The newly born Czarevitch was christened on Wednesday in the
church of the Peterhof Palace. The ceremonial was stately and brilliant, being attended by representatives of most of the great States of Europe, as well as all the greater dignitaries of Russia. The baby is very well, and is said to weigh 10i lb. The Czar, to whom his birth is almost more important than the progress of the war, has issued a mani- festo on the occasion which abolishes corporal punishment for the peasantry and in the Army and Navy, remits certain arrears of taxes, and grants conditional pardons to all political offenders not accused of murder, if they are of good conduct, and apply to the Minister of Justice. Certain concessions are also made to Finland in the way of remission of fines upon municipalities for not complying with the regula- tions as to conscription ; and Finlanders who have fled to avoid service may return if they agree to serve. Finland, however, ceases to be a military district, being merged in the military district of St. Petersburg. A shower of decorations has followed, the most significant being the Order of the White Eagle conferred on M. de Witte, who, however, retains the comparatively powerless position of President of the Committee of Ministers. It will be observed that the Czar, though gracious to classes of offenders, parts with no portion of his absolute authority, and makes no permanent reform, except, indeed, in the matter of
corporal punishment; which, again, will in practice be abolished or not according to the view taken by the bureaucracy of its necessity. Larger concessions were expected ; but the sanguine do not know Russia, or the potency of the influences which there bind the Sovereign to continue in the old paths.
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