Siberia

MOST interesting contribu tion to secret history will be the illustrated papers on "Siberia and the Èxile System," by Gcorge Kennan, whicb. begin in the May Ccutury magazine. They will embody tho results of what is believed to be the first successful attempt by a competent investigator tomake a thorough study oí the Russian exile system. Before uudertaking his ardulous journey of 15,(W0 miles, in the interestof The Ce?Uury, Mr. Kennan, author of Tent Life in Siberia, etc., had spent four years in Russia and Siberia, was thorougUly conversant with tho people and the lanpuape, and had reached the conclusión that theltussian Government had boen inisrepresented, and that the exilo system of Siberia was not so terrible as was supposed. Knowing that Mr. Kennan held these views, the Russian Government gave hina every íacility for a thorough INSPECTION OP MINE8 AND PRISONS of Siberia - the most thorough that had ever been made by a traveler. Armed with letters from the Russian Minister of the Interior and other high officials, Mr. Kennan went everywhere, inspectingminesand prisons, conyict barges and hospitals, and traveling with chained exiles along the great Siberian road. He made the intímate personal acquaintance of more than three hundred exiled "liberáis" and Nihilists, many of whom wrote out their histories lor his use. The actual faets, as revealed by this searching investigation, were far removed from Mr. Kennan's preconceived ideas, as this thrilling narrative of f teen months' privation and adventure will show. As is already known, the publication ol Mr. Kennan's preliminary papers has rasulted in his being placed ON TUK BLACK LIST by the Russian Government, and copies ol The Century containing them have the objectionable article torn out by the custom officials before being allowed to enter the Czar's dominions. "Iexpected, of course," says Mr. Kennan, in a recent interview, " to be put on the Russian black list. I am only thankful that I succeeded in crossing the frontier with all my material and papers coming this way. I became satisfied before I got hali through Siberia that I should never be permitted to go there again, and that after the publication of my papers no other foreigner would be allowed to make investigations there, and I lost no possible opportunity to secure accuracy and thoroughness. I brought back more than fifty pounds of notes, papers and original documents, many of the latter from secret Government archives, besides flve or six hundred foolscap pages of manuscript, prepared for me by political exiles ia allparts of Siberia, and covering the most noteworthy episodes of theirlives. I can regard the black hsting, therefore, with a certain degree of coraplacency. The stable-door is locked, but the horse has been stolen - and I've got him." Mr. t. A. Frost, artist and phqtographer, accompanied Mr. Kennan, and it is expected that the results of his work will form the most interesting series of pictures of Russian and Siberian life and scenery ever made. _