THE GRAND DUKE SERGIUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 42, 18 February 1905, Page 5

THE GRAND DUKE SERGIUS.

The Grand Duke Sergius,-who was 49 years old at the time of his death, was one of the three uncles of Czar Nicholas, who have divided between themselves the chief administrative powers of the Empire. The Grand Duke Vladimir, the eldest surviving son of Alexander IL, is permanent Com-mander-in-Chief of the army, the Grand Duke Alexis is High Admiral of the navy, and the Grand Duke Sergius was lieutenant-general in the army, and Military Governor of Moscow. As almost absolute ruler of the second city in Russia, Sergius exercised great influence in the councils of the Empire, and he had strengthened his positon by marrying an elder sister of the Czarina. Like all the Grand Dukes, he was strongly opposed ,to the progressive movement in Russia, and did his best to crush all efforts to gain freedom of speech or constitutional liberty. He was a violent Anglophobe, and was credited with a large share of the responsibility for the hostile attitude assumed by Russia towards England in

A NOTE ON HIS CAREER.

J connection with "neutral shipping and the s Dogger Bank outrage. He was also no-' i, toriously corrupt, and our readers may c remember that a few months ago the discovery that he had appropriated a very ', large gift donated by a wealthy Moscow :- manufacturer to the army, caused a great' - outcry in Russia. When the agitation c for reform came toa climax in tbe recant f strikes and riots at St. Petersburg and s Moscow, Sergiua is reported to have rci signed his position, as Governor of Most cow as a protest against the liberal poli- icy of the new Minister for the Interior. a Apparently the violent opposition of the 1 Grand Dukes to all schemes of reform a has confirmed the Czar in his decision to c maintain the status quo. But the stand i they have taken'has identified them all i, in the popular mind wjth oppression 0 and tyranny; and the murder of Sergius ,1 is probably only an. earnest of. more trai, ,qic episodes that may speedily follow it. 1 The Grand Duke Sergius was married on c June 3, 1884, to Princess Elizabeth of a Hesse-Darmstadt.