The guests that evening comprised, besides Kell and myself, three Russian officers, one of whom spoke English, one French, while the third could converse only in his own language, so the conversation was of a polyglot character. The dinner began by the preliminary sakouski—that is the nearest approach I can make to its name—a regular little meal in itself of hors d’œuvres. Caviare, sturgeon’s roe, very salt ham, brawn, and a dozen other comestibles were served. My host asked me if I had ever tasted vodki, and although I assured him that I had, proceeded to make me try five differently flavoured varieties of the national liquor. With the regular dinner the nauseatingly sweet champagne, so much in favour with Continental peoples, was served. On my declaring that champagne was a wine I never drank, I was allowed to have a decanter of whisky and a syphon of soda‐water and permitted to help myself. Kell adhered faithfully to claret and soda throughout the evening; but our Russian comrades indiscriminately mixed champagne, beer, and red or white wines, with the result that they soon became exceedingly merry. We were served by Chinese and a Russian soldier, whose manner of waiting at table was perfection. The best‐trained London butler could not have moved with more noiseless tread, or decanted the wine more carefully.
As the meal wore on and the bottles were emptied, the conversation waxed somewhat noisy. Our friends were filled with the most generous sentiments towards England and lamented the estrangement of our nations. They confessed that they had come to China prepared to dislike the British officers intensely; but, in common with all their comrades who had been brought in contact with us, their feelings had entirely changed. They said frankly that the hostility to England was mainly owing to the continual opposition she offers to the natural desire of Russia to find an outlet to the sea. As they pointed out with truth, a great and rising nation like theirs will not submit to be confined for ever to the land; that it was intolerable that their vast Empire had not a single port free from ice all the year round or entirely at their own disposal. For Odessa is practically an inland harbour; and the Baltic is frozen in winter. Their ambition to reach the Mediterranean entangled them in the campaign against Turkey; and one can understand their indignation against England, who stepped in at the last moment when Constantinople was almost in their grasp and despoiled them of the fruits of victory achieved at the cost of many sacrifices and a long and bloody war. Foiled in the attempt to reach the open sea there, they embarked on the marvellous career of conquest which carried them across Asia to the Pacific. And there they found their first port, Vladivostock, useless in winter. And if other nations had had the courage of their convictions, they would never have been suffered to retain Port Arthur.
But although the talk was largely political, there was absolutely no bitterness on the part of our host and his comrades. The conversation passed on to a comparison of the various systems of the armies of the world and a frank criticism of our own as well as the other contingents of the Allied forces. They were not very much impressed by our Indian army. They admired the regiments they had seen, but pitied us for the necessity we were under of having coloured troops at all. They forgot that a large portion of their own army can scarcely be called European. Like all the Russians I have met, from a Grand Duke to a subaltern, they exhibited a rancorous hatred to Germany. What they had seen of her troops in this campaign had added neither to their respect nor their love for that nation. In fact, the Germans did not succeed in making themselves cordially liked by those with whom they were brought in contact; just as their country may find, when her day of trouble comes, that her friends are few. Our friends betrayed a contempt, not altogether unmixed with fear, for the Japanese; and they marvelled at our friendship for them. They acknowledged their bravery in the present campaign, but doubted if they would exhibit the same courage when pitted against white troops. Their doubts will be resolved when the time comes.
The wine passed freely between our Russian comrades; but with the truest hospitality they forbore to press us to drink against our wish. The dinner was extremely good, even luxurious; and Kell laughingly lamented to me his inability to entertain his friends as well as his Russian colleague could contrive to do. But here, again, I think he was helped by his Government, for I fancy that he received an entertainment allowance. As the wine circulated rapidly our companions became boisterous and showed some signs of inebriation.
Beside me sat an officer who filled the post of military director of the railway between Shanhaikwan and Newchwang. I had long been desirous of visiting Manchuria by this route, but had always been assured that the Russians were very unwilling to allow any foreigner, especially a British officer, to use it; that it was hopeless to try to obtain their permission. As my neighbour’s tongue seemed a good deal loosened by his potations, I determined to get him off his guard and sound him as to the possibility of my proceeding northward to Manchuria from Shanhaikwan. I began by telling him that I hoped to sail in a few days from Taku for Newchwang, and remarked that it was a pity that the Russian authorities were so averse to British officers visiting Manchuria. He waxed quite indignant at the idea, and assured me that they were sadly misrepresented.
“But,” said I, “we would not be allowed to travel from here to Newchwang by your railway.”
“Not be allowed? Absurd! Of course you would,” he replied. “I am the director of that section of the line; it is under my charge. Surely I know best.”
“Oh, come,” I said chaffingly, “you know that if I wanted to travel by it you would not permit me.”
“Most certainly I would. I should be delighted.”
I shall pin you to that, I thought. I felt very pleased at achieving a result that everyone had told me was impossible, Kell among them; so I glanced in triumph at him. He smiled.