File No. 861.00/365
Ambassador Francis to
the Secretary of State
No. 657
American Embassy,
Petrograd,
March 26, 1917.
Sir: In my unnumbered despatch of
yesterday,1 I gave
the details and sequence of my recognition on behalf of our Government
of the new Government of Russia.
[Page 1212]
I have the honor to forward herewith copies of the correspondence between
the American Embassy and the Foreign Office on the subject.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to Ambassador Francis
Petrograd,
March 25, 1917.
Mr. Ambassador: By a note of the 9th/22d
instant, your excellency was good enough to set forth the
circumstances accompanying the recognition by the American
Government of the Russian Provisional Government, that is to say,
that your excellency, having received on March 9th/22nd instructions
from your Government to formally and officially recognize this
Government was good enough to call on me at eleven o’clock in the
morning of the same day to inform me of the said decision of the
Government of the United States and that the same day, at half past
four in the afternoon, having come to the Council of Ministers with
the staff of the Embassy, you were officially introduced by me to
the Premier as well as to the Council and were good enough on that
occasion, according to the instructions of your Government, to
officially communicate the news that the Government of the United
States recognizes the Russian Provisional Government.
I have the honor to thank you for this courteous communication and
would appreciate it if you would kindly transmit to the Federal
Government the lively gratitude of the Russian Provisional
Government for the proof of friendly sympathy which the United
States has been good enough to extend through its decision to the
new democratic régime established in Russia.
I am certain that henceforth the ties of traditional friendship which
unite our countries will become still closer and imbued with greater
confidence for the good of the two Nations.
Be good enough to accept [etc.]
