DUELLING IN RUSSIA.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 355, 19 March 1861, Page 4

DUELLING IN RUSSIA.

A letter of November 20, dated from Stavropol (in tbe province of Cis-Caucasus), addressed to the Gaietlae dcs Tribunaux, says :—

A duel has just been fought between two young lieutenants of the Russian army of the Caucasus, Prince de Gortchakoff and Baron de

Fittinghof. The weapons chosen were pistols, and it was agreed that the combatants, after being placed in position, should be blindfolded, and that then the word 'fire' should be given by oue of the three ' witnesses,' to be chosen by lot. The parties fired simultaneously. Prince de Gortchakoff was' not touched, but the Baron de Fittinghof fell dead, with a ball through his heart. The prince and the three witnesses, M. de Schaok, lieutenant; de Nippa, sub-lieuten-ant; and Chomontow, a major on the staff, were arrested aud brought to a court martial at Stavropol. The public prosecutor called for a vigorous application of the new law, which lias had a most wholesome effect hi checking the practice of duelling, tilt lately so frightfully prevalent in the Russian army. According to this law, officers who fight duels are liable to be deprived of their commissions, their decorations, and a I right* and privileges of nobility, aud moreover, to eight years' imprisonment in a fortress; non-commissioned officers and soldiers are subjected to very severe corporal punishments. In this case the court-martial, taking into consideration that Prince de Gortohakoff had distinguished himself by his courage in several battles, aj was proved by bismaiy soars, that M.M. de Schack and de Nippa were very young (under uineteen), and that the former having been born and brought up in Germany, might possibly not have been entirely aware of the extreme severity of the Russian law with regard to duels, and that M. GUomoutow had before the combat made the most praiseworthy efforts to prevent it from taking place, arid had only to be a witness in the hope of effecting a reconciliation —was of opiniou that the extreme rigor of (he law should be modified by the exercise of their discretionary power. Accordingly they only seutenoed Prince de Gortchakoff and Lieutenants de Schack and de Nippa to be deprived of military rank and decorations, and to serve in the army as private soldiers, until by some brillant service they should deserve to have the attention of the Emperor called to their case. As to M. Chomontow, he was only seutenoed to six moutus' imprisonment in the casemates of a fortress.