Mr. Raikes to Mr. Hay .
Dear Mr. Hay: Mr. Dickinson, the United States agent at Sofia, recently requested Mr. Francis Elliot, the British representative in that city, to take charge of United States interests during his absence, and Lord Lansdowne has authorized Mr. Elliot to do so, but as the charge of United States interests was withdrawn from him, on Mr. Dickinson’s appointment, by your letter of the 14th of October last and by a letter from the United States embassy in London to the foreign office of the 24th of the same month, and as Mr. Dickinson has left for a prolonged period, Lord Lansdowne thinks that it would be as well that the United States Government should formally request him to instruct Mr. Elliot again to take charge of United States interests in Bulgaria, as before, until Mr. Dickinson returns or other arrangements are made. I would suggest that in doing so the Department of State might express the hope that Mr. Elliot will communicate freely with you and with the United States minister at Constantinople on all matters on which he may require to do so.
I remain, etc.,