The Letters of the Tsar to the Tsaritsa, 1914-1917 [By

arrangement with Messrs. John Lane The Bodley Head, Ltd., who will publish the complete book in the spring, we- are able-to print a series of extracts from " The Letters of the Tsar to the Tsaritsa, 1914-1917." These letters and telegrams, originally written in English, are re-translated from the official Russian Publication of " The Correspondence of Nicholas and Alexandra Romanov "—the only available text, and now appear for the first time in England. The explanatory notes by Mr. C. B. Vulliamy have been appended to the translation.] In the train. November 18th, 1914.

My beloved Sunny and darling Wify,—We have finished breakfast and I have read your sweet, tender letter with moist eyes. This time I succeeded in keeping myself in hand at the . moment of parting, but it was a hard struggle.'

The weather is dismal ; it is pouring with rain ; there is very little snow left. When we moved off, I visited the gentlemen [of the suite] and looked in at each coupe. This morning I found among the papers of the Minister of War the paper relating to Rennenkampf and signed it. He will have to leave his Army. I do not know who Nic. [the Grand Duke Nicholas] has in view for his place.

What joy and consolation it would be if we could make the whole of this journey together ! My love, I miss you terribly more than I can express in words. Every day a courier will leave the town with papers. I shall try to write very often' as, to my amazement, I have come to the conclusion that I can write while the train is in motion.. '

My hanging trapeze has proved very practical and useful. I swung on it many times and climbed up it before meals. It is really an excellent thing for the train, it stirs up the blood and the whole organism.

I like the pretty frame which you have given me. It lies in front of me on the table for safety, becauie a sudden jerk Might break the lovely stone.

' All the miniatures are-good, with.the' oseeption of Marie. I am sure that everyone will appreciate their merit. What a joy and consolation -it is to know that you are well and are working so much for the wounded ! As our Friend [Gregory Rasputin] sas, it is by God's grace that in such a time you can work so hard and 'endure so much. Believe me, my beloved, 'do not fear, have more confidence in yourself when you are left alone, and all will go smoothly and prosperously. May God bless you, my beloved Wify ! I kiss you and the children lovingly. Sleep well and try to think that you are not lonely .=Your hubby, NICKY.

* * *

Telegram.' - Tiflis. November 28th, 1914.

Hearty thanks for letter about your delightful journey to Vilna and • Kovno. I have been - visiting educational institu- tions all day long. The Countess took me round your sklod here-in the house. Saw mot less than two hundred ladies and women at work—I was much embarrassed. I went to tea with- the nobility ; masses of -pretty faces—felt shy.• Every- thing has made an excellent impression 'on me. All of them are very -desirous of seeing you and -the children some time.

Fond kisses for all the six of you. NICKY.

• * * * .*

Telegram. Lopasnia. February 1st, 1915. • Hearty thanks for two letters and news. The weather is mild ; it is thawing: All send their greetings, and N.-P. and M. their thanks. Am looking forward to seeing you to-morrow.

I embrace you and the children. NICKY.

The reader should be remindedthat, at this time; the " winter battle " of the .bfasurian Marshes was raging without .intermission. On the day on which this telegram was sent, Lyck was taken by the Germans ; two days later, Litzmann occupied Augustovo, and in a fortnight's time the Russians had 'lost one hundred 'and ten thousand men in prisoners alone, The Tenth Army was, in fact, -wiped- out.

* * * *

Stavka (Military Headquarters). March 2nd, 1915.

My -tenderly beloved,—I thank you from my heart for your two sweet letters. Every time that I see the envelope with your firm writing, my heart leaps several times, and I shut Myself up and read; or more correctly absorb the letter. - Of course, the girls can bathe in my swimming-bath ; • I am glad that the Little One [the Tsarevitch] enjoys it so much ; I asked the rogue to write to me about all this !

- I am here for the seventh time—only think of it ! At the front everything is quite satisfactory. N. is in a good humour and as usual demands rifles and ammunition. The question of supplying our railways and factories with coal has assumed' an alarming character, and I have asked Roukhlov to take it all into his hands. Only imagine, if the manufacture of military supplies were to cease ! And this because of a lack of coal, or rather owing to an insufficient output of it in our mines in the South ! I am convinced that energetic measures will pull us out of these difficulties. * * * * Telegram. Stavka. March 9th, 1915. Przemysl is taken. Praise be to God ! NICKY.

Stavka.. March 9th, 1915.

My beloved Sunny,—How am I to thank you for your two charming letters and for the Mies I press them to my face and kiss often the places which'I think were 'touched by your dear lips. They stand on my table day and night ; when the gentlemen pass Illy doors I give them the flowers to smell. God grant that I may return by the llth—probably at ten o'clock i11 the morning. What joy to be again in one's own nest—snugly and closely (in every sense) together ! Just at this very minute; eleven-thirty, Nicolasha came running into my carriage, out of breath and with tears in his eyes, and told me of the fall of Przemysl. Thanks be 'to God ! For two days we have been waiting for this news with hope and anxiety. The fall of this fortress has an enormous moral and military significance. After several months of despondency, this news _stares as an unexpected ray of sunshine, and exactly on the first day of spring !

I began this letter in a calm mood, but now everything has been turned upside down in my head, so you must excuse the second part of this letter. Oh, my dear, I am so profoundly happy at this good news, and so grateful to God for His mercy ! I have ordered a thanksgiving Te Deum to be sung at two o'clock in the local church, where I was present last year at the thanksgiving molebni [services]!

* * * * June 19th, 1915. , My darling Sunny,—I beg your pardon for sending you an empty cascara bottle, but I require some more. I am putting my candle-end into it—give, it to Alexey for his collection.

How grateful I am to you for your dear sweet letters, for all your devotion and love for me ! They give me strength. I embrace you closely, beloved mine ! It is too hot to write on such a subject. I am glad that you have seen the old man. Has he reassured you ?

I am sending you a minute photo.graph which Djounk. took here last time. I have decided to leave here on Tuesday, and with God's help we shall see each other at last.

The Guards and other units are at present being transferred to the side of Kholm and Lyublin, as the Germans are pressing us in that direction. That is why I am sitting here till the concentration [of troops] is accomplished. I am quite well again ; I merely had a shooting pain in the left side at the bottom of the spine, which hurt me in my efforts to take a deep breath ; it was especially painful at night, but now it has quite gone. Owing to the heat, we are going for long drives in the car, but walk very little. We have chosen new roads, and are driving about the neighbouring country with the aid of a map. Mistakes often occur, as the maps are obsolete, having been made eighteen years ago ; new roads have been made, new villages built, some forests have disappeared, all of which alters the map. Sometimes the horses with the carts which we meet begin to bolt—then we send the chauffeurs to the rescue. On Monday I hope to go to Beloveje. * * * * Stavka. June 23rd, 1915. • My dear Wify,— . . We arrived, here at ten-forty-five, just at the time when N.'s train was slowly moving to its Place. After a talk with him I had supper with my gentlemen, and immediately after went to bed. He told me that, on the whole, the situation had not changed for the worse since. yesterday, and that it would improve if the Germans ceased to press us at the same point for several days. In that case we should have to collect new (fresh) troops and try to stop them. But again there crops up this damnable question of the shortage of artillery ammunition and rifles—this puts a check on any energetic movement forward, as, after three days of hard fighting, the supply of munitions might be exhausted. Without new rifles it is impossible to make good the losses, and the army is at present only just a trifle stronger than in peace-time. It should be—and at the beginning of the war it was—three times as strong. That is the position we are in at this moment.

If there was no fighting for the duration of a month our position would be far better. Of course, I am giving this information only to you ; please do not speak of it, darling.

This letter has become rather lengthy, and I have no time for more. God bless you, my beloved Sunny ! Tenderly, tenderly I kiss you and the children. Be well and strong again f—Ever your hubby NICKY. * * * * Telegram. Vitevsk. August 23rd, 1915.

Thank you heartily for your dear letter, the children, too. I slept well ; am feeling strong and resolute. I hope that you are calm, and not very tired. I shall, telegraph to-night, when all is over. I bless you and love 'you infinitely. Nscgy.

This telegram, sent after two months' residence at Tsarskoe Selo, was despatched when the Tsar was on his way to supersede thearand Duke Nicholas and to take over the Supreme Command.

Telegram. Stavka. August 23rd, 1915. '

Thanks for news. The meeting has passed off wonderfully well and simply. He is leaving, the day after to-morrow, but the change over has taken place to-day already. Now all is