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Today in History

17 February

1873 'The Russians are coming!'

During the 19th century the Russian and British empires were involved in a number of conflicts, prompting many New Zealanders to view the Russians as potential aggressors. In the aftermath of the Crimean War of the 1850s, unannounced visits by Russian warships to the South Pacific created alarm in New Zealand.

This fear was exploited in 1873 when the editor of the Daily Southern Cross, David Luckie, published a hoax report of a Russian invasion of Auckland by the cruiser Kaskowiski (cask of whisky). Aucklanders were alarmed to read that the crew of the Kaskowiski had seized gold and taken the mayor as hostage.

A full-blown Russian scare in 1885 grew out of Anglo–Russian rivalry in Afghanistan and led to the building of major fortifications along New Zealand’s coast.

Image: David Luckie (DNZB)