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States to the Agent of the Mercantile Marine in New York to the effect
that it required these ships. There is also reason to believe that the above
mentioned Government wishes to make use of same according to the
«Bare Ship Basis». The administration of the Mercantile Voluntary Fleet
of the Far East has protested by telegraph against the seizure emphasising
 the necessity of the return of these ships as being indispensable for
the service of communication between important ports in the North and
also for facilitating the fishing trade.
The Commissariat for Foreign Affairs begs the Consul General
of the United States to approach its Government on this subject so that
the necessary steps may immediately be taken and the ships handed over
to the Russian Mercantile Marine as soon as possible.
Commissary of the People for Foreign Affairs, TCHITCHERIN.

To the Diplomatic Representative of Great Britain Mr. LOCKHART.
12 June 1918.

The Commissariat for Foreign Affairs begs to inform. the Diplomatic
 Representative of Great Britain, concerning, the seizure of ships
belonging to the Russian Mercantile Voluntary Fleet by the English
Authorities without the knowledge of the Government of the Socialist
Federative Soviet Republic of Russia.
In the hope of receiving with the least possible delay the necessary
 and detailed explanation of the following facts, the Commissariat
begs to bring to your notice the information at its disposal.
1) The ship «Vitimen destined for Singapore towards the middle
of April last has not to this day entered port.
2) The ships «Tobolsk» and «Indiguirkan were seized, the former
on the 19th. and the latter on the 23rd. of last March at- Hongkong by
order of the British admiralty, the crews were interned in a camp to be
repatriated later. -The Agent of the Mercantile Voluntary Fleet protested
 personally as well as through the offices of the Consulate against
this illegal action, on the 2nd. of April, the same representative being
informed by the Admiralty that the requisition of the above mentioned
ships was made to satisfy the needs of war, according to the Anglo-Russian
 Convention of 1916, and that the Voluntary Fleet would be liable
to compensation according to the English laws relating to forced requisition.
 The English Consul while on the one hand pointing to the great
need of Great Britain in ships, yet on the other hand did not deny the
extreme importance of the maritime traffic of Kamtschatka and promised
his help in the matter.
According to additional information that has come to hand concerning
 ships belonging to the Voluntary Fleet navigating between ports