Mr. Bayard to Mr. Lothrop.
Washington, August 27, 1885.
Sir: This Government has learned with sincere regret, through a letter from Lieutenant Schuetze, U. S. Navy, written on the 1st instant at St. Petersburg, of the death of the highly esteemed Maj. Gen. George Tchernaieff, governor of Yakutsk, who rendered such valued service some months ago to the survivors of the Jeannette expedition and to the parties sent in search of them.
Under your advice, apparently, Lieutenant Schuetze will leave at St. Petersburg the engraved sword which was in his charge for personal presentation to the late governor; and under these circumstances the President directs that, in the event His Majesty’s Government shall so desire, you will kindly deliver the sword through the foreign office, with an appropriate letter, placing it at the Emperor’s disposal.
I am, &c.,