Mr. Smith to Mr. Blaine.
St. Petersburg, February 26, 1892. (Received March 12.)
Sir: In response to your telegram of the 24th, received yesterday, instructing me to see to the prompt unloading of the Indiana on her arrival at Libau, I have to-day telegraphed to you as follows:
Will provide for prompt unloading of Indiana and transport of cargo without cost to famine region. Russian authorities ready to furnish every facility. I can arrange in advance through reliable organizations, with approval of Government, for distribution of cargo in most needy districts, plan to be subject to sanction of American agent on arrival. This will save much time. Please inform Philadelphia committee and ask them to authorize this and advise me as soon as possible to whom steamer is consigned and amount and nature of cargo. Government wants this knowledge to insure prompt measures. Please make some communication to Minnesota committee. Organization for distribution of American gifts being carefully perfected. Am in daily conference on the subject, and shall remain here till last of March.
I have communicated with the Russian authorities, who will do everything requisite to secure the speediest possible action on the arrival of the Indiana, and will at once pass the cargo through the custom-house free of duty. The consul-general of the United States will be present to coöperate with the Russian representatives in any official steps that may be required. Unless a better plan should develop, I am also prepared to arrange through one of the relief organizations with responsible shippers for the prompt unloading of the steamer.
The next question relates to the disposition of the cargo. The committee in general charge of relief measures, appointed by the Emperor and known here as the special committee of the Czarowitz, will undertake to forward this flour free of cost to any place or places within the famine region which the contributors or their representatives may designate. The shipments under the authority of this committee have precedence over everything else on the railroads. It will have cars ready at Libau to receive the flour immediately on its arrival, and desires to dispatch them as promptly as possible to their destination. To make the necessary preparations it has asked me if the districts to which we wish the flour sent can now be indicated. I have therefore taken the responsibility of requesting the relief organization of the British-American Church to join me in apportioning the cargo to the several localities where it is most needed and where it can be best used. This organization, as I have heretofore stated, reaches into a number of provinces, covering the most severely afflicted portions of the famine section, and it has carefully created within the districts trustworthy local committees, which are distributing the contributions it has thus far received, and which are best qualified to distribute the flour coming from America. This keeps the control practically in American hands, insures the distribution through reliable agencies, and carries the [Page 371] sanction and cooperation of the Russian Government. The proposed plan will be subject to the approval of the representative of the contributors, to whom it will be submitted on his arrival, but it is believed that it will at once commend itself to his favor as securing the most expeditious, efficient, and satisfactory distribution. In my judgment it is the best disposition which can be made, and I am able to say that this is also the opinion of the highest Russian authorities. It will save two or three weeks’ time, which, with the spring break-up, only a month distant, is of vital importance. I accept your telegraphic instruction of the 18th as justifying me in making such preliminary arrangements, but have thought that if the outline of the plan could be submitted in advance to the committees of the contributors and receive their approval it would insure complete understanding and authority. Hence my telegram of to-day given above.
May I venture to suggest that, if it meets your approval, you will cause a copy of this dispatch to be furnished to the Philadelphia committee and to the governor of Minnesota, who designated the representatives that are to accompany the contribution from the Northwest. It will give them more complete explanations than could be made in the telegram of to day.
I have, etc.,