e his plans, what he had already
effected and what he still hoped to effect, confirming the favourable
reports that we had received from General Hanbury-Williams and our
Military Attaches as to the efforts that were being made to set the
Russian army on its legs again; he also explained that his friendly
relations with a number of the leading Liberal men of affairs in the
Duma were proving of great assistance in connection with, his
extending the manufacture of war material throughout the country, in
which the "zemstvos" were lending willing aid. With M. Sazonoff I had
a very long and interesting conversation, all the pleasanter owing to
his complete command of English. Like General Polivanoff, he was
sanguine that, given time, Russia would yet play a great role in the
war.

In the meantime we were being royally entertained and looked after.
One had heard a great deal about Russia having "gone dry" by ukase;
but the drought was not permitted to cast its blight over guests of
the nation, and our presence ensured that those at the feast would be
enabled to abandon rigid temperance for the moment, an opportunity
which was not missed. Who, after all, ever heard of a pleasant party
round a pump? Imperial carriages, with the servants in gorgeous yellow
livery, all over eagles, were always at our disposal, and traffic was
held up as we passed. This was all very well when you were heading for
a Grand Duke's residence to leave cards, or proceeding to the Embassy;
but you felt rather the beggar on horseback when the object of the
drive was merely to procure a razor-strop at a big store in
replacement of one mislaid on the journey. Your desire was to purchase
the cheapest one that was to be had; but _noblesse oblige_, you simply
had to buy the most expensive one there was, and it was a mercy that
they had not got one set in brilliants. Zamoyski, most lighthearted
and unconventional of companions, was quite happy to remain in
Petrograd in preference to rushing off hot-foot to Mohileff, and he
made everything extremely pleasant for us. Dining at the Yacht Club
one night we met Admiral Phillimore, who had recently arrived on a
naval mission; having commanded the _Inflexible_ at the Falkland
Islands fight and afterwards in the Dardanelles (where he had spent
some anxious hours after his ship had been holed by a drifting mine
during the big fight of the 18th of March), few naval officers of his
rank had enjoyed a more varied experienc