RUSSIA IN 1916
BY
STEPHEN GRAHAM
Author of “The Way of Martha and the Way
of Mary,” “Russia and the World,” etc.
New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1917
Copyright, 1917,
By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
Set up and electrotyped. Published, February, 1917.
PREFACE
I returned to Russia last summer, visitedas many of my old friends there as I could,arranged for the publication of some of mybooks in the Russian language, and incidentallytravelled a great deal and saw agreat many sides of Russian contemporarylife, talked also with all manner of Russians.
I travelled to Bergen in Norway, fromBergen obtained a passage round the NorthCape to Vardö, the last port of Norway,transhipped there to a Russian boat andsailed for Ekaterina, the first port in Russiain the North, the new Russian harbourwhich never freezes. From Ekaterina Iwent on to Archangel, where I stayed aweek, and from Archangel went to Moscow.I visited some estates in Central Russiaand stayed with various acquaintances andfriends, visited Rostof-on-the-Don, the Caucasus,Orel, Petrograd, and finally cameback to England on a returning ammunitionship.
In going to Russia I certainly did not intendto publish my impressions in bookform, but I have been asked to do so, andI recognise the value of keeping in contactwith our Ally from day to day. The requirementof the moment seems to be not somuch books on Russia, of which there arenow a great many, but diaries or volumesof impressions, keeping the peoples of thetwo countries in touch during the war. Ireturned to London at the beginning of October,1916, and I should be glad to thinkthat some one returning at the beginning ofJanuary, 1917, would follow on with anothersmall volume of this type. Again forApril, 1917. We need such volumes of personalimpressions, and there would not bethe need to apologise for them. They areletters between friends both engaged in thesame vital task. It is extremely difficult tokeep in touch with Russia by reading newspapersonly. The newspapers are, on thewhole, difficult to follow. They are concernedwith the news-aspect of events andthe scope for sensational appeals. Goodquiet correspondence tends to be lost inthem. Hence my little book of the hour.
I was in Russia when the war broke outin 1914. I spent 1915 in Egypt, the Balkans,Russia and England, and again I spentthe summer of 1916 in Russia. I have,therefore, been in touch with the Russiansall the time of the war. I hope, therefore,that in this time when deeds rather thanwords are necessary, my report of the conditionsprevailing in the land of our ally Russiamay be considered serviceable.
Stephen Graham.
London,
15 January 1917.