and disorderly, and more than two hundred of the rioters were
killed. Yet it seemed as if the government had the situation in a firm
grasp, though an ominous incident was that the Pavlovsk regiment on
being ordered to fire upon the mob, mutinied and had to be ordered to
their quarters.

Meantime Rodzianko, the President of the Duma, had telegraphed to the
Czar:

Situation serious. Anarchy reigns in Capital. Government is paralyzed.
Transport food and fuel supplies are utterly disorganized. General
discontent is growing. Disorderly firing is going on in streets. Various
companies of soldiers are shooting at each other. It is absolutely
necessary to invest someone, who enjoys the confidence of the people,
with powers to form a new government. No time must be lost, and delay
may be fatal. I pray to God that in this hour responsibility may not
fall on the wearer of the crown.

The Prime Minister, Prince Golitzin, acting under powers which he had
received from the Czar, prorogued the Duma. But the Duma refused to be
prorogued. Its President, Rodzianko, holding in his hand the order for
dissolution, announced that the Duma was now the sole constitutional
authority of Russia.

During the night following, the soldiers at the Capital, and the
Socialists, decided upon their course. The soldiers determined that they
would not fire upon their civilian brothers. The Socialists planned an
alternative scheme of government.

On March the 12th, the city was taken possession of by a mob. The Preo
Crajenski Guards refused to fire upon the crowd. The Volynsky regiment,
sent to coerce them, joined in the mutiny. Followed by the mob, the two
regiments seized the arsenal. A force of 25,000 soldiers was in the
revolt. At 11 A. M., the Courts of Law were set on fire and the fortress
of SS. Peter and Paul was seized. The police, fighting desperately, were
hunted from their quarters, their papers destroyed and the prisoners,
political and criminal, released from the jails.

During the day the Duma kept in constant session, awaiting the Emperor,
who did not come. Telegram after telegram was sent him, each more
urgent. There is reason to believe that these telegrams never reached
the Czar. When information finally did come to him it was too late.
Meantime the Duma appointed an executive committee. Their names were
Rodzianko, Nekrasov, Konovalov, Dmitrikov, Lvov, Rjenski, Karaulov,
Miliukov, Schledlovski, Schulgin, Tcheidze and Kerensky.