EXCHANGE OF NOTES WITH G. V. CHICHERIN

**[May—June 1918]**

Lockart received two more telegrams about two ships in Arkhangelsk².

The unwillingness to accept the goods sent to us and necessary for us, and to pay for them with goods we have in surplus, will have a clearly hostile character toward England. In my view, we must agree.

Tomorrow a commission (in the morning) of Nevsky, Rykov, Trotsky³.

You must **go there yourself** and **achieve results personally**. Only in case of non-satisfaction—formally report to me or the SNK.

¹ The correspondence took place at one of the sessions of the Council of People's Commissars. The discussion concerns, apparently, another session of the Extraordinary Commission on Evacuation.

² Robert Hamilton Lockart—from January 1918, head of the special English mission to the Soviet Government. Which telegrams of Lockart and which ships are in question could not be established.

³ V. I. Nevsky at this time—member of the collegium of the Commissariat of Railways; A. I. Rykov—chairman of the Supreme Council of the National Economy; L. D. Trotsky—Commissar for Naval Affairs.

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