File No. 861.77/116
The Ambassador in Russia (Francis) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 2.]
Sir: I am writing you hastily in order that the representative of the Department of Ways of Communication, Mr. Mitinski, who leaves for Vladivostok at 7.50 this evening, may take same to Vladivostok in order to insure its transmission to you at the earliest-possible date. We shall send a government pouch by the special train leaving with the Russian commission two days later.
[Page 190]I enclose copy of the letter of introduction given Mr. Mitinski to be presented to John F. Stevens.1 My understanding with the Minister of Ways of Communication is clear and definite to the effect that Mr. Stevens will be given absolute control of the terminals at Vladivostok and the Minister has assured me that his representative, Mr. Mitinski, will be authorized to transfer such control to Mr. Stevens.
The numerous and unexpected changes in the Ministry of the past forty-eight hours has so occupied every member thereof that it has been impossible for me to procure from Mr. Nekrasov2 a definite statement of Mr. Stevens’s authority in writing as I should like to have, but I hope to secure same before the [Bakhmeteff] commission leaves which will be two days from now, May 17, at 7.50 p.m., on a special train for Vladivostok. That special train will remain at Vladivostok subject to the use and convenience of Mr. Stevens and his assistants.
I am sending with the commission on the special train two interpreters for the use of Mr. Stevens and his commission. They are Prof. F. A. Golder and Mr. Eugene Prince. Your cable authorized me to select the interpreters and, as cabled you, I preferred to send Americans. Professor Golder has been in Petrograd for some months and with your consent has been given access to the records of the Embassy in the preparation of a history of the diplomatic relations between our Government and Russia. Eugene Prince is thoroughly American in sentiment and tells me he is a citizen of the United States by special act of Congress. He is a mechanician and has devoted considerable time to the construction and laying out of railroads.
I have written Mr. Stevens in detail concerning these men. I am also sending to Vladivostok to meet the commission the Military Attaché, E. Francis Riggs, with instructions to impress upon Mr. Stevens the necessity of giving immediate relief to the congestion at Vladivostok and facilitating the transportation of military supplies to the army at the front.
I shall give in another despatch to be sent by the Russian commission, additional information concerning the control to be given Mr. Stevens. My definite understanding with Nekrasov is that Mr. Stevens is to be given absolute control of the Vladivostok terminals. In order to make that control effective, he must exercise authority over all trains entering Vladivostok yards and I hope that in time [Page 191] and in a very short time, that control will extend over a considerable portion if not over all the Siberian Railway.
I have cabled you to-day of the changes in the Ministry and may send you additional cable on the subject later in the day.
I have [etc.]