File No. 861.77/176a
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Vladivostok (Caldwell)
For Stevens [from Willard]:
Yours 17 from Harbin received. Cabled you 17th, care Francis, as follows:
Confirming my cable August 25: Arrangements are being made rapidly as possible to raise, equip, and forward units of railroad men you ask for. Will also send 100 mechanics as requested by Professor Lomonosov1 to erect new locomotives Vladivostok. Congratulate you upon getting your recommendations approved.
Also on 18th as follows:
Referring your cable August 13, Professor Lomonosov suggests 2 foundry foremen, 2 machine foremen, 4 engine-erecting foremen, no car or paint foremen, instead of list as given by you. Will this be satisfactory? He approves all others. Is there any serious objection to all officers, including mechanical superintendent, being paid by Russian Government through credit of United States? We must be definite about their employment before they leave.
We are making good progress in getting units together and equipped as requested. Expect to start first six units first week in October, others to follow right along.
Since June 23 have completed 114 decapod engines for Russia and shipped from Vancouver. Additional engines will go forward at rate of 8 per week. Will start shipping Mallets end September at rate of 5 per week.
Eight hundred complete box cars shipped since July 1 and expect ship 300 more complete box cars by October 1. One thousand complete gondola cars shipped since July 1.
Vauclain is arranging for cranes and other necessary machinery and tools for shops at Vladivostok and will send 100 skilled mechanics to set up engines at that place.
- Representative upon the Bakhmeteff mission to the United States of the Russian Ministry of Ways of Communication.↩