driven at last to an appeal to force, which may be temporarily successful, as the threat of it by General Trepoff has been in SL Petersburg. As yet, though many officers and soldiers have joined the revolutionary demonstrations, there has been no defection even of a regiment, nor any open quarrel between the Regulars and Cossacks, though it is said that near Odessa the former have quarrelled with the Marines, and even shot some of them down. Count Witte continues to make promises, but declares that organic questions must be left to the Duma. He has increased the electorate by admitting a large number of officials and all householders paying more than £30 a year —equal, we fancy, to £50 here—but he insists that the Duma must be Constituent on this point, and while increasing the number of Members to six hundred, will not admit more than twenty-five representatives of Labour.
