From 1897 to 1904, he served as secretary to the famous English journalist, William Thomas Stead (1849–1912), who founded the "Review of Reviews" in 1890, and who went down with the in 1912. "He was one of W. T. Stead's staff on the Review of Reviews in 1898, in which capacity he went to Russia to interview Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)". As a result, Robert Long became well-acquainted with the charismatic Russian novelist and philosopher (and author of "War and Peace" (1866)). "Tolstoy, who had great personal sympathy with Stead, deplored the "Review of Reviews"..." "It lacked the single intellectual and moral trend which Tolstoy wanted in everything." "I have this from my friend, Mr. Robert Crozier Long, who knew Tolstoy well."