No. 442.
Mr. Hoffman to Mr. Evarts.
St. Petersburg, May 29, 1878. (Received June 17.)
Sir: The event of the week has been the visit of the Shah of Persia. No ball or other fete was given him.* * * He was taken to the ballet, the opera, and the circus, and seats were sold to the public as usual.
[Page 761]A review of the garrison of St. Petersburg took place in his honor on the 25th instant. I have seen many of the finest reviews ever held in Paris in the time of the late Emperor, but in the appearance of the men, their drill and soldierly bearing, the review of the 25th was the finest I ever saw. The French and German ambassadors, both general officers of distinction, were loud in its praise. There were 31,000 men on the field, and they passed before the Emperor in an hour and a quarter without delay or check of any kind.
In the afternoon of the same day the Shah received the diplomatic corps. His conversation with me was confined to the usual inquiries of civility as to the President’s health and that of General Grant. He left St. Petersburg yesterday for Berlin, whence he goes to Paris.
The Emperor has removed with the imperial family to the summer palace of Tsárskoe Sélo, about ten miles from the city.
I have, &c.,