File No. 763.72/5334
The Secretary of Embassy ( Caffery), temporarily in the United States, to the Secretary of State
[Received June 16, 9 a.m.]
Mission arrived this morning Seattle and now en route Chicago. Ambassador Bakhmeteff expresses to me his pleasure in being on American soil and states that lie looks forward with much pleasure to his stay in this country. The Ambassador advises that his Government attaches the very greatest importance to the work and cooperation of the two special missions now in Russia and United States respectively. He says that the Russian Government considers that the aims and ideas of the two countries in this war are identical; that the relations should be of the closest kind and that the cooperation of Russia and America will have great influence on the future politics of the world. The Ambassador says that he wishes to emphasize that his Government regards the work to be accomplished by his mission to be of the utmost importance. Mr. Bakhmeteff feels that he understands America and American institutions and people and that this knowledge will aid him materially in conducting negotiations here; that Russia is looking to United States aid along different lines, notably financial, railroads, agriculture, munitions and supplies, that the heads of the technical bureaus under him will take up these questions; that the Provisional Government feels that it can look more to the United States than to any other country for the proper assistance in developing a new democracy; that he does not underestimate the difficulties of the situation but believes that with sympathy and understanding much progress can be accomplished.
The Provisional Government appointed Mr. Bakhmeteff head of the Extraordinary Mission as the political representative of all factions of the Provisional Government and at the same time desired to have him received as Ambassador Resident at Washington until such time as a permanent Ambassador may be appointed. With this end in view he bears with him letters of credence in addition to special powers to treat of special subjects.
[Page 158]General Roop, representative of the Russian General Staff and Army, is a Lieutenant General in rank. He ranks next to the Ambassador. Professor Lomonosov, chief of the railway mission, has power in the United States of Minister of Communications; Professor Borodin, who was a professor in the Agricultural College at Petrograd, is interested in studying agricultural problems; Colonel Oranovski of the artillery is vice president of the munitions committee in New York and is interested in munitions and supplies; Mr. Novitski, chief of the Credit Bureau of the Ministry of Finance, will take up financial matters; Mr. Sookine of the Foreign Office is diplomatic secretary of the mission.
The ladies of the party will leave the train at Harrisburg and go direct to New York, are not coming to Washington. The following members of the mission will remain in Washington: the delegates from the Foreign Office; the delegates from the War Office; the delegates from the Ministry of Finance; the representatives of the press and special attaché. The following will go to Washington for the official reception, remain a few days and then go to New York where they will be located: Professor Lomonosov, Borodin, Colonel Oranovski. The other members of the party will travel direct to New York with the ladies of the party.
Recommendations for house in Washington following: Ambassador, General Roop, Lomonosov, Borodin, Oranovski, Novitski, Sookine, Karpovich, private secretary to Ambassador, Dubasov, aides-de-camp, Captains Shutt, Martinov.
Rank of chief members of party after Ambassador: General Roop, Lomonosov, Borodin, Oranovski, Novitski, Sookine, Dubasov, Shutt.
The mission desires that General Khrabrov, president of the Committee of Munitions and Supplies in New York, join the mission in Washington.
Following changes original list: Nos. 5, 19 and 32 did not arrive. No. 18 should read Sergievski. No. 28 should read Mrs. Oranovski with son. Following additions to list: Mrs. Lipits, wife of a Russian officer now in this country; also two sailors and one valet.
The Ambassador requests especially that his thanks be conveyed for the manner of his reception in this country.1
- The mission reached Washington on June 19 and on July 5 was converted into an ordinary Embassy through the presentation by Mr. Bakhmeteff of letters of credence as permanent Ambassador. Papers relating to the ceremonial aspects of the reception of the mission are not printed.↩