Cassius M. Clay to William H. Seward, May 19, 1863

Mr. Clay to Mr. Seward.

Sir: In pursuance of the policy imposed upon me by our government in regard to the Russian American telegraph line, I a few days since called upon Prince Gortchacow, the vice-chancellor, and asked his aid in behalf of Mr. Collins’s scheme. The Prince sent for General Ignatieff, aide-de-camp general, and chief of the Asiatic department, with whom I had a long confidential and familiar conversation with regard to the commercial, intellectual, and political relations of this project, in which we both cordially agreed. The general then asked me to embody my views in a written summary for the use of the committee which the Emperor has named for the consideration of P. McD. Collins’s scheme. I did so, and I herewith enclose you a copy of the same, marked A, and appended to this letter.

I remark that the Russian line to Nicolaivski, at the mouth of the Amoor river, is completed to Omsk, on the river Irtysch, about 74° east from Greenwich, 55° north latitude. It is proposed to run it on to Irkoutsk, about 105° east, and thence, making a detour somewhat south, to the Pacific. The Russians will complete this, they say, in three years. Mr. Collins thinks, under a favorable charter, the American Telegraph Company would complete their portion of the line, from Nicolaivski, to San Francisco in the same or less time.

General Ignatieff told me last night that the committee, so far as they had considered the proposition made by Mr. Collins, which my paper (A) embraces, were favorably inclined to grant all asked, except that the demand for exclusive control of the Indian tribes through which the line passed, might conflict with the privileges already granted to Russian fur companies, but that he hoped some line of mutual accord would be struck out.

I am, very, truly your obedient servant,