SECTION XXI. 81. _a Traitor's Fate._

81. A Traitor's Fate.

In 1670 Frederick William, the great elector of Brandenburg, ordered his diplomatic envoy at Warsaw, the capital of Poland, to obtain possession of the person of one Colonel von Kalkstein, a Prussian subject, who had fled to Poland for political reasons, as he was accused of high treason. Von Kalkstein having been seized secretly on November 28th, 1670, was wrapped up in a carpet and in this way carried across the frontier and beheaded at Memel.

82. An Interrupted Armistice.

During a war between states A and B, a general armistice is concluded, without detailed stipulations. The commander of the forces of state A is informed through spies that the enemy is throwing up defences within the line where the forces face each other and is concentrating twice as many troops in that place as had been there before the conclusion of the armistice. This he considers a violation of the armistice, and, fearing an attack, at once recommences hostilities, without any previous denunciation of the armistice.

83. Shooting Affray in a Legation.

In 1867 Nikitschenkow, a Russian subject not belonging to the Russian Legation, attacked and wounded a member of that Legation within the precincts of the embassy in Paris. The French police were called in and arrested the criminal. The Russian government requested his extradition, maintaining that, as the crime was committed inside the Russian embassy, it fell exclusively within Russian jurisdiction.

84. The Surrender of Port Arthur.

In January, 1905, the Russian general Stössel, the commander of Port Arthur, while negotiating with the Japanese for the surrender of that fortress, ordered some fortifications to be blown up and certain Russian men-of-war in the harbour to be sunk.