From Libau to Tsushima: A narrative of the voyage of Admiral Rojdestvensky's fleet to eastern seas, including a detailed account of the Dogger Bank incidentPolitovskii, Evgenii Sigizmundovich
History
From Libau to Tsushima: A narrative of the voyage of Admiral Rojdestvensky's fleet to eastern seas, including a detailed account of the Dogger Bank incident
Politovskii, Evgenii Sigizmundovich
Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905
To-day was full of events. This morning I went on shore to send my
letters and help dispatch others. There was a large crowd at the
post-office. All were hurrying to get rid of their letters by eleven,
when there is a cessation of work there until two o'clock. At noon
the order was given to be ready to get up anchor. Many people did not
succeed in posting valuable packets, parcels, and registered letters.
The latter they threw straight into the letter-box, which was instantly
filled, and had constantly to be emptied.
I was not looking, and the officer who was with me took my registered
letters and put them in the box. I was at that moment putting on stamps
for transmission abroad. I was annoyed. I went round the post-office
into the back yard, and through a window to a room where they were
receiving the letters. I induced a Malagassy to take all the letters
out of the box and look for mine, which among the general heap came
into my hands. I gave all the letters to a clerk, begging him to
send them to Russia registered. I had no time to wait for a receipt.
I had to hurry on board. I had the advantage of being known to the
clerks--firstly because I had often had business with them, and
secondly because I promised them medals and orders. Representations
about this are already made. At the post-office they asked me questions
like this: "Are you leaving to-day or to-morrow? Are you going straight
to Russia from here?" By eleven o'clock I was on board.
It was hard to imagine what was going on this morning on the quay.
Everything was quite covered by goods and provisions. Carts with
bullocks harnessed to them constantly brought loads. All were hastening
with packages to the boats. They were hurriedly closing accounts with
the shore.
Lunch passed off quietly, but then came my benefit. Forgive me; I will
tell you the rest to-morrow. I am so tired I can scarcely sit. I slept
badly last night, and do not feel well. My servant even said, "Look
here, your worship, sleep and rest. You have slept very little while at
the anchorage, and worked hard." That is true. There has been plenty
of work. I shall rest now, if nothing happens to the ships, which God
forbid. Here we are, again on our way. The place where we are going is
still kept secret.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account