This is a recording of a solemn speech by Nicholas II in French. It was delivered after the French President Emile Loubet had reviewed the Russian armies, at Krasnoe Selo. The French President visited Russia in May, 1902. The speech was also published in the Russian newspaper ‘Vestnik’ at that same year.

 

“Monsieur le Prèsident, Mes troupes dont Vous venez de voir le dèfilè sont heureuses d’avoir pu rendre les honneurs au Chef hautement estime de l’Etat ami et alliè. Les vives sympathies qui animent l’armèe russe a l’ègard de la belle armèe française Vous sont connues. Elles constituent une rèelle fraternitè d’armes que Nous pouvons constater avec d’autant plus de satisfaction que cette force imposante n ‘ est point destinèe à appuyer des visèes agressives, mais bien au contraire à affermir le maintien de la paix gènèrale et à sauvegarder le respect des principes èlevès qui assurent le bien-ètre et favorisent le progrès des nations. Je lève Mon verre à prospèritè et à la gloire de la brave armès française.”

 

As the music of the Russian national anthem, resonated in the background, such eager exclamations greeted President Loubet, upon his arrival at Kronshdstadt, on May 7th, 1902. Loubet was met by Tsar Nicholas II, and during his stay, he resided in a luxurious room at the Great Palace, in Tsarskoe Selo.

 

While visiting the capital, on May 9th, Loubet participated in various festivities, mostly demonstrating symbolic gestures of diplomacy, between France and Russia. The French President was met with great excitement, like Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna before him, in Paris in 1897. Escorted through the city, the residents of the Russian capital cried out joyously: “hoorah!”, and “Vive la France!”, while brandishing French flags, and bearing pictures of Loubet.

 

On the 10th of May, just before the President’s departure, the Russian royals enjoyed breakfast with Loubet, aboard the French cruiser "Montcalm." Since the boat itself represented a parcel of the French Republic, Tsar Nicholas expressed both a strong sense of solidarity, between his and Loubet’s country, and an especial delight, at the thought of finding himself aboard a symbolic, floating France.