File No. 861.51/384
The Russian Financial Delegate (Novitsky) to Mr. Miles of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs of the Department of State
Dear Mr. Miles: Previous to the overthrow of the Provisional Government in Russia an order for Russian bank notes was placed in this country at the request of that Government. These bank notes have been manufactured and are now ready for shipment. As the Siberian government in Russia is in great need of currency according to all advices reaching this Embassy, the Ambassador discussed with Mr. Polk the question of the possibility of shipping these bank notes to Vladivostok. Mr. Polk did not raise any objection and informed the Ambassador that the Department of State was agreeable to the shipment of the currency, provided the Treasury Department had no objection to this course.
The consent of the Treasury Department was obtained and an export license, No. 190873, issued by the War Trade Board for [Page 85] export of the bank notes at the request of Mr. Ughet, financial attaché to the Embassy.
At the present time the question of available tonnage arose and it was proposed to send the notes partly on a United States transport, bound for Vladivostok and partly on one of the steamers of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha line. Application for a permission to ship the notes on a transport, the space required amounting to seventy tons, was made by me in a personal interview with Colonel Cordier of the War Department, by whom I was informed that the Department would find no objection to grant the permission requested if it was informed by the State Department of its view in this matter.
Therefore, I beg to request you to have the War Department advised of the consent of the State Department to the shipment of currency. As it would be greatly desirable to have a Russian official accompany the bank notes to Vladivostok it is exceedingly important to obtain at the same time permission for the person to take passage on board the transport; the name of the official that will be entrusted by the Ambassador to accompany the bank notes will be communicated to the Department of State in the nearest future.
According to information given by Colonel Cordier, the transport sailing to Vladivostok will leave San Francisco between the 18th and 20th of November and as it is necessary to ship the bank notes from New York to San Francisco, I should greatly appreciate your speedy action in this question.
It is understood that any expenses incurred by the United States Government in this matter will be refunded by the Russian Embassy.
I beg to remain [etc.]