[May-June 1918]

Lockart received two more telegrams about two ships in Arkhangelsk.

The unwillingness to take the goods sent to us and needed by us and to pay for them with goods we have in abundance will bear a clearly hostile character to England. 

In my opinion, we should agree.

Tomorrow the commission (in the morning) — Nevskogo, Rykova, Trotskogo. You must come there and achieve results personally. Only if unsatisfied — formally declare to me or the Council of People's Commissars.

1 The correspondence was at one of the sessions of the Council of People's Commissars. The matter apparently concerns another session of the Extraordinary Commission for Evacuation. 

2 Robert Hamilton Lockart — from January 1918 head of the special English mission to the Soviet government. It was not possible to establish which telegrams of Lockart are being referred to and which ships.

3 V. I. Nevskogo at this time — member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Transportation; Rykova A. I. — chairman of the Supreme Council of the National Economy; Trotskogo L. D. — people's commissar for military and naval affairs.