Mr. Hitchcock to Mr. Sherman.
St. Petersburg , March 1, 1898 .
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith copy of a letter dated February 26, 1898, introducing to you Mr. Hans Schack, the representative of the United Steamship Company of Copenhagen, by whose direction Mr. Schack came here to see me with reference to further developing the direct transportation service between American and Russian ports.
The United Steamship Company had been in existence some thirty or more years, has a capital of some $12,000,000, owns over 120 steamers trading between various European ports, but of which 6 are now employed between Newport News and New Orleans and Russian ports, the desire of the company being to very largely increase the number and size of these vessels, in the hope of thus largely increasing the direct trade between America and Russia and for which, it seems to me, there is now every encouragement.
It is estimated that Russia alone consumes about 1,000,000 bales of cotton annually, of which a comparatively small proportion comes direct from America, but which proportion can be immensely increased if, by direct shipments, the delay and expense of transshipment at Liverpool, Hamburg, and Bremen can be saved.
The same is true with respect to the products of American manufactories, for which there is an increasing demand in Russia and to further develop which I respectfully request that you will put Mr. Schack in communication with both the Treasury and Agricultural Departments, from which he desires to obtain such statistical and industrial facts as I have no doubt will be of material advantage to him as well as to our countrymen desirous of increasing their trade with Russia.
I have, etc.,