Chargé Eddy to the Secretary of State.
St. Petersburg , October 27, 1905 .
Sir: I have the honor to confirm herewith my telegram of yesterday’s date.a
[Page 776]Day before yesterday, the 25th of October, a strike was declared on all of the principal railway lines leading into St. Petersburg. This strike came into effect late in the afternoon, at which time all of the railroads had ceased running trains, with the exception of the Finnish Railway and the railroad which connects St. Petersburg with Tsarskoé Sélo. This strike was organized not, it would appear, for the purpose of creating disturbances or for the purpose of obtaining an increase in wages. The idea seems to have been to test the organization of the different labor unions throughout Russia and to give to the authorities as a proof of the power which existed. The strike has since developed all over the Empire, so that at the time of writing all postal communication has ceased and there are practically no trains running throughout Russia.
In St. Petersburg there has been a notable lack of any rioting or disturbances in the streets, which fact would bear out the idea of a simple demonstration of power, with no attempt at accomplishing anything by violence. This capital is at the present moment under martial law, and the streets are patrolled by small bodies of troops, and notice has been formally given to the inhabitants of the city that should any rioting occur the troops have orders to immediately fire upon the rioters with ball cartridges; that the people have been warned and any trouble which may come will be of their own seeking.
I have, etc.,
- Not printed.↩