File No. 861.85/8
The Consul at Vladivostok ( Caldwell ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1.59 p.m.]
Following telegram sent to-day at request Russian Volunteer Fleet, who state their steamers detained Seattle:
Shestakovski, Russian Volunteer Fleet agent, New York: Steamships Nijni Novgorod, Kishinev, Toula are used every year for regular Kamchatka trips, have no substitute as all our steamers are working on regular lines during navigation as per time-table; without said steamers needs of Kamchatka can not be satisfied which will greatly affect not only Kamchatka’s population, who have no communication during about five months, but also this country and Russia where cargoes of fish caviar are imported. Without these steamers, which are of larger size than others, Kamchatka will be [Page 311] half satisfied which will ruin fishing merchants working on Kamchatka every year. Kuzemenko.
I hereby confirm above statements. Caldwell, American Consul.
Steamers are required for Kamchatka fishing season and I request that they be released.