A RUSSIAN VIEW.

WHAT MADAME NOVIKOFF THINKS.

INTERVIEW WITH THE FAMOUS

LADY DIPLOMATIST.

ANTI-ENGLISH FEELING IN RUSSIA

Mme. Olga Novikoff, the famous Russian diplomatic agent in England, who for over twenty years ceaselessly with pen and voice advocated an alliance between this country and Russia, and who has but just returned to London from St. Petersburg, gave an interview yesterday evening to a representative of “The Daily News”.

In the course of it she expressed herself strongly as to the calamitous occurrence in the North Sea, and spoke of the anti-English feeling in Russia; but she begged the British public to await the news of the next few days and the result of the inquiry which is to be held.

The circumstance that this distinguished lady, whose nom de plume of “O.K.” was at one time no less a mystery than a power, has been for some years personally acquainted with Admiral Rojhdestvensky, the officer in charge of the Baltic Fleet, lends additional weight to her opinions.

“I cannot but feel,” said Mme. Novikoff, “that there must be something which we do not yet know. The firing upon simple fishermen, innocently engaged in their labour of trawling, is an act so monstrous, so utterly wicked and abominable, that it seems incredible. We must wait, as patiently as we can, for more news.”

Our representative pointed out that the melancholy bringing home of the dead fishermen and the return of the wounded men and the vessels riddled with shot and shell left little more to be told of what had happened.

“Yes, yes,” agreed Mme. Novikoff, “but before we can understand that terrible occurrence we must know exactly what was done on our side, and what was in the minds of the officers. We know that your poor men are dead and wounded, but we must know how it came about; and I think that before England throws the blame for this upon all Russia she should learn the whole of the facts first and see who or what was responsible, and where the blame should lie.”

“But,” asked our representative, “what can there be unknown upon which there can be any doubt?”

“Nothing on your side, but on ours everything. When an unthinkable thing like this has happened there must be some explanation. I am feeling that in a few days we may have news which will throw upon this deplorable accident an entirely new light; I mean, of course, on our side. We know it was an accident. It could have been nothing else.”

“No one in England would willingly think it was anything else.”

“Oh, that it could not have been otherwise is the only thing that is clear. Ask yourself, ask England, to put this one question to itself: Do you believe that the Government of Russia ordered its warships to wantonly fire on unarmed British fisherman?”

“But someone must have given the order to fire?”

“That is among those things which we have yet to know, and for which, I say, we should wait. We do not know definitely whether the whole fleet fired or whether it was only the last vessel. We do not know whether or not there was some mistake in the order. Blank cartridge may have been ordered, and, mistaking the signal, some ship may have used loaded cartridge. Nor, assuming that ball cartridge was ordered, do we at all know what it was which gave rise to the belief that that step was necessary.”

“You think there may have been some such belief?”

“Such a belief would be an explanation of the unhappy firing, and then we could examine into the cause of that belief. Of this I am certain, Admiral Rojhdestvensky never ordered his fleet to fire wantonly. I am well acquainted with him, and know the character of man he is. He was for a long while naval attache at the Russian Embassy in London. He is a brave and skilful sailor, and above that he is a statesman. The most marked feature of his character is his method of cool, statesmanlike judgment. To preserve the safety of his fleet he is acting under orders from St. Petersburg; but he is the very last man whom any circumstances would throw into panic, or who would permit wanton firing.”

“It is difficult to see why he did not send assistance to our fishermen after the mistake was discovered.”

“That I think rather suggests that he was and is unaware that a calamitous mistake had been made. In consequence of the information given him, he may have thought, and may still be thinking, that he was dealing with Japanese in the disguise of trawlers.”

“If the Japanese were so active as that on this side of the globe, would not the fact have leaked out?”

“My dear sir, Japanese spies are everywhere, all over Russia, everywhere. I saw seven Japanese myself the other day in Moscow. So long as a stranger goes to church the simple Russians think he cannot but be all right. But unless this occurrence was in some way an accident there is only one alternative, and that is impossible. Is there anyone so foolish as to think that Russia deliberately seeks war with England? That is the only other possible view.”

“There are certainly some who believe that the war party in St. Petersburg would not be sorry to embroil England and Europe in the war with Japan.”

“No such party exists in St. Petersburg or anywhere in Russia. Here and there there may be men so rash. Such men exist always, everywhere. But I give you my word of honour, and I have had the opportunity to know, that there is no such influence at work in Russia.”

“But the Russian newspapers show that anti-English feeling exists?”

“There is some such feeling. But, speaking generally, the attitude of the people is by no means unfriendly to England. What is felt is a strong indignation against the Press of England, which supported the Japanese and egged them on to war. Our people feel that, unless they had had such backing in England, the Japanese would never have entered upon war with us. There is also a wide belief in Russia that it is not merely moral support alone which is going out from England, but material supplies.”

“May not that feeling have become animosity in the bosoms of the Baltic Fleet?”

“Impossible. It does not amount to animosity against England in a single Russian heart. What Russia feels is keen regret that she is so utterly misunderstood and wilfully misrepresented in England. You will see that this unfortunate event in the North Sea will give rise to wide sympathy in Russia. There is no need for this peremptory language which has been used. Russia will make honourable amends, and at once; and she will hold a searching inquiry as to how the wrong arose.”

“Some of our people are crying out for the punishment of those responsible.”

“Wait, and see what the truth is, where the blame lies, and its nature. But be sure of this, that Russia will herself take care that if any officer in her navy has wantonly fired on British fishermen he will meet with the just punishment he deserves.”

Mme. Novikoff then turned to speak of the war. She had, she said, been amazed to find in Russia that no one believed in the defeats as they were read in England. There was everywhere complete confidence of victory in the end, and a conviction that General Kuropatkin had been showing great skill in gaining time until reinforcements could reach him. As evidence that even in England there was confidence in the ultimate success of Russia, she mentioned that an English syndicate had offered to relay and double the Trans-Siberian Railway.